Professional Football Player. He was a quarterback for the National Football League’s Chicago Bears, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1984 and 1986. Born Robert Hayden Avellini, he played football collegiately at the University of Maryland and was later drafted in the 6th Round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He went on to play for the Bears, both as the starting and backup quarterback, for the next ten years before signing with the New York Jets in November of 1984, after being cut by the team. While with the Bears, he quarterbacked the team to a wildcard playoff berth in 1977. He remained with the Jets for the rest of the 1984 season before being released by the team at the end of the season. He later played three pre-season games with the Dallas Cowboys before being released in 1986. He retired after being released and his career statistics included throwing 33 touchdowns and passing for 7,111 yards. After leaving football, he worked both in the real estate industry and in both radio and television broadcasting. He passed away after a battle with cancer.
