With the NFL set to celebrate its 100th birthday on Sept. 17, 2020, here's a look at what transpired this week in Bears history:
June 22
In 1947, former quarterback Bobby Douglass was born. Selected by the Bears in the second round of the 1969 draft out of Kansas, he spent his first seven NFL seasons in Chicago. Appearing in 61 games with 45 starts, Douglass completed 42.0 percent of his passes for 4,932 yards with 30 touchdowns, 51 interceptions and a 47.5 passer rating. He also rushed for 2,470 yards and 20 touchdowns on 373 attempts. His 968 yards rushing in 1972 were the most by a quarterback until Michael Vick broke the record in 2006.
In 1974, former defensive lineman Bryan Robinson was born. Robinson spent six seasons with the Bears from 1998-2003, appearing in 90 games with 82 starts and recording 231 tackles, 16.5 sacks and 27 tackles-for-loss. He blocked Ryan Longwell's 28-yard field goal attempt Nov. 7, 1999 to preserve a 14-13 win over the Packers six days after Walter Payton had passed away. Robinson passed away June 11, 2016 at the age of 41.
In 1987, former defensive end Corey Wootton was born. Selected by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2010 draft out of Northwestern, he spent four seasons in Chicago, appearing in 45 games with 22 starts and registering 70 tackles, 11.0 sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss. Wootton's first career sack in a division-clinching win over the Vikings Dec. 20, 2010 knocked Brett Favre out of the game and turned out to be the final play of Favre's NFL career.
June 23
In 1938, former guard Roger Davis was born. Selected by the Bears with the seventh pick in the first round of the 1960 draft, Davis spent four seasons with the team from 1960-63, appearing in 48 games with 31 starts. He was the starting right guard on the Bears' 1963 NFL championship team.
In 1956, former linebacker Brian Cabral was born. He spent six seasons with the Bears from 1981-86, appearing in 60 games with eight starts. Cabral contributed primarily on special teams. Playing for the famed 1985 Bears, Cabral was placed on injured reserve after hurting his knee in the season opener but returned to play in Super Bowl XX.
In 1972, former safety Larry Whigham was born. Whigham spent two seasons with the Bears in 2001-02, appearing in 30 games with one start. In 2001, Whigham was voted All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl as a special teams player for a Bears team that won the NFC Central title with a 13-3 record.
June 24
In 1922, the American Professional Football Association since its inception in 1920 changed its name to the National Football League.
In 1987, former outside linebacker Lamarr Houston was born. Houston spent three seasons with the Bears from 2014-16, appearing in 31 games with 11 starts and registering 57 tackles, 13.0 sacks and 18 tackles-for-loss.
June 25
In 1981, the Bears announced the re-signings of center Dan Neal and cornerback Terry Schmidt. Neal spent nine seasons with the Bears from 1975-83, appearing in 115 games with 94 starts. He started all 16 games for four straight seasons from 1978-81. Schmidt also spent nine seasons with the Bears from 1976-84, playing in 121 games with 77 starts and compiling 21 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
June 26
In 1895, Min Halas was born. The wife of George Halas and mother of Virginia Halas McCaskey, Min started working for the Bears in 1922. In addition to her clerical duties, she was affectionately known by her family as "Keeper of the Scrapbooks." Year-after-year and decade-after-decade, Min would cut articles and photographs out of newspapers, organize and label them and paste them into scrapbooks, chronicling the history of the Bears.
June 27
In 1944, former linebacker Doug Buffone was born. Selected by the Bears in the fourth round of the 1966 draft out of Louisville, he spent his entire 14-year NFL career in Chicago, appearing in 186 games with 154 starts. Buffone's 24 interceptions are the most by a linebacker in Bears history and his 14 seasons played are tied for the second most in franchise history with Hall of Fame linebacker Bill George behind long-snapper Patrick Mannelly (16). Buffone passed away April 20, 2015 at the age of 70.
In 1957, Bears president/CEO Ted Phillips was born. Phillips is the fourth person to serve as president in the organization's storied 100-year history following George Halas, George "Mugs" Halas, Jr., and Michael McCaskey.
June 28
In 2016, former Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan passed away. Ryan served as Bears defensive coordinator from 1978-85, winning a Super Bowl ring in his final season in Chicago while leading one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.
