The 1966 season was the Chicago Bears' 47th in the National Football League. The team failed to improve on their 9–5 record from 1965 and finished with a 5–7–2 record under head coach George Halas, earning them a fifth-place finish in the NFL Western Conference. This was the franchise's second losing season in the past three.
Offseason
NFL draft
Roster
| Chicago Bears 1966 roster
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| Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
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Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Taxi squad
Reserve List
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Schedule
| Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Result
|
Record
|
Venue
|
Attendance
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| 1
|
September 11
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at Detroit Lions
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L 3–14
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0–1
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Tiger Stadium
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52,225
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| 2
|
|
at Los Angeles Rams
|
L 17–31
|
0–2
|
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
|
58,916
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| 3
|
Bye
|
| 4
|
October 2
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at Minnesota Vikings
|
W 13–10
|
1–2
|
Metropolitan Stadium
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47,426
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| 5
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October 9
|
Baltimore Colts
|
W 27–17
|
2–2
|
Wrigley Field
|
47,452
|
| 6
|
October 16
|
Green Bay Packers
|
L 0–17
|
2–3
|
Wrigley Field
|
48,573
|
| 7
|
October 23
|
Los Angeles Rams
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W 17–10
|
3–3
|
Wrigley Field
|
47,475
|
| 8
|
|
at St. Louis Cardinals
|
L 17–24
|
3–4
|
Busch Memorial Stadium
|
49,516
|
| 9
|
November 6
|
Detroit Lions
|
T 10–10
|
3–4–1
|
Wrigley Field
|
47,041
|
| 10
|
November 13
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
T 30–30
|
3–4–2
|
Wrigley Field
|
47,078
|
| 11
|
November 20
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at Green Bay Packers
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L 6–13
|
3–5–2
|
Lambeau Field
|
50,861
|
| 12
|
November 27
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
W 23–6
|
4–5–2
|
Wrigley Field
|
44,777
|
| 13
|
December 4
|
at Baltimore Colts
|
L 16–21
|
4–6–2
|
Memorial Stadium
|
60,238
|
| 14
|
December 11
|
at San Francisco 49ers
|
L 14–41
|
4–7–2
|
Kezar Stadium
|
37,170
|
| 15
|
December 18
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
W 41–28
|
5–7–2
|
Wrigley Field
|
45,191
|
| Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.
|
- A bye week was necessary in 1966, as the league expanded to an odd-number (15) of teams (Atlanta); one team was idle each week.
Standings
- Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Game summaries
Week 4: vs. Baltimore Colts
| Game information
|
- First Quarter
- Second Quarter
- Third Quarter
- CHI – Gale Sayers 30-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) – Bears 17–3
- CHI – Roger LeClerc 27-yard field goal – Bears 20–3
- BAL – Bobby Boyd 37-yard interception return (Lou Michaels kick) – Bears 20–10
- Fourth Quarter
- CHI – Gale Sayers 7-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) – Bears 27–10
- BAL – John Mackey 79-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick) – Bears 27–17
|
- Colts
- Johnny Unitas
18/38, 274 Yds, TD, 2 INT
- Tom Matte
4 Rush, 57 Yds
- John Mackey
2 Rec, 89 Yds, TD
- Bears
|
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References
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| Franchise | |
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| Records | |
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| Stadiums | |
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| Culture | |
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| Lore | |
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| Rivalries | |
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| Retired numbers | |
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| Key personnel | |
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| Division championships (21) | |
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| Conference championships (4) | |
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| League championships (9) | |
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| Media |
- Broadcasters
- Radio:
- Personnel:
- Television:
- WFLD (pre-season and most regular season games through Fox, official pre-game and post-game alternate)
- Marquee Sports Network (official post-game and in-season programming)
- Personnel:
- Lou Canellis (gameday television host, pre-season sideline reporter)
- Adam Amin (pre-season play-by-play)
- Jim Miller (pre-season analyst)
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| Current league affiliations | |
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Formerly the Decatur Staleys (1920) and the Chicago Staleys (1921) |
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