When Jim Finks was hired as the Bears’ general manager in September of 1974, he didn’t meddle that much with the on-field product. He let a 4-10 season play out and reaped the biggest benefit of that failure — the fourth overall pick in the 1975 draft.
And he made the most of it, selecting Jackson State running back Walter Payton — a player he would have taken with the first overall pick if he had it.
