CHICAGO — Former Chicago Bears executive Jerry Vainisi, the general manager when the team won Super Bowl XX in January 1986, died Tuesday at age 80.
Vainisi served as Bears GM for four seasons, promoted to that post by franchise founder and owner George Halas in summer 1983. The team confirmed Vainisi’s death Wednesday evening.
Vainisi remained in that role through the end of the 1986 season, and during that span, under the guidance of coach Mike Ditka, the Bears won 52 games and four NFC Central championships and put together an iconic season in 1985. They went 15-1 during the regular season, then steamrolled three opponents in the postseason by a combined score of 91-10 en route to their only Super Bowl title and first NFL championship since 1963.
