| Team: | Chicago Bears |
| Year: | 1981 |
| Record: | 6–10 |
| Division Place: | 5th NFC Central |
| Coach: | Neill Armstrong |
| General Manager: | Jim Finks |
| Owner: | George Halas |
| Stadium: | Soldier Field |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Shortnavlink: | Bears seasons |
The 1981 season was the Chicago Bears' 62nd in the National Football League, and their fourth under head coach Neill Armstrong. The team failed to improve on their 7–9 record from 1980 to finish at 6–10, and failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season. At the end of the season, Neill Armstrong was fired by the Bears.
One unusual sidelight to the season was that of the Bears' 6 victories, 4 of them were against opponents in the AFC West; including a 20–17 upset of San Diego in week 8 and a 35–24 victory that eliminated the Broncos from playoff contention on the final week of the regular season.
See main article: article and 1981 NFL Draft.
After the draft, the Bears signed multiple undrafted free agents, 3 of whom made the team when preseason ended: Tulane wide receiver Marcus Anderson, Alcorn State cornerback Leslie Frazier and Iowa center Jay Hilgenberg.[1]
| Scott McGhee | Wide receiver | Eastern Illinois | |
| Todd Sheets | Wide receiver | Northwestern |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6 | Green Bay Packers | L 9–16 | 0–1 | Soldier Field | 62,411 | ||
| 2 | September 13 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 17–28 | 0–2 | Candlestick Park | 49,520 | ||
| 3 | September 20 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 28–17 | 1–2 | Soldier Field | 60,130 | ||
| 4 | September 28 | Los Angeles Rams | L 7–24 | 1–3 | Soldier Field | 62,461 | ||
| 5 | October 4 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 21–24 | 1–4 | Metropolitan Stadium | 43,827 | ||
| 6 | October 11 | Washington Redskins | L 7–24 | 1–5 | Soldier Field | 57,683 | ||
| 7 | October 19 | at Detroit Lions | L 17–48 | 1–6 | Pontiac Silverdome | 71,273 | ||
| 8 | October 25 | San Diego Chargers | W 20–17 | 2–6 | Soldier Field | 52,906 | ||
| 9 | November 1 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 10–20 | 2–7 | Tampa Stadium | 63,688 | ||
| 10 | November 8 | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 16–13 | 3–7 | Arrowhead Stadium | 60,605 | ||
| 11 | November 15 | at Green Bay Packers | L 17–21 | 3–8 | Lambeau Field | 55,338 | ||
| 12 | November 22 | Detroit Lions | L 7–23 | 3–9 | Soldier Field | 50,082 | ||
| 13 | November 26 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 9–10 | 3–10 | Texas Stadium | 63,499 | ||
| 14 | December 6 | Minnesota Vikings | W 10–9 | 4–10 | Soldier Field | 50,766 | ||
| 15 | December 13 | at Oakland Raiders | W 23–6 | 5–10 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 40,384 | ||
| 16 | December 20 | Denver Broncos | W 35–24 | 6–10 | Soldier Field | 40,125 | ||
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | ||||||||
See also: 1981 Oakland Raiders season.