{{Short description|American football player (born 1959)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Pat Dunsmore | number = 88 | position = Tight end | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|10|2}} | birth_place = Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lb = 237 | high_school = Ankeny (Ankeny, Iowa) | college = Drake | draftyear = 1983 | draftround = 4 | draftpick = 107 | pastteams = * Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1983|1985}}) | statlabel1 = Receptions | statvalue1 = 17 | statlabel2 = Receiving yards | statvalue2 = 208 | statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns | statvalue3 = 1 | pfr = DunsPa00 }}
'''Patrick Neil Dunsmore''' (born October 2, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for three seasons with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He is a graduate of Ankeny High School in Ankeny, Iowa and Drake University. He switched sports (to football) as a senior in high school and switched positions (to tight end) as a senior in college. He played for Drake during a historically successful era for the school. As a professional, he is best remembered as the recipient of a Walter Payton playoff touchdown and a victim of a pileup in a bench clearing brawl. He is the father of Drake Dunsmore.
==Early life== At Ankeny, he competed in basketball until his senior year, when he became a football player and earned a football scholarship.<ref name=Lfls/> At Drake, he was a highly regarded tight end, after converting from wide receiver as a senior, who slipped to the 106th pick in the 1983 NFL draft after suffering a knee injury while skiing in early 1983.<ref>{{cite news|title=2 rookies impress the Bears|work=Chicago Tribune|date=August 14, 1983|page=B6|author=Markus, Robert}}</ref> On September 13, 1980, he had 142 yards and six receptions for two touchdowns against Ball State.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/658212612.html?dids=658212612:658212612&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+14%2C+1980&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Other+32+--+No+Title&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715231719/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/658212612.html?dids=658212612:658212612&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+14,+1980&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Other+32+--+No+Title&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2012|title=Other 32 -- No Title|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=September 14, 1980|work=Los Angeles Times|page=C10|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Dunsmore, was part of a historic era for Drake Bulldogs football including the nearly undefeated 1981 Drake Bulldogs football team. The team's 7–0 start was the school's first in 37 years, which caused ''Sports Illustrated'' to do a feature on the team.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1124935/2/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101052156/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1124935/2/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 1, 2013|title=The Week|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=November 2, 1981|magazine=Sports Illustrated|author=Weiskopf, Herm}}</ref> Then, he was part of the Bears 1983 Draft class with Jimbo Covert, Willie Gault, Mike Richardson, Dave Duerson, Tom Thayer, Richard Dent and Mark Bortz.<ref name=Lfls/>
==Professional career== He played all 16 games for the 1983 Bears, making 8 receptions for 102 yards.<ref name=PDNFL>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/patdunsmore/2513336/profile|title=Pat Dunsmore|access-date=April 30, 2012|work=NFL.com}}</ref> He was placed on injured reserve on August 30, 1984, and taken off of injured reserve on September 29, 1984.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/30/sports/transactions-164276.html|title=Transactions|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=August 30, 1984|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/29/sports/transactions-236411.html|title=Transactions|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=September 29, 1984|work=The New York Times}}</ref> He then played in 11 regular season games for the 1984 Bears, totaling 9 receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown.<ref name=PDNFL/> He caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Walter Payton in the 1984–85 NFL playoffs on December 30 against the Washington Redskins, but was on injured reserve during the 1985 Bears Super Bowl XX season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1986-01-27 |title=Bears Trounce Patriots, 46-10, in Super Bowl |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-27-mn-540-story.html |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=Lfls>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3720283.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611124222/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3720283.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 11, 2014|title=Like father, like son: Ex-Bear's son gives Wildcats strong options at tight end|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=February 8, 2007|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Hayes, Neil|quote=Pat Dunsmore spent three seasons with the Bears. The backup tight end caught a touchdown pass from Walter Payton during the landmark playoff upset of the Washington Redskins in 1984, then spent the 1985 Super Bowl season on injured reserve...Pat was a high school basketball player who didn't play football until his senior year and still earned a scholarship to Drake. A fourth-round selection, Dunsmore was part of the Bears' famous 1983 draft class that included Jimbo Covert, Willie Gault, Mike Richardson, Dave Duerson, Tom Thayer, Richard Dent and Mark Bortz. |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The 23–19 victory at RFK Stadium was the team's first playoff victory since 1963. The play occurred two minutes before the half when Payton took a pitch from Steve Fuller and threw the pass, giving the Bears a 10–3 halftime lead.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3803531.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921210047/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3803531.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2014|title=Bears ride 2-game streak over Skins|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=January 2, 1987|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Ruane, John|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Dunsmore was able to play with the 1986 Bears in the preseason.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3779650.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329105943/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3779650.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2015|title=Tomczak-led Bears shine // 3 touchdown passes help bury Steelers|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=August 10, 1986|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Hewitt, Brian|quote=...last night's 33-13 victory over the Steelers...Reserve tight end Pat Dunsmore added three receptions for 47 yards.|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In a late preseason game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Dunsmore came to the aid of teammate Keith Van Horne during a bench-clearing brawl.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3781920.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329110133/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3781920.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2015|title=Ditka down on Fridge's uplifting sack|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=August 24, 1986|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Pompei, Dan|quote='I grabbed one guy and the next thing I know there were nothing but white jerseys around me,' Dunsmore said. 'I was just trying to stay alive. They were punching and kicking my head and my crotch.' Dunsmore wasn't hurt, although he was 'a little dizzy.'|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Dunsmore and Van Horne were pinned against the wall behind the Cardinals bench.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3781906.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329111839/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3781906.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2015|title=Cardinals pin 1st loss on Bears|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=August 24, 1986|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Lamb, Kevin|quote=It started when Cardinal linebacker Niko Noga knocked wide receiver Keith Ortego down while he was blocking. Cornerback Lionel Washington 'jumped on top of me...'While an official restrained Washington, tackle Keith Van Horne ran past and belted him...Van Horne suddenly found himself under a pile of Cardinal players who rolled him to the padded wall behind the St. Louis bench...Tight end Pat Dunsmore also was caught in the scuffle...he was pummeled against the wall like a hockey player. Dunsmore fell to the ground, where St. Louis linebacker Charlie Baker kicked him.|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Dunsmore was trampled, kicked and punched by Charlie Baker, Ottis Anderson and Earnest Gray on national television.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3782121.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329110136/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3782121.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2015|title=A sideline mugging at Soldier Field|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=August 25, 1986|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Lamb, Kevin|quote=Dunsmore, a Bears tight end, got trampled in a stampede of Cardinals...Dunsmore just happened to be in the way. But as long as Dunsmore was on the ground and defenseless, Cardinals Charlie Baker, Ottis Anderson and Earnest Gray amused themselves by kicking and punching him in the helmet and less-protected areas. On national television, it looked like a scene from a prison movie where the warden's stoolie is perforated with blunt objects and left for dead, a blot on the floor.|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Dunsmore was among the last four players cut when the team cut to the 45-man roster limit a little over a week later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3783339.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329110120/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3783339.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2015|title=Bears give up, drop Williams|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=September 2, 1986|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Hewitt, Brian|quote=There were no major surprises among the four other players waived yesterday as the Bears trimmed their roster to the regular-season limit of 45. [In addition to David Williams] Others cut were fourth-year reserve defensive end Tyrone Keys, third-year backup center Tom Andrews, third-year reserve tight end Pat Dunsmore and rookie defensive back Maurice Douglass.|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The following week, when fines were announced by the NFL, Otis Wilson expressed his disbelief ". . . Dunsmore got fined? He almost got killed."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3784900.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150329105915/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3784900.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2015|title=Bears see fine line in fights vs. Cards|access-date=April 29, 2012|date=September 11, 1986|work=Chicago Sun-Times|author=Hewitt, Brian|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
==Notes== {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == * {{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DunsPa00.htm |title=Pat Dunsmore |website=pro-football-reference.com}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.penningtonslaw.com/people/a-e/patrick-dunsmore |title=Patrick Dunsmore |website=penningtonslaw.com}} * {{IMDb name|3788548}}
{{Bears1983DraftPicks}} {{Super Bowl XX}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunsmore, Pat}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:American football tight ends Category:Chicago Bears players Category:Drake Bulldogs football players Category:People from Ankeny, Iowa Category:Sportspeople from Polk County, Iowa Category:Players of American football from Duluth, Minnesota Category:20th-century American sportsmen