Chicago's official trade history dates the transaction to…
Chicago's official trade history dates the transaction to July 12, 1969: the Bears sent punter Jon Kilgore to Los Angeles for $1. Kilgore did not return to the Rams in regular-season play; his 1969 NFL work came with San Francisco. With Chicago receiving only token cash and Los Angeles receiving no on-field production, both sides grade D-minus.
Chicago Bears Received
- other $1 cash
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Jon Kilgore
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The Bears' official all-time transaction table establishes both the date and the consideration: on July 12, 1969, Chicago traded punter Jon Kilgore to the Los Angeles Rams for $1.00. The transaction was therefore a player-for-cash exchange, with Kilgore going to Los Angeles and token cash going to Chicago.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago received one dollar. That is verified consideration, but it is plainly token compensation rather than a football asset that can be traced into roster value. There is no supported downstream player or draft choice to attach to the dollar. Chicago therefore receives credit for completing the transaction, not for producing meaningful on-field return from it.
Los Angeles Rams Return
Los Angeles acquired Kilgore, who had already spent three seasons with the Rams from 1965 through 1967 before playing for Chicago in 1968. The crucial post-trade detail is that his 1969 NFL statistics belong to San Francisco: seven games, 36 punts, 1,451 yards and a 40.3-yard average. Pro Football Reference does not show a second Rams regular-season stint after this trade. Los Angeles consequently received no regular-season production from the acquired player.
Value in Hindsight
Kilgore's earlier Rams career cannot be recycled as value for the 1969 acquisition. Likewise, his later 49ers punting belongs to San Francisco. Once the timeline is kept team-specific, the trade produced essentially nothing for Los Angeles and only nominal cash for Chicago.
Final Verdict
This is an Even Trade at D-minus for both teams. Chicago's $1 was real but negligible, while Kilgore did not provide the Rams with a post-trade regular-season appearance. The supported transaction date is July 12, 1969.