Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff: 41 Days with Brian Piccolo

With just 41 days remaining until the start of the NFL season, today's installment of Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff will focus on the life and career of the best player in franchise history to don the number 41, running back Brian Piccolo.

Brian Piccolo joins Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent

A native of Massachusetts, Piccolo and his family moved to southern Florida, where the future Bear attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School (although it was called Central Catholic at the time). In school, Piccolo was a standout on both the football field and baseball diamond, but after the completion of his senior season, he garnered scholarships from only Wichita State and Wake Forest.

Piccolo attended the latter program, where he joined the varsity team after mandatorily waiting out his freshman season. Across his first two seasons with the team, the unit struggled badly and was held to just one total win. In that game, Piccolo had over 100 yards, including the game-winning touchdown, which he also kicked the extra point for. Wake Forest won 20-19.

In his senior season, Piccolo was handed a more important role in the offense and did not disappoint. Finishing the year with over 1,000 total yards, setting a then ACC rushing record, Piccolo led the nation in both yards and total points scored. He set multiple school and conference records and was named as the ACC Player of the Year as well as being selected as an All-American.

Piccolo entered the ensuing 1965 NFL Draft, but the Wake Forest star went undrafted. He elected to sign with the Chicago Bears, who ended up with a stellar class including Hall of Famers Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers, both of whom were first-round selections.

Brian Piccolo works into starting spot with Chicago Bears

Nonetheless, Piccolo joined the team ahead of the 1965 season, where he spent training camp rooming with Sayers. The two quickly became very good friends, despite being opposites in terms of where they were drafted, their personality, and their race. It was the first time in team history that a white player and a black player had shared a room in training camp. Piccolo would go on to make the taxi squad, another name for the practice squad, as a rookie before making the final roster in his second season.

In his first season of playing, Piccolo was used mostly as a special teams player and finished the year with just 12 offensive yards. In his second season, Piccolo served as a backup behind his good friend in Sayers and totaled over 300 yards on the year. The following year was similar, although the undrafted player was able to log six starts down the stretch after Sayers suffered a season-ending injury. This was Piccolo's best season with nearly 750 total yards.

During the ensuing 1969 season, Piccolo made the switch to fullback, allowing him to share the field with Sayers. In nine games to start the year, the Wake Forest product managed 291 yards on just 62 touches. However, Piccolo removed himself from a midseason game against the Falcons due to trouble breathing, something that surprised and warranted attention from a lot of teammates. Piccolo was quickly taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma, a form of testicular cancer that can often develop more in younger men.

Brian Piccolo's fight with cancer and Chicago Bears legacy

Piccolo's attention quickly went from battles on the gridiron to those in the operating room and underwent a number of surgeries to remove tumors and aid other symptoms. With cancer spreading to other organs such as his liver, Piccolo had a lung and pectoral muscle removed to fight the disease. With the help of teammates, notably his longtime friend in Sayers, Piccolo put up a strong fight, but unfortunately succumbed to the disease at just 26 years old.

Passing at such a young age and in the middle of a promising and budding professional career, Piccolo's story affected several people in the football community, especially members of the Bears' organization. At his funeral, several players helped in the ceremonies, with Butkus and Sayers serving as pallbearers.

Following his passing, Piccolo has become immortalized within the football world, both by relevant organizations and popular culture in general. His numbered 41 jerseys were promptly retired by the Chicago Bears, with the team also setting up an award in his name, given to a rookie and veteran annually who best represent Piccolo's traits of courage and strength. His number was also retired by Wake Forest, who additionally inducted him with the school's first Athletic Hall of Fame class.

There have also been a number of movies and books made in relation to Piccolo's story, perhaps no more famous than the film Brian's Song, a movie that chronicles the fullback's inspirational relationship with Sayers. Additionally, Chicago sportscaster Jeannie Morris, the wife of all-time leading receiver Johnny Morris, wrote a biography on the former Bear and his impact on the organization.

In terms of the medical world, Piccolo's unfortunate passing has helped doctors care for current patients with the same disease. At the time of his diagnosis, Piccolo's form of cancer was essentially unbeatable. Today, the prognosis for patients is nearly 50%, largely due to the awareness and donations that have increased since his own diagnosis.

Piccolo's impact on his team and teammates is clearly visible by the outpouring of love that he received as a player, both healthy and sick. It is no surprise that a person of his nature went from an undrafted practice squad player to an integral part of the team culture. Despite never being able to hit his peak on the field as a player, Piccolo's promising career will be more remembered for his time spent as an even better teammate.