Bears players wear No. 41 to honor Brian Piccolo

On the 52nd anniversary of Brian Piccolo’s death from cancer, every Bear wore his uniform number at practice Thursday.

SHARE Bears players wear No. 41 to honor Brian Piccolo
The Bears pose for a team picture wearing No. 41 jerseys.

Every Bears player wore No. 41 on Thursday.

Chicago Bears

On the 52nd anniversary of Brian Piccolo’s death from cancer, every Bears player wore his No. 41 uniform number at practice Thursday.

Chairman George McCaskey wore a navy throwback No. 41 jersey, too, while he stood and chatted with members of the former running back’s family at Halas Hall.

“It was a special day,” head coach Matt Eberflus said.

Piccolo, whose relationship with Gale Sayers became the basis of the movie “Brian’s Song,” died at 26 in 1970. The Bears had planned to do the tribute for the 50th anniversary of his death two years ago, but the coronavirus scuttled offseason practices.

The Bears talked about Piccolo, who played from 1966-69, in their team meeting before practice.

Rookie receiver Velus Jones said Piccolo’s relationship with Sayers, who was African-American, was ground-breaking.

“Even when you’re gone, you’re legacy lives on,” Jones said.

Each year, the Bears issued the Brian Piccolo Award to two players — a rookie and a veteran — who best personify Piccolo’s attributes. Defensive end Robert Quinn, who has not been in attendance during mandatory minicamp, and rookie running back Khalil Herbert won the awards in April.

The Bears broke for the summer at the end of Thursday’s mandatory minicamp practice. They will return for training camp July 27.

The Latest
Fans, some in costume, tailgate in the parking lots of Guaranteed Rate Field hours before the White Sox and Detroit Tigers kick off the 2024 seasons Thursday afternoon. Some weigh in on the proposed South Loop stadium.
Two weeks after the migrant eviction policy went into effect in Chicago, members of the Council’s Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights said not enough information on migrants exiting the shelter system has been provided.
Zoo officials were tipped off something was wrong after Bana stopped eating as much as she regularly did and appeared lethargic.
Mayor Brandon Johnson did not commit to spending a specific amount of public money to lakefront infrastructure improvements, but vowed that whatever public money is invested, it must be committed to creating more housing and jobs and “a sustainable, clean economy.”