Bears legend Gale Sayers dies at 77
Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers died early Wednesday morning at 77, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced.
Sayers, a running back known as the "Kansas Comet," was drafted by the Bears in 1965, but played only 68 games because of injuries.
Despite his brief career, his on-field brilliance made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer and the Hall of Fame's youngest-ever inductee when he was enshrined in 1977.
"All those who love the game of football mourn the loss of one of the greatest to ever play this game with the passing of Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers," Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker said. "He was the very essence of a team player - quiet, unassuming and always ready to compliment a teammate for a key block. Gale was an extraordinary man who overcame a great deal of adversity during his NFL career and life."
Sayers burst onto the pro football scene as a rookie, scoring on a 77-yard punt return, 93-yard kickoff return and 25-yard pass in his first preseason game.
In his first regular season contest, he scored four touchdowns, including a 96-yard, game-breaking kickoff return, against the Minnesota Vikings.
In his the next-to-last game of the season, playing on a muddy Wrigley Field that would have stalled most runners, he scored a record-tying six touchdowns in a 61-20 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Sayers scored a then-NFL record 22 touchdowns and 132 points, both also then-rookie records.
In 1968, Sayers suffered a devastating knee injury that required immediate surgery.
He came back in 1969 with his second 1,000-yard rushing season and Comeback of the Year honors.
It was during this time the Bears instituted the policy of roommates by position during training camp, and Sayers was paired with fellow running back Brian Piccolo.
During the 1969 season, Piccolo was with diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma and died the following spring. Their relationship and love for each other inspired the movie "Brian's Song," which won three Emmy awards.
As injuries mounted, Sayers retired just before the 1972 season.
He finished his career with 9,435 combined net yards, 4,956 yards rushing and 336 points scored.
At the time of his retirement, he was the NFL's all-time leader in kickoff return yards, won All-NFL honors five consecutive years and was named Offensive Player of the Game in three of the four Pro Bowls in which he played.
He holds 20 Bears records and is a member of the NFL100 All-Time Team.