Louis Brian Piccolo was a professional football player for the Chicago Bears for four years. He died from embryonal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of germ cell testicular cancer, first diagnosed after it had spread to his chest cavity. He was the subject of the 1971 TV movie Brian's Song, with a remake TV movie filmed in 2001. Piccolo was portrayed in the original film by James Caan and by Sean Maher in the 2001 remake. Brian Piccolo – the youngest of three sons – was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to Joseph and Irene Piccolo. The family moved south to Fort Lauderdale,... Florida when Piccolo was twelve, due to his parents' concerns for his brother Don's health. Piccolo and his brothers were athletes and Brian Piccolo was a star running back on his high school football team, but considered baseball his primary sport. He graduated from the former Central Catholic High School in Fort Lauderdale in 1961. Piccolo played college football at Wake Forest; his only other scholarship offer was from Wichita State.
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