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The award, named after the late running back, goes to one veteran and one rookie.
On Tuesday, the Chicago Bears announced the winners of the annual Brian Piccolo Awards.
The awards go to one rookie and one veteran who “exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor of the late Bears running back.”
This year’s veteran winner is linebacker T.J. Edwards. Edwards was rewarded with a two-year contract extension last week. Being added to the Piccolo Award list is another example of what he means to his teammates and the organization. This is the second consecutive Piccolo award for Edwards.
The rookie Piccolo Award goes to Rome Odunze. The ninth overall pick in last year’s draft out of Washington, Odunze quickly built a rapport with fellow rookie Caleb Williams. Odunze caught 54 passes for 754 yards and three touchdowns.
Edwards is a two-winner for the first time since David Montgomery won it twice (as a rookie in 2019 and as a veteran in 2022). He’s the first two-time veteran winner since Charles Tillman (who won the award three times, as a rookie in 2003 and vet in 2008 and 2012). He’s also the first consecutive winner since Olin Kruetz won in 2003 and 2004 as a veteran.
The Piccolo Award is the most important internal award the Bears give out. It’s named for Brian Piccolo, a running back for the Bears from 1966 until 1969. He was diagnosed with cancer and died at the age of 26 in 1970.
His legacy and friendship with Gale Sayers was immortalized in the TV movie “Brian’s Song.”
The other notable thing that came out the Piccolo Award ceremony is that head coach Ben Johnson wrote a poem about Piccolo. The head coach is a true Renaissance man.
