Gale Sayers Gale Eugene Sayers ( born May 30 , 1943 ) , also known as " The Kansas Comet " , is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League ( NFL ) for seven seasons during the 1960s and early 1970s . He played college football for the University of Kansas , and was twice recognized as an All - American . He was a first - round pick in the 1965 NFL Draft , and played his entire pro career for the NFL ' s Chicago Bears . Sayers is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame . His friendship with fellow Chicago Bear Brian Piccolo was the basis for the 1971 movie " Brian ' s Song " . He is a successful entrepreneur in the information technology field and an active philanthropist . Early years and college career . Born in Wichita , Kansas and raised in Omaha , Nebraska , Sayers graduated from Omaha Central High School . There he set a state long jump record of 24 ' 11 " . He went on to play college football at the University of Kansas and was a two - time All - American . During his Jayhawk career , he rushed for 2 , 675 yards and gained 3 , 917 all - purpose yards . In 1963 , he set an NCAA Division I record with a 99 - yard run against Nebraska . In his senior year , he led the Jayhawks to a 15 - 14 upset victory over Oklahoma with a 96 - yard kickoff return . Sayers is considered by many to have been the greatest open field runner in college football history . While being interviewed by Len Kasper and Bob Brenly during a broadcast of a Chicago Cubs game on September 8th , 2010 , Sayers said he had originally intended to go to the University of Iowa . Sayers said that he decided against going to Iowa after the Iowa head coach , Jerry Burns , did not have time to meet Sayers during his one campus visit . Professional Career . Rookie season ( 1965 ) . Sayers was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1965 NFL Draft , and the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League , but signed with Chicago . In his rookie year , he scored an NFL record 22 touchdowns ( 14 rushing , 6 receiving , and one each on punt and kickoff returns ) . He gained 1 , 374 yards from scrimmage and had 2 , 272 all - purpose yards ( also a record , later broken by Tim Brown , who played two more games than Sayers ) . He tied Ernie Nevers ' and Dub Jones ' record for touchdowns in a single game , with six in a 61 - 20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on December 12 . Sayers averaged 5 . 2 yards per rush and 17 . 5 yards per reception . His return averages were 14 . 9 yards per punt return and 31 . 4 yards per kickoff return . He was the unanimous choice for NFL Rookie of the Year honors . Despite his play , the Bears finished in third place in the NFL Western Conference ( behind the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ) Second NFL season ( 1966 ) . In his second season , despite being the focus of opposing defenses , Sayers led the league in rushing with 1 , 231 yards , averaging 5 . 4 yards per carry with eight touchdowns . He led the Bears in receiving with 34 catches , 447 yards , and two more scores ; he also surpassed his rookie season ' s kick return numbers , averaging 31 . 2 yards per return with two touchdowns . He set another NFL record with 2 , 440 all - purpose yards despite the Bears ' fifth place finish , with a 5 - 7 - 2 record . Sayers also won the first of three Pro Bowl Most Valuable Player awards . Third NFL season ( 1967 ) . In George Halas ' last season as an NFL coach , Sayers again starred . Sharing more of the rushing duties with other backs , such as Brian Piccolo , Sayers gained 880 yards with a 4 . 7 average per carry . His receptions were down as well . He had three kickoff returns for touchdowns on 16 returns , averaging 37 . 7 yards per return . Only rarely returning punts , Sayers still managed to run one back for a score . Chicago finished in second place in the newly organized Central Division with a 7 - 6 - 1 record . First and second injuries . After the first nine games of 1968 , Sayers was again leading the NFL in rushing ( he finished with 856 yards and a 6 . 2 average per carry ) . However , his season ended prematurely in a game against the San Francisco 49ers when Sayers tore many ligaments in his right knee . After surgery , Sayers went through a physical rehabilitation program with the help of teammate Brian Piccolo . In the 1969 season Sayers led the league in rushing once again with 1 , 032 yards , but he lacked the speed he once had , and averaged only 4 . 4 yards per carry . The Bears , long past the Halas glory years , finished in last place with a franchise worst 1 – 13 record . In 1970 , Sayers suffered a second knee injury , this time to his left knee . Piccolo also died of cancer that year . During his off time , Sayers took classes to become a stockbroker and became the first black stockbroker in his company ' s history . After another rehabilitation period , he tried a comeback in 1971 , which was not successful . He was encouraged to retire , but decided to give it one more try . Sayers ' final game was in the 1972 preseason where he fumbled twice in three carries ; he retired a few days later . In 1977 , Sayers was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame , and is still the youngest inductee in the Hall ' s history . In 1994 , the Bears retired his number , 40 , at Soldier Field , along with number 51 , which had been worn by teammate , linebacker Dick Butkus . In 1999 , despite the brevity of his career , he was ranked # 22 on " The Sporting News " ' s list of the 100 Greatest Football Players . NFL records . Sayers ' records include most touchdowns in a rookie season ( 22 in 1965 ) , most touchdowns in a game ( 6 , tied with Nevers and Jones ) , highest career kickoff return average ( 30 . 56 ) , and most return touchdowns in a game ( 2 , tied with many players ) . " Brian ' s Song " . Sayers ' friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo , and Piccolo ' s struggle with cancer ( embryonal cell carcinoma , which was diagnosed after it metastasized to a large tumor in his chest cavity ) , became the subject of the made - for - TV movie " Brian ' s Song " . The movie , in which Sayers was portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in the 1971 original , and by Mekhi Phifer in the 2001 remake , was adapted from Sayers ' account of this story in his 1971 autobiography , " I Am Third " . A notable aspect of Sayers ' friendship with Piccolo , a white man , and the first film ' s depiction of their friendship , was its effect on race relations . The first film was made in the wake of racial riots , escalating racial tensions fueled by Martin Luther King ' s assassination and charges of discrimination across the nation . Sayers and Piccolo were devoted friends and deeply respectful of and affectionate with each other . Piccolo helped Sayers through rehabilitation after injury , and Sayers was by Piccolo ' s side throughout his illness . Retirement . Sayers has had a successful career following his retirement from football . In 1976 , Sayers was named Athletic Director at Southern Illinois University . Later , in 1984 he founded Crest Computer Supply Company in the Chicago - area . Under Gale ' s leadership , this company experienced consistent growth and was renamed Sayers 40 , Inc . Currently , he is chairman of Sayers 40 , Inc . , a technology consulting and implementation firm serving Fortune 1000 companies nationally with offices in Vernon Hills , Illinois ; Canton , Massachusetts ; Clearwater , Florida ; and Atlanta , Georgia . Sayers and his wife are also active philanthropists in Chicago . They support the Cradle Foundation — an adoption organization in Evanston , Illinois , and , most recently , they founded the Gale Sayers Center in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago . The Gale Sayers Center is an after - school program for children ages 8 – 12 from Chicago ' s west side and focuses on leadership development , tutoring , and mentoring . In 2009 , Sayers joined the University of Kansas Athletic Department staff as Director of Fundraising for Special Projects .