Brian ' s Song Brian ' s Song is a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week that recounts the details of the life of Brian Piccolo ( played by James Caan ) , a Wake Forest University football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro , told through his friendship with Chicago Bears running back teammate and Pro Football Hall of Fame r Gale Sayers ( Billy Dee Williams ) , who helps him through the difficult struggle . The production was such a success on ABC television ( November 30 , 1971 ) that it was later shown in theaters , with a major premiere in Chicago ; however , it was soon withdrawn due to a lack of business . Many critics have called the movie one of , if not the finest telefilm ever made . The movie is based on Sayers ' account of his friendship with Piccolo and coping with Piccolo ' s illness in Sayers ' autobiography , " I Am Third " . The film was written by veteran screenwriter William Blinn , whose script , one Dallas television critic called , " highly restrained , steering clear of any overt sentimentality [ yet conveying ] the genuine affection the two men felt so deeply for each other . " Although based on a true story , the film did include some fictional scenes . One example was when George Halas ( played by Jack Warden ) told Gale Sayers that he wanted to bench Brian Piccolo when he suspected that there may be a problem affecting his performance . He later learned of Brian ' s cancer . In reality , Jim Dooley was the head coach at that time , as Halas had retired from the position following the 1967 season . Plot . The movie begins as Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers ( Williams ) arrives to team practice as an errant punt is sent to Sayers . Running back Brian Piccolo ( Caan ) comes by to retrieve the ball , as Sayers flips the ball to him . Sayers eventually heads into the team headquarters to meet with coach George Halas , whom Piccolo has told Sayers has a hearing problem as a prank . Later during practice , Piccolo struggles , compared to Sayers , who is doing rather well . Sayers pranked him back by placing mashed potatoes on his seat while Piccolo was singing his alma mater ' s fight song . Afterwards , Sayers and Piccolo are placed as roommates , a rarity during the racial strife at the time . Eventually , in a game against the San Francisco 49ers , Sayers excels , until he injures his knee . To aid in Sayers ' s recovery , Piccolo brings a weight machine to aid in physical therapy for his knee . In Sayers ' s place , Piccolo rushes for 160 yards in a 17 - 16 win over the Los Angeles Rams , and is given the game ball . Piccolo later challenges Sayers to a running race across the park , where Sayers stumbles but gets up . In their room , Halas hands Piccolo the starting fullback position , and both Piccolo and Sayers eventually excel in games against teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers . However , in a different game , Piccolo starts to show signs of a decline in performance and weight loss . Eventually , before a loss , Halas reveals to Sayers that Piccolo has cancer . In an emotional speech to his teammates , Sayers states that they will give Piccolo the game ball . After a game against the St . Louis Cardinals , Sayers visits Piccolo ' s wife , who reveals that Piccolo has to have another surgery for his tumor . After he is awarded the " George S . Halas Most Courageous Player Award " , Sayers dedicates his speech to Piccolo . In a call , Sayers mentions that he gave Piccolo a pint of blood to aid him , while he was in critical condition . Piccolo dies with his wife by his side , and the movie ends with a flashback of Piccolo and Sayers running through the park while a voice over narrates that Piccolo died at age 26 , and is remembered as he lived , rather than how he died . Music . The musical theme to " Brian ' s Song " , " The Hands of Time " , was a popular tune during the early 1970s and has become a standard . The music for the film was by Michel Legrand , with lyrics to the song by Marilyn and Alan Bergman . LeGrand ' s instrumental version of the theme song charted for eight weeks in 1972 , peaking at # 56 . Nashville pianist Floyd Cramer performed a popular version of " The Hands of Time " . Awards and nominations . The film won an Emmy Award for Best Dramatic Program ( 1971 – 72 ) . William Blinn won an Emmy for his teleplay , and Jack Warden won for his performance as Coach Halas . Caan and Williams were both nominated for best leading actor . Remake . Thirty years after its original airing , a remake was aired in 2001 on ABC ' s " The Wonderful World of Disney " starring Mekhi Phifer in Billy Dee Williams ' original role as Sayers and Sean Maher as Piccolo , the character originally played by James Caan .