42
Explore More 
NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2005)
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2000)
Consensus All-American (1999)
New Mexico Lobos No. 44 retired NFL (2000s )
All-Decade Team Second-team All-Pro (2010)
8x
Pro Bowl (2000–2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011)
4x
First-team All-Pro (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006)
2x
Brian Piccolo Award (2000, 2007)
THE LEGEND
5
touchdowns
1354
Tackles
22
interceptions
GAMES PLAYED IN THE NFL
On November 19th, 2006, in a closely-contested road game against the New York Jets, Brian made a game-changing play that he recalls vividly to this day. With the Jets just six yards away from a touchdown that threatened to change the trajectory of the game, Brian baited Jets’ quarterback Chad Pennington into a dangerous third-down throw. Before the ball even left Pennington’s hand, Brian was speeding across the field to pick off the pass. The interception and subsequent return exhibited both Brian’s athleticism and intelligence while helping to secure a shutout win for the Bears.
Despite all of Brian’s career-defining highlights on the field, his favorite moments took place off the field. “More than anything, I treasured the moments we shared as a team, hanging out in the locker room and messing around at practice.” A long-time team captain, Brian helped to set the tone for his teammates, bonding with them over games of dodgeball, baseball, soccer, and more. For Brian, football wasn’t a job, but rather an opportunity to spend time with his closest friends every day, and that’s something he will always cherish.
In 2004, in an early-season match-up against Brett Favre and the rival Green Bay Packers, the Bears were holding on to a 7-3 lead when the Packers drove to within two yards of the end zone with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. On first down, the Packers handed the ball to running back Ahman Green, expecting to take a 10-7 lead into the break, but Brian had other plans. As soon as the ball was snapped, Brian shot into the backfield and stripped the ball from Green, causing a fumble that teammate Mike Brown recovered. A great play to say the least, only Brian didn’t stop there. As Brown scooped the ball up, Brian sprinted ahead of him, blocking Favre in the process and opening the door for a 95-yard touchdown return that would help lead the Bears to a 21-10 win.
Everyone remembers Dennis Green’s infamous “The Bears are who we thought they were” press conference. But what was just as memorable about that game for most football fans was Brian’s performance—an incredible 19 tackles and a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown. It was one of the highlight moments of a highlight season in which Brian led a stingy and opportunistic Bears defense that carried the team to its first Super Bowl appearance in over two decades.
GRRRRLACHER.
Team Up with Brian
