Jeff Ironi Movies

Based in part on the autobiography of Gale Sayers, an Football Hall of Fame inductee and one of the finest halfbacks in the history of the game, this made-for-TV drama recounts the true story of Sayers (Mekhi Phifer) and his friendship with fellow Chicago Bears player Brian Piccolo (Sean Maher). In the mid-'60s, when Sayers joined the Bears, he was not welcomed by all members of the team, but soon developed a friendly rivalry with Piccolo, a running back who was gunning for the same place on the team as Sayers. Sensing a tension between the two men that might be used to make better players, coach George Halas (Ben Gazarra) decided to make Sayers and Piccolo roommates at training camp and on the road -- a decision that quickly became controversial, since Sayers was African-American and Piccolo was white. However, rivalry grew into respect, and when Sayers suffered a serious knee injury, Piccolo became the man who helped guide him through the difficult process of rehabilitation. Sayers not only returned to the team, he become a star player, but in time it became Sayers' turn to help Piccolo when Brian learned that a lingering illness was actually cancer. A remake of one of the most acclaimed made-for-TV movies ever (with James Caan and Billy Dee Williams as Piccolo and Sayers), Brian's Song also features Elise Neal as Linda Sayers and Janessa Crimi as Lori Piccolo, the players' wives. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi