Past, present KU Jayhawks react to death of Gale Sayers: ‘We’ve lost somebody special’
The news of “Kansas Comet” Gale Sayers’ death reached former KU Jayhawks football coach Mark Mangino early Wednesday morning in Mangino’s Western Pennsylvania home.
“I had a cup of coffee, grabbed the phone and saw the news. My first reaction is, ‘Oh gee, what a great guy we lost. We’ve lost somebody special walking this earth,’” Mangino said of KU’s two-time consensus All-America running back, who worked as a fundraiser for KU in 2009, Mangino’s final season in Lawrence.
“Football made him famous,” Mangino stated of former KU and Chicago Bears great Sayers, who died at the age of 77. “But it’s the person is what struck me. We lost a good, decent human being who cared about others and was interested in others.
“As the morning has gone by and I’ve taken some calls and seen highlights from his playing days … what a joy to watch him again,” Mangino exclaimed. “He was a terrific player. He had the gift he could make people miss. He could cut. His vision was supurb. He could wiggle through traffic and enter top gear to take it to the end zone. Only a few backs could do that. Nobody did it as graceful and smooth as Gale.”
No cause of death was announced, but Sayers was diagnosed with dementia in 2013.
Mangino — legend has it the former Oklahoma assistant coach was the choice of search committee member Sayers to fill KU’s head coaching vacancy in December 2001 — said Sayers was gracious enough to speak to his Jayhawks teams several times.
“I don’t think the word ‘football’ ever came out of his mouth,” Mangino said of Wichita native Sayers, who never boasted about his three seasons at KU (1962-64) in which he gained 2,675 yards on just 412 carries (6.5 yards per carry) and scored 18 touchdowns, including a 99-yard run versus Nebraska in 1963 and a 96-yard kickoff return in 1963 in an upset win over Oklahoma. In all, he gained 3,917 all purpose yards.
“He talked to the players about life and life’s challenges — take care of yourself, get a degree, you have to prepare for the long haul of life. Gale Sayers standing in front of you telling you those things meant a lot to a player. Most took heed. This is one of the greatest players in history talking to you about the important things of life ... you will tend to listen.”
Former KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony, who worked with Sayers at KU upon his return to KU in 2009, agreed. In addition to his playing career, Sayers also worked as an assistant AD at KU in the 1970s.
“He didn’t boast. He didn’t carry himself like we should all know who he is,” Marchiony recalled Wednesday. “Those of us who were at KU when he came back were thrilled to be able to work with him and learn from him. You cannot write the history of football without including Gale Sayers at the collegiate level and pro level. But he also was a real trailblazer in business and in college athletics and made an impact in whatever he did.”
KU’s current athletic director, Jeff Long, praised Sayers on Wednesday while also noting the Jayhawks would unveil a statue of the “Kansas Comet” at the KU-Oklahoma State game on Oct. 3 at Booth Memorial Stadium. The statue will be in front of KU’s Anderson Football Complex at the stadium.
“Thankfully Gale was able to be involved throughout the sculpting process and had a chance to see photos of the finished statue. It is a long overdue honor and will be a bittersweet ceremony, but this will allow us the opportunity to forever immortalize another KU football legend,” Long said.
Second-year Jayhawks football coach Les Miles commented after learning of the death of Sayers.
“I cherished every opportunity to watch him play and I am privileged to coach in the stadium that he once played in. He had a remarkable impact on the game of football and the University of Kansas, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family,” Miles said.
Governor Laura Kelly stated Wednesday on Twitter: “Gale Sayers was one of the best to play. He was more than just a football legend — he was a kind, inspirational, and compassionate man. We lost an extraordinary Kansan today.”
KU chancellor Douglas Girod said Wednesday afternoon: “Gale Sayers will forever have a special place in KU history. While largely recognized as one of our greatest all-time student-athletes, Gale was also a tremendous human being, a role model and an ambassador for the university long after his playing days ended. As such, he was and will continue to be a hero and role model to Jayhawks everywhere. On behalf of the university community, I offer my heartfelt condolences to Gale’s family and friends. May they find peace in knowing Gale made this university and this world a better place.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement: “The NFL family lost a true friend today with the passing of Gale Sayers. Gale was one of the finest men in NFL history and one of the game’s most exciting players.”
In 1964, Sayers was drafted by the Chiefs of the American Football League and the NFL’s Chicago Bears. Sayers chose the NFL and was an instant star in the Windy City.
In his the penultimate game of his rookie season, Sayers scored six touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving, one via a punt return) as the Bears beat the San Francisco 49ers, 61-20.
“Just give me 18 inches of daylight,” Sayers said in a Pro Football Hall of Fame video. “That’s all I need.”
During his first five seasons, Sayers rushed for 4,866 yards, had 1,313 receiving yards and scored 48 touchdowns. He was named first-team All-Pro in each of those years.
A knee injury limited Sayers to four games over the next two seasons and he retired following the 1971 season. He was elected to the pro football Hall of Fame at age 34 and also is a member of the college football hall.
Sayers also gained recognition off the football field when he was portrayed by Billly Dee Williams in the movie “Brian’s Song” that told of Sayers’ friendship with Bears teammate Brian Piccolo. They were believed to be the first interracial roommates in the NFL while competing for a job. Piccolo died of cancer at 26 in 1970.
“Gale was a clear-cut — and first-ballot — Hall of Famer for his accomplishments on the field and for the man of character he was in life,” Pro Football Hall of Fame President and CEO David Baker said.
“Sharing a room with Brian Piccolo — the first interracial roommates in the NFL — set an example for racial equality in the League and across the country. In many ways, our country is still trying to emulate the courage, commitment, compassion and excellence Gale has demonstrated since first setting foot on a football field in Kansas.”
Williams said in a statement on Twitter: “Portraying Gale in Brian’s Song was a true honor and one of the nightlights of my career. He was an extraordinary human being with the the kindest heart.”
The Star’s Pete Grathoff contributed to this report
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 12:10 PM.
