Bob Pickens
American gridiron football player (1943–2018)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bob Pickens (February 2, 1943 – April 12, 2018) was a player in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in the third round of the 1966 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears and played three seasons with the team.[2]
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Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Sandy Springs, Georgia, U.S.
Pickens in 2008 | |||||||
| No. 70, 67 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Offensive tackle | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | February 2, 1943 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | April 12, 2018 (aged 75)[1] Sandy Springs, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
| Listed weight | 258 lb (117 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Evanston (IL) Township | ||||||
| College | |||||||
| NFL draft | 1966: 3rd round, 44th overall pick | ||||||
| AFL draft | 1966: Red Shirt 2nd round, 15th overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Pickens was also an Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler, competing in Tokyo, Japan, in the heavyweight division at the 1964 Summer Olympics, where he finished sixth. Pickens was the first African-American to compete for the United States in wrestling at the Olympics.[3] He played collegiate football at Nebraska, transferring there after originally attending Wisconsin. Pickens did not wrestle for either university, although he still continued his wrestling at various club organizations.[4] After his pro football career, Pickens became a referee, officiating in the Big Ten Conference and a number of postseason games, including the Rose Bowl. He also served on the Chicago Park District Board for several years.
