Report: Former Chicago Bears Draft Pick, Tight End Died
A former Chicago Bears draft pick from 1965 died recently at the age of 80. He played college football at Notre Dame before turning professional for four seasons, none of which were with the Bears.
David Pivec died recently
According to Frederick N. Rasmussen of the Baltimore Sun, David “Dave” Pivec died of dementia-related causes:
David J. “Dave” Pivec, a former NFL tight end who became a rich business leader and philanthropist, died of symptoms from dementia May 11 at his Cockeysville home. He was eighty.
“Dave was such a great ballplayer and a really good guy,” said his roommate and football teammate at the University of Notre Dame, Robert Papa. “He was aggressive, tough, and a popular guy, and he was large. He stood 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighed 240 pounds, which was standard for a player back then, and he could catch anything.
Pivec was drafted by the Chicago Bears, but he never played for them
Pivec quit Notre Dame after a bar brawl during his sophomore year. He spent a few years in the Canadian Football League before moving to the NFL. According to Rasmussen, the Bears drafted him in 1965:
Mr. Pivec signed with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts, where he played tight end for two years before being picked by the NFL’s Chicago Bears, who promptly traded him to the Los Angeles Rams, where he played for three seasons.
He then played one season with the Denver Broncos before retiring.
The Bears selected him in the 14th round (No. 185) of the 1965 NFL Draft. He had 14 receptions for 146 yards and one touchdown during his four-year professional career. He started seven of his 45 games.
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