James Caan, Legendary Actor and Former Michigan State QB, Has Died

The actor starred in various sports movies, most known for portraying Bears halfback Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer at age 26, in the movie “Brian’s Song.”

Legendary actor James Caan died at the age of 82 on Wednesday, his family announced on Twitter.

He’s best known for his role as Santino “Sonny” Corleone in The Godfather, a role in which he earned an Oscar nomination for. More recently, the actor is also known for his role in the movie Elf, alongside Will Ferrell.

Caan also starred in various sports movies, most known for portraying the Bears halfback Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer at age 26, in the movie Brian’s Song. He also was featured in the college football movie The Program, and a futuristic sports movie titled Rollerball.

Throughout his acting career, Caan was also nominated for four Golden Globes and an Emmy.

Before making it big in Hollywood, the New York native participated in some sports, including football. In 1956, Caan attended Michigan State and played quarterback for the school. However, he only attended the university for one year and didn’t see much playing time on the field, nor did he have a scholarship for football, per MLive.

Despite his short time at Michigan State, Caan remained an avid fan throughout his life. He even served as the grand marshal of the school’s 1997 homecoming parade.