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.[3]
Pickens was also an OlympicGreco-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.[4] 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.[5] 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.
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