Nick Pietrosante was an All-Pro fullback

Fullback (American football)

A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...

 in the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

. Raised in Ansonia, Connecticut

Ansonia, Connecticut

Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad...

, he attended Notre Dame High School

Notre Dame High School (West Haven)

Notre Dame High School is a private, Roman Catholic, all-male college preparatory school located in West Haven, Connecticut, a coastal suburb of New Haven, Connecticut.- History :...

 of West Haven, Connecticut, graduating with the Class of 1954. He was the first All State athlete at Notre Dame High School. Pietrosante was a star fullback at the University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

, He was a first round draft pick in the 1959 NFL Draft

1959 NFL Draft

The 1959 National Football League Draft was held on December 2, 1958 and January 21, 1959 .-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...

 by the Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...

. Featured on cover of Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...

. NFL Rookie of the Year 1959. Multiple Pro Bowl

Pro Bowl

In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...

 selectee. Held all-time rushing record while at Detroit, (1959–1965). Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

, (1966–1967). Notre Dame annually recognizes outstanding player with award in his memory. In his senior year at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, CT he led the 1954 team to their first undefeated season and state championship ever scoring 155 points of the 356 points scored. He also ran the hundred yard dash in 10.2 seconds for the track team.

Nick Pietrosante died of cancer at age 50.