Windy City Gridiron · Jun 28, 2021
Pieces of Peanut Part 2: The Peanut Punch
Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty ImagesTo understand the Charles Tillman story, we need to talk about the Peanut Punch. A move with a moniker that continues to grow the legend of Tillman’s play well beyond his playing career. A name that perfectly pairs the creator (Peanut) with the action (punch) in an alliterative flair that is both memorable and fun to say.
Tillman’s first professional game action came against the San Francisco 49ers on opening weekend in 2003. An objectively ugly game for the Bears, a 49-7 loss, kicking off a season that proved to be Dick Jauron’s last. However, if you look closely enough, you can see a spark that would eventually fuel a fire that burnished a legend.
