The 49ers’ playoff run resurfaces a genealogical quirk — that defensive end Nick Bosa’s great-granddad was the former chauffeur and bodyguard for Al Capone, and eventually took over the Chicago Outfit.
San Francisco 49ers fans who watched the team beat the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round two weeks ago were likely infuriated by a frustrating family tie. CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson kept referring to Niners defensive end Nick Bosa as “Joey Bosa,” who is Nick Bosa’s brother, who plays for the Chargers.
CBS reporter Tracy Wolfson botches Nick Bosa’s name twice https://t.co/HlMlx3Gymv via @yardbarker
— Stan Chrapowicki (@POLEPAW) January 17, 2022
But these Bosas are themselves likely infuriated by another frustrating family tie. As the Chronicle first reported two years ago, Nick Bosa’s great-grandfather was notorious mafia boss Tony Accardo, who started as Al Capone’s bodyguard, and by 1972 worked his way up to being the head capo of the Chicago Outfit organized crime operation.
Nick Bosa’s great grandfather was Tony Accardo, who took over as mob boss from Al Capone in 1943. He lived in a 22-room mansion in Illinois with two bowling alleys and a pool in the basement. He bathed in a tub carved out of Black Onyx stone. pic.twitter.com/fnTNyCzwTR
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 26, 2019
Tony Accardo started his organized crime career as a billiards hall muscle guy, and caught the attention of Al Capone for his cruelty with a baseball bat, earning him the nickname “Joey Batters.” He would go on to serve as Capone’s bodyguard and chauffeur. When Capone went to prison for tax evasion, new boss Frank Nitti made Accardo “head of enforcement.” Accardo would continue to climb the ranks until eventually taking over the Chicago Outfit in 1972, likely helped by his low-key persona and avoidance of the spotlight, and eventual diversification into “legitimate businesses” like commercial office space, lumber, and car dealerships.
His daughter Marie would marry a football guy, spawning a family tree of NFL players that has spanned decades. To avoid getting all biblical and “Jehoshaphat begat Jehorum” on you, we will explain this in bullet-point fashion.
- Marie Accardo married Palmer Pyle, offensive lineman for the 1960s Baltimore Colts.
- Their son Eric Kumerow played linebacker for the Miami Dolphins in the late 1980s. (His son Jake currently plays for the Buffalo Bills.)
- Eric Kumerow’s sister Cheryl married his Dolphins teammate John Bosa.
- John and Cheryl Bosa begat Joey Bosa and Nick Bosa.
On the day that Joey Bosa was drafted into the NFL in 2016, some TMZ reporter cornered Nick and asked him about his mob-connected great-granddad. Bosa diplomatically replied, “He’s an undercover legend. He keeps his stuff under the radar.”
Related: Eyeroll: 49er Nick Bosa Says He's Not Vaccinated, Still Weighing the Decision [SFist]
Images: (Left)ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 16: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers on the sidelines before the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. The 49ers defeated the Cowboys 23-17. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
(Right) American mob boss Tony Accardo (1906 - 1992) during a holiday visit to the Certosa di Pavia, a Carthusian monastery in Pavia, Italy, 26th October 1959. Accardo is travelling with his friend, Chicago Police Lieutenant Anthony DeGrazio, who was later relieved of his duties over his association with Acardo. Accardo was nicknamed 'Joe Batters' and 'The Big Tuna'. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
