Sam 'Bam' Cunningham, 71.

Sam "Bam" Cunningham is the Patriots' all-time leading rusher.

This has simply been an awful month for fans of former members of the Patriots.

Wide receiver David Patten, a mainstay from the early dynastic teams of the Bill Belichick Era, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Sept. 2 at the far-too-young age of 47. And earlier today, we learned of the death of the team's all-time leading rusher, running back Sam Cunningham, 71.

Cunningham was one of the first big stars of the Patriots following their move to Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro, and he was as legitimate as they came. He came to Foxboro from Southern Cal at a time when the fullback was still a major ball-carrier in the NFL, and he was a force in the Patriots' efforts to shed their losing ways of the past under the coaching tenures of Chuck Fairbanks, Ron Erhardt and Ron Meyer.

A consensus All-America running back who helped Southern Cal win a national championship in 1972, Cunningham was drafted 11th overall by the Patriots in 1973, the second of three first-round picks, joining offensive guard John Hannah (fourth overall) and wide receiver Darryl Stingley (19th). 

Cunningham played for the Patriots for nine seasons, appearing in 107 games from 1973-79 and 1981-82, missing one season due to a contract dispute.

The 6-foot-2, 233-pound fullback with the no-nonsense rushing style and the daring over-the-line plunges for scores led the team and set a then-rookie rushing record for the Patriots that year with 516 yards and four touchdowns. The following year, he was averaging 4.9 yards per carry and over 80 yards per game before a broken leg abruptly ended his season after just 10 games. Despite missing the final four games of the season, Cunningham was still selected as the team’s MVP. He finished the year with 811 yards rushing on 166 carries with nine touchdowns, just 14 yards shy of the team lead. It marked the only season in his first seven seasons with the Patriots that he did not lead the team in rushing.

In 1976, Cunningham averaged 4.8 yards per carry to lead the Patriots to one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history, as they rebounded from a 3-11 finish in 1975 to qualify for the playoffs in 1976, finishing 11-3 -- only to be eliminated from a potential run for a Super Bowl by a bad roughing-the-passing call against Oakland.

Cunningham joined the Patriots' Hall of Fame in 2010.

Cunningham had his best statistical season in 1977 when he became just the second player in franchise history to rush for over 1,000 yards (1,015). He also led the team in receiving that season with 42 receptions for a career-high 370 yards. While 1977 was his best statistical season individually, the following year’s contributions remained in the NFL record book for 41 years until Baltimore set the new record in 2019. That season, Cunningham led a quartet of rushers who powered the Patriots to a combined team rushing record of 3,165 yards.

Cunningham was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2010 by the fans' vote, and was a member of the Patriots 50th Anniversary Team that was selected by a panel of veteran media members, team alumni and front-office personnel.

Lesser known about Cunningham was that he was a quiet force for racial equality in the locker rooms of college football before he became a Patriot. In 1970, Cunningham was the lead back in a Southern Cal backfield comprised entirely of African-Americans, and his 135 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-21 win over an all-white Alabama team coached by the legendary Bear Bryant helped to convince Bryant to integrate his team.

Patriots' owner Robert Kraft, who famously reminisces about his days as a Schaefer Stadium season-ticket holder on those "cold, hard aluminum bleachers," offered his memories of Sam Bam in a press release issued earlier Tuesday.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of yet another loss to the Patriots family this week and our hearts ache for Sam Cunningham’s family and all who are mourning his passing today,” Kraft said. “Sam ‘Bam’ Cunningham was one of my favorite players throughout the ‘70s and my sons all loved him. After I bought the team in 1994, it was my honor to welcome him back to the team on multiple occasions, recognizing him as a 50th anniversary team member and again for his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame. 

"As much as I admired him as a player, my affection for him only grew after spending time with him and learning more about him as a person," Kraft added. "He made a tremendous impact, both on and off the field, and was beloved by his teammates. As a Patriots Hall of Famer, Sam’s legacy and contributions will be preserved and celebrated forever, but today his loss is felt with heavy hearts.”

Cunningham's younger brother, Randall, was also a trend-setter, quarterbacking in the NFL for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The cause of Cunningham's death was not immediately known, according to a press release issued by USC.