Pitt football announced their honorary captain for the River City Rivalry on Saturday, picking former safety Dom DeCicco to come out for the coin toss.
DeCicco hails from Jefferson Hills, Pa., a suburb south of Pittsburgh. He played for Thomas Jefferson in the WPIAL and was a star, playing wide receiver, cornerback, safety, quarterback and kick/punt returner. He ran and passed for more than 1,000 yards each, while scoring a touchdown on a kick return and a punt return as a senior. DeCicco would win two WPIAL AAA Titles in 2004 and 2006 and won the PIAA AAA State Championship 56-20 against Mannheim Central.
He came out of high school as a three-star recruit and committed to play for Pitt as a member of the Class of 2007. He played in nine games as a freshman in 2007, making six tackles on special teams.
DeCicco would improve his playing time over the next three seasons, missing only one game and starting almost everyone of the 38 games as a strong safety.
He made 88 tackles, 58 solo, and three interceptions as a junior in 2009, making the Big East Second-Team and then made 94 tackles, 67 solo, and five interceptions as a senior in 2010 to make the Big East First-Team.
DeCicco did not get selected in the 2011 NFL Draft, but signed with the Chicago Bears. He made 12 tackles on special teams as a rookie, playing in all 16 games. He would spend one more season with the Bears before going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013 and then the Minnesota Vikings in 2014.
He would retire in 2015, but joined the San Francisco 49ers as a scouting department assistant in 2016. He became an area scout for the 49ers in 2017 and is now in his seventh season in that role for the organization.
Pitt opens up as a seven-point favorite against Cincinnati on Saturday and will play in front of a nationally televised audience on the CW Network.
