Brothers Receive $1M "Amazing Race" Winnings

Brothers Dan and Jordan Pious, of Barrington, R.I., are the winners of 16th season of CBS' hit reality TV show "The Amazing Race."

On "The Early Show" Monday, the brothers received their $1 million oversized "check."

The Pious brothers' mother, Lezli Pious, surprised her sons with it the day after Mother's Day.

Photos: The Amazing Race 16
Brothers Dan and Jordan Win "Amazing Race"

The brothers traveled five continents in 23 days, a total of 40,000 miles.

They defeated 10 other teams.

The race came down to who could climb the historic Coit Tower faster, and maneuver through a film studio's virtual maze quicker.

They finished the race in San Francisco's Candlestick Park, home of the 49ers.

Jet and Cord McCoy, the runners-up, also appeared on "The Early Show".

"Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith said that, through the whole competition, the relationship between Dan and Jordan seemed almost bigger than the story of the competition.

Dan said, "It's true. I think that that's very accurate. Jordan and I are closer than any brothers could be. But our bond is unbreakable. And this race certainly proved that for us."

Smith observed that Jordan, at several points in the race, got emotional.

Jordan agreed, saying, "I was. I think a lot of people are wondering why I wasn't breaking down and hysterically crying at the finish line, but I think I had gotten my crying out prior to that moment."

Did they have a game plan?

Jordan said it was to fly under the radar for most of the race, then pick it up at the end.

"It wasn't about finishing first in every leg," he said. "It was about not getting eliminated and continuing, to stay alive, and the only leg of this race where it really counts to come in first was that last leg."

As for the McCoys, they said they tried to do their best every day of the competition.

As Jet put it, "Regardless of what we faced, just taking it one step at a time."

Cord said he thinks people may have underestimated him and his brother.

"By the second and third leg, we noticed people followed us and Jet and I were almost ducking to stay away from people following us. But I think people realized that Jet and I kind of knew what was going on, and were good at traveling and going different places."

He added, "I feel blessed just to run 'The Amazing Race,' and it was quite an honor."

What is it like to compete in a race of this scale?

Jet equated the experience to having children.

"There's no way for me to explain it you what it's like having kids until you've had them," he said. "And that's the way with the race. The pictures and the scope of this race, it was just, the word amazing has been overused."

The best part of the race for Dan was the finish at Candlestick Park.

"The last leg certainly takes the cake," he said. "Maybe that's just because of the ultimate result, but it was super cool for me being such a good sports fan to end (there) ... But just we walked right through the 49ers locker room. It was incredible to be in an NFL locker room. It's something I'll never forget."

Cord said the race had its challenges -- just like in life.

"You don't know what to expect and definitely every time you open up another envelope, it was opening up another chapter of 'The Amazing Race' and what it's going to be," he said. "And you can definitely feel your heart beating when you rip that envelope up not knowing what the next challenge will be, what the next location is going to be. And what you're going to see next."

Jordan added that the experience "has just been a dream."

He said, "I was like, 'Give me more envelopes, let's continue this journey, let's see more places.'"