View source for Gary Fencik

{{Short description|American football player (born 1954)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Gary Fencik
| image       =
| image_size  = 
| alt         = 
| caption     = 
| number      = 45
| position    = [[Safety (gridiron football position)|Safety]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1954|6|11}}
| birth_place = [[Chicago]], Illinois, U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 1
| weight_lb   = 194
| high_school = [[Barrington High School (Lake County, Illinois)|Barrington]] {{avoid wrap|([[Barrington, Illinois]])}}
| college     = [[Yale Bulldogs football|Yale]] (1972–1975)
| draftyear   = 1976
| draftround  = 10
| draftpick   = 281
| pastteams   =
* [[Miami Dolphins]] (1976)*
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|1976|1987}})
| highlights  =
* [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XX|XX]])
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1981 All-Pro Team|1981]])
* Second-team All-Pro ([[1985 All-Pro Team|1985]])
* 2× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1981 Pro Bowl|1980]], [[1982 Pro Bowl|1981]])
* [[Chicago Bears#Top 100 greatest Bears of all-time|100 greatest Bears of All-Time]]
* First-team All-East ([[1975 All-East football team|1975]])
| statlabel1  = Total [[Tackle (football move)#Gridiron football|tackles]]
| statvalue1  = 1,102
| statlabel2  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue2  = 38
| statlabel3  = Interception yards
| statvalue3  = 488
| statlabel4  = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue4  = 13
| statlabel5  = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statvalue5  = 2 <!-- Do not add pre-1982 sacks -->
| statlabel6  = Defensive [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue6  = 1
| pfr         = FencGa00 
}}

'''John Gary Fencik''' (born June 11, 1954) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[Safety (gridiron football position)|safety]] for 12 seasons with the [[Chicago Bears]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Yale Bulldogs football|Yale Bulldogs]] and was selected by the [[Miami Dolphins]] in the 10th round of the [[1976 NFL draft]]. He was a once first-team [[All-Pro]] and twice [[Pro Bowl]] selection. Fencik is the Bears all-time leader in [[interception]]s<ref>{{cite web |last=Mayer |first=Larry |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Tillman-repeats-stellar-performance/cd4329ee-7829-43f1-8286-e2262d28f33d |title=Tillman repeats stellar performance |publisher=[[Chicago Bears]] |access-date=October 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011012951/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Tillman-repeats-stellar-performance/cd4329ee-7829-43f1-8286-e2262d28f33d |archive-date=October 11, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and total [[tackle (football move)|tackles]]. He was also part of the [[1985 Chicago Bears season|1985 Bears team]] that won the franchise's first [[Super Bowl]] title in the [[Super Bowl XX]].

==Playing career==
He played [[college football]] at [[Yale University]], where he received his [[bachelor's degree]] in 1976. In 1986, he received an [[MBA]] from [[Northwestern University]]. [[John Madden]] once said in a broadcast that "Gary Fencik played football at Yale; that is like saying clean dirt".  At Yale, Fencik played [[wide receiver]], catching 86 passes for 1,435 yards and 7 touchdowns from 1973 to 1975.  In his senior season, Fencik caught 42 passes and led the [[Ivy League]] with 729 receiving yards.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/gary-fencik-1.html | title=Gary Fencik College Stats }}</ref>

Considered too slow to be an NFL receiver, the [[Miami Dolphins]] drafted Fencik in the tenth round of the [[1976 NFL draft]] with the 281st overall selection, intending to convert him to defensive back. After rupturing his left lung in a preseason game against the [[New Orleans Saints]], he was released in September and headed home to Chicago, planning to start a banking career until he received a job offer from the [[Chicago Bears]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Rosaforte|first=Tim|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1985-12-02-8502240279-story.html|title=Once a Dolphin, Fencik succeeds as Bears safety|newspaper=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|date=December 2, 1985|access-date=May 7, 2019}}</ref>

In Chicago, he was the team's defensive captain through the 1980s including the [[1985 NFL season|1985]] [[Super Bowl XX|Super Bowl]] championship season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1986-01-27 |title=Bears Trounce Patriots, 46-10, in Super Bowl |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-27-mn-540-story.html |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> He made two [[Pro Bowl]] appearances ([[1980 NFL season|1980]], [[1981 NFL season|1981]]). He was also awarded a gold record and a platinum video award for the 1985 ''[[Super Bowl Shuffle]]''. Fencik and [[Doug Plank]] were dubbed "The Hit Men", a fact referenced by Fencik in ''The Super Bowl Shuffle''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Stiernberg|first1=Bonnie|last2=Ryan|first2=Shane|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/01/the-giftastic-super-bowl-shuffle-appreciation-post.html|title=The Super Bowl Shuffle: A GIF-Heavy Ranking of Every Verse|publisher=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|date=January 30, 2015|access-date=May 7, 2019}}</ref>

In September 1986 he was featured on the cover of ''[[GQ]]'' magazine.  His picture also appeared on the reverse side of a ''[[Playboy]]'' [[centerfold]], showing him and the December 1982 [[Playboy Playmate|Playmate]] Charlotte Kemp, shopping at the Old Town Art Fair.<ref>{{cite web|last=Telander|first=Rick|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1985/09/30/627720/pride-of-the-yuppies|title=Pride of the Yuppies|publisher=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=September 30, 1985|access-date=May 7, 2019}}</ref> The story promoted Fencik as "the NFL's smartest player."<ref name="GOPLeadersWant"/>

Fencik finished his career with 38 interceptions, which he returned for 488 yards and a touchdown.  He also recorded 4 sacks and recovered 13 fumbles, returning them for 65 yards.

During his playing career, he became the part-owner of the Hunt Club, a popular [[Bar (establishment)|bar]] on Chicago's North Side.<ref name="GOPLeadersWant">{{cite web |title=GOP Leaders Want Fencik for Mayor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/306056640 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription |publisher=Quad-City Times |agency= Associated Press |access-date=25 November 2024 |language=en |date=September 17, 1986}}</ref>

==Retirement==
Following his football career, Fencik has worked in the finance industry. Fencik worked with [[Wells Fargo]] and [[UBS AG|UBS]] before joining [[Adams Street Partners]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adamsstreetpartners.com/team/executive-committee.html |title=Executive Committee
|publisher=ADAMS STREET PARTNERS |access-date=August 10, 2011 }}</ref> He has also worked as a [[sports commentator]], mainly on [[WGN (AM)|WGN]] radio where he was a [[color commentator]] on Bears radio broadcasts from 1990 to 1993. During the [[1988 NFL season]] he paired with [[James Brown (television)|James Brown]] as an NFL television commentator on [[CBS]].

During Fencik's final NFL season, he was widely speculated as a potential candidate in the then-upcoming [[1987 Chicago mayoral election]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Political Office Probably Too Small for Fencik |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/09/21/political-office-probably-too-small-for-fencik |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=22 November 2024 |date=21 September 1986}}</ref> [[Donald L. Totten]] (the chairman of the [[Cook County Republican Party]]) attempted to persuade Fencik to run as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]].<ref>{{cite web |title=John Lattner, A Promising Political Rookie |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/10/19/john-lattner-a-promising-political-rookie |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=22 November 2024 |date=19 October 1986}}</ref> When asked in September 1986 to describe his political ideology, Fencik remarked, "maybe an [[Independent Republican (United States)|independent Republican]]."<ref name="GOPLeadersWant"/> In a 2022 radio interview, Fencik said while he believes he would be able to impact positive change if he were to become mayor of Chicago, he currently held no intention of seeking that office.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kass |first1=John |title=The Chicago Way: Gary Fencik Ran with the Bulls in Spain, and Ran with the Bears on the Lakefront, Would He Run for Mayor of a Troubled Chicago? |url=https://johnkassnews.com/the-chicago-way-gary-fencik-ran-with-the-bulls-in-spain-and-ran-with-the-bears-on-the-lakefront-would-he-run-for-mayor-of-a-troubled-chicago |website=John Kass News/The Chicago Way |access-date=22 November 2024 |date=19 November 2022}}</ref>

In October 2012, the [[Illinois Lottery]] Board unanimously voted to name Fencik as its chairman.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gary Fencik Elected Illinois Lottery Control Board Chairman |url=https://www.illinois.gov/news/press-release.10630.html |website=Government of Illinois |access-date=22 November 2024 |date=October 15, 2012}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Fencik and his wife Sandy have two children, Garrison and Evan. He is of Polish descent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2012/3/5/2846336/pulaski-day-special-all-time-all-polish-bears-team|title=Pulaski Day Special: All-Time, All-Polish Bears Team|first=Steve|last=Ronkowski|date=March 5, 2012|website=Windy City Gridiron}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Super Bowl XX}}
{{Dolphins1976DraftPicks}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fencik, Gary}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football safeties]]
[[Category:American people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:Kellogg School of Management alumni]]
[[Category:American sports announcers]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears announcers]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears players]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:NFL announcers]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Chicago]]
[[Category:Yale Bulldogs football players]]