John Holecek

John Holecek
No. 52, 59  Loyola Ramblers
Position: Linebacker, Coach
Personal information
Date of birth: May 7, 1972
Place of birth: Steger, Illinois
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight: 242 lb (110 kg)
Career information
College: Illinois
NFL draft: 1995 / Round: 5 / Pick: 144
Career history
Roster status: Inactive
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2002
Career Total Forced Fumbles: 3
Career Total Tackles: 562
Career Total Assist Tackles: 114
Career Total interceptions: 2
Career Total Sacks: 3.5
Stats at NFL.com

John Francis Holecek (born May 7, 1972 in Steger, Illinois) is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for eight seasons for the Buffalo Bills, the San Diego Chargers, and the Atlanta Falcons. He went to college at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1995, went to the San Diego Chargers in 2001, and last to the Atlanta Falcons in 2002. Holecek played in the NFL for 8 seasons, and then returned to Chicago area. He currently coaches football at Loyola Academy.

Marian Catholic career

Holecek was a three sport athlete at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois, excelling in wrestling, baseball, and football. Holecek was selected to a Chicago all-star baseball team that toured Europe his junior summer, but he decided to play football after receiving multiple Big Ten and division one scholarship offers. Holecek played both tight end and middle linebacker for Marian coach Dave Mattio. Finished his high school career with 243 tackles, 13 sacks, two fumble recoveries, three interceptions, two punts blocked, 16 receptions and 2 TD passes. Holecek was All-State and named the “Defensive Player of the Year” his senior year by a metro newspaper.

Holecek has had his NFL jersey number 52 retired by his alma mater in 2000. Other retired Marian jerseys include Mike Prior and high school and one-season NFL teammate Rodney Harrison (San Diego Chargers).

Illinois career

After graduation from Marian Catholic High School, John played for the Illinois Fighting Illini football team from 1991 to 1994. Holecek was the Illini's co-Defensive Player of the Year in his 1992 red-shirt freshman season. Holecek made the All-Big Ten First Team in 1993, All-Big Ten Second Team in 1994, was named captain of the team, and was part of the linebacker foursome that gave Illinois the nickname "Linebacker U" in the 1990s.

The Foursome also featured All-American and first-round, second and third overall draft picks Simeon Rice and Kevin Hardy, as well as, Butkus award winner Dana Howard. Illinois led the nation in total defense for most of Holecek's senior season. Holecek suffered multiple ACL injuries during his Illinois career, ending prior Butkus award consideration. Illinois participated in college bowl games each of Holecek's seasons.

Holecek's arm-wrestling match with his childhood hero, legendary Walter Payton, was stated to be one of his greatest college football-related moments.

Holecek is fifth on the Illinois career tackles list with 436 (above another Chicago area Illinois linebacker great Dick Butkus) and was twice named honorable mention All-America. Holecek graduated as a finance major with credits towards his masters.

Lou Tepper, former Illinois coach and author of "Complete Linebacking" described John's aggressive linebacker playing style as "a natural presser" and called John "a fiery leader and competitor".

NFL career

Holecek was drafted in 1995 by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round if the NFL draft (144th pick) of the 1995 draft. Holecek was drafted by NFL Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy. Holecek also played for NFL coach Wade Phillips. According to a Los Angeles Times article, Holecek had the highest intelligence score of the 1995 draft class.

Holecek had hoped to be drafted by his home town Chicago Bears, and had discussions with the new head coach Dave Wannstedt. The Bears instead drafted Sean Harris from Arizona, who had a brief NFL tenure.

Holecek reported to the perennial Super Bowl bound Bills rookie camp in April 1995. He played six seasons with the Bills, averaging over 14 starts his last three seasons. Holecek flourished as an inside linebacker in Phillips' defensive 3-4 system. He also played middle linebacker in a 4-3 alignment when injuries caused Coach Phillips to switch defenses mid-season. John emerged as a defensive stalwart and on-field coach for the Bills, notching an incredible 414 tackles from 1998-2000 and became known of this technique and football intelligence.

Holecek started eight games over the course of his first three seasons with the Bills (1995-1998). After playing in only one game his rookie season, Holecek was ready to be a regular contributor to the team in 1996 before another knee injury suffered in the first preseason game forced him to spend the entire year on injured reserve. Holecek also pursued completion of his MBA degree these seasons. In 1997 Holecek provided the first glimpse of his promising future as he recorded 86 combined tackles in eight starts (14 appearances).

In 1998 Holecek led the Bills with 133 tackles in his first season as a full-time starter and was named the team's recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award. Holecek was credited with a career game high of 21 tackles during game film review of the Miami Dolphins wildcard playoff game. That season the Bills improved to the fifth-rated run defense in the NFL from 15th the year before.

In 1999 Holecek tallied 116 combined tackles, including 63 unassisted, to go along with one sack, one interception, six passes defensed and two forced fumbles. Holecek's remarkable season also included a career-best 22-tackle outing in a Wild Card Playoff game played at Tennessee.

His finest campaign came in 2000 when he started all 16 games and had a career-high 165 combined tackles. He also intercepted one pass and deflected four others.

In his seventh season Holecek was released very late in training camp in salary cap move by a new Bills head coach and GM and was quickly signed by the San Diego Chargers. The Bills who ranked 3rd in total defense in the league in 2000, finished 3-13 without Holecek and others in 2001. John played in San Diego for one partial season; he finished the last five games of the season on injured reserve as a knee problems limited him to just 11 injury-riddled appearances.

Holecek then signed with the Atlanta Falcons in his 8th season. Holecek was reunited with Falcon defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who tutored Holecek for six seasons while serving as defensive coordinator or head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Holecek started the first 11 games for the play-off bound Falcons and was the team's second leading tackler before breaking his upper wrist/forearm. Holecek seriously re-injured his right arm late in the season finale—the team asked him to test to strength of the forearm (broken just five weeks earlier) in preparation for the playoffs. The avoidable second injury and the difficult resulting surgery was career ending.

Loyola Academy career

After retiring from the NFL, Holecek returned to Illinois to work in finance and assist coaching high school football at St. Ignatius in Chicago. At the insistence of Nick Rassas (NFL safety, Notre Dame All-American, and Loyola Academy graduate) Holecek applied for the head coach position at Loyola Academy, a private college preparatory in Wilmette, Illinois. He currently serves as Loyola's head varsity football coach and as the assistant athletic director.

Since taking the reigns in 2006, Holecek’s teams have been to the playoffs every year, including the last four State 8A Semi-Finals or Finals. Holecek's team have won at least 11 games for the last six consecutive years.

In 2008, he coached Loyola to a Prep Bowl Championship at Soldier Field as the Ramblers defeated Lane Tech 17-0. In 2011, he coached the Ramblers to a second place finish in the Class 8A State Championship, losing to Bollingbrook High School 21-17 in inclement weather. This was only the school's third appearance in the state championship game and the first in 18 years. Loyola was the 8A runner-up again in 2013, after losing to Naperville Central, 13-10, in the title game.

In August of 2012, Holecek brought his Ramblers to Dublin, Ireland to play Jesuit Dallas in Global Ireland Football Tournament 2012, featuring Notre Dame vs Navy as the main draw.. That same year John Holecek joined Dick Butkus in making an instructional video one of one Butkus's websites to emphasize tackling with proper form to reduce the risk of head injury. Holecek was also reported to have declined an offer to be part of the Tim Beckman coaching staff at the University of Illinois.

In April 2014, Holecek's coaching mentor, Marv Levy visited Loyola as part of the Heart of a Hall of Famer program. Levy's lesson were laced with words like “perseverance”, “work ethic”, and “preparation”. Hallmarks of Holecek's playing career and coaching tenure at Loyola.

As of mid-season 2014 Holecek has won over 80% of his games at Loyola Academy. Loyola plays in the highly competitive Chicago Catholic League Blue division. Loyola has won outright or shared the last four conference titles.

Loyola academy won the Chicago Prep Bowl 14-7 over Chicago Curie at Soldier Field on November 28, 2014.

Awards

University of Illinois, Bruce Capel Award as the team’s "Most Courageous Player" in 1994.

NFL Ed Block Courage Award in 1998. Award presented to a player who personifies courage, strength, leadership and pursuit of excellence.

NFL Defensive Player of the Week, for a stellar Monday Night Football game vs the Miami Dolphins in October 1999. Holecek first registered a jarring sack on Dan Marino that led to Gabe Northern's fumble return for a touchdown, then with Buffalo clinging to a 23-18 lead late, Holecek registered his first career interception. Facing a three-receiver set, Holecek dropped back in zone defense, and picked off Dan Marino. Holecek said "obviously, with Dan Marino, it's a special play."

In September 2011, Holecek was inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall-of-Fame. Holecek received accolades for his grit and determination and for dealing with adversity by successfully rehabbing three major knee injuries. Other indictees included Jim Calhoun, Bobby Hull, Glenn Doc Rivers, Barry Sanders and former Notre Dame and Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier.

In August 2014, the Butkus Foundation honored Holecek at a Chicago Bears game for his work has a Chicago youth sports leader.

Philanthropy

Holecek served as the Buffalo Bills spokesman for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Holecek was involved in the Western New York Children’s Literacy Program "Rush For Reading".

Holecek was reported to be a financial contributor to The University of Illinois.

Holecek's Loyola Academy teams volunteer and visit Misericordia, often playing pick-up games with children and adults with developmental disabilities. Loyola annually hosts Misericordia at a fall home game.

External links