Glen Kozlowski
Encyclopedia
Glen Kozlowski is a former professional American football
player who played wide receiver
for six seasons for the Chicago Bears
.
's 1984 National Championship Team; he was known for making clutch, acrobatic catches. At the time, Glen was one of only two players (along with Todd Christensen
) to start at BYU as a true freshman, playing with several standout quarterbacks over the course of his career: Jim McMahon
, Steve Young
and Robbie Bosco
. He once recorded double-digit receptions and over 200 yards receiving in a game (the Kickoff Classic, against Boston College
). A Sports Illustrated
article from the same period included a photo of Kozlowski leaping into the stands in celebration of one of his many touchdowns, reminiscent of the "Lambeau Leap" popularized by the Green Bay Packers
in the 1990s.
Glen suffered a serious knee injury during his senior season that threatened to derail his goal of playing in the NFL. As a show of support for his injured teammate, BYU quarterback Robbie Bosco switched his jersey number from 6 to 7 for one game.
Although Kozlowski played well in his replacement role, he suffered a broken leg while returning a kickoff, ending his "spare Bear" season. He returned to the Bears the following season and earned a spot on the regular season roster, principally as a special teams player. Because of his earlier releases and numerous re-signings, Kozlowski wore several different jersey numbers (83, 86, 88, and perhaps 96) while playing for the Bears. During his professional career, Kozlowski excelled on special teams, and was used sporadically at wide receiver. Arguably the most memorable catch of his professional career came during a 1988 Monday Night Football
game against the San Francisco 49ers
- a diving catch on a deep pass from Jim McMahon. Also of note, on special teams he once downed a punt at the one yard line in spectacular fashion, toe dancing the goal line while pitching the football back to teammate Ron Morris
.
in Wauconda, Illinois
. While the team was winless over the course of his first two seasons, it eventually became a playoff qualifier. In 2009, Kozlowski accepted the head coaching job at North Chicago High School, which is in the same athletic conference as Wauconda. On September 4, 2009, a brawl erupted between North Chicago and visiting Chicago Simeon High School in the first quarter of the second game of the season, which resulted in a forfeit by North Chicago. An ensuing investigation of the fight by the Illinois High School Association
resulted in an indefinite suspension of North Chicago's football team, which was soon lifted on September 15, 2009.
, played in the defensive backfield for the Miami Dolphins
in the 1980s. Glen married his college girlfriend, Julie, and all of Kozlowski's sons attended BYU with one, Tyler, playing football as a freshman walk-on.
Kozlowski is a weekend sports anchor on WGN-AM radio's Sports Central. Glen was also defeated in the 2007 Office Ball Championships held in Chicago by WGN Radio's David Kaplan.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for six seasons for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
College
Kozlowski, who wore number 7, was a standout wide receiver on BYUBYU
-Education:* Brigham Young University, a university located in Provo, Utah, USA administered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.**BYU Salt Lake Center, a satellite center in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA...
's 1984 National Championship Team; he was known for making clutch, acrobatic catches. At the time, Glen was one of only two players (along with Todd Christensen
Todd Christensen
Todd Jay Christensen is a former professional American football player and a current sports broadcaster for the MountainWest Sports Network.-Early life:...
) to start at BYU as a true freshman, playing with several standout quarterbacks over the course of his career: Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
, Steve Young
Steve Young
Steve Young is an American football quarterback.Steve Young may also refer to:*Steve Young , country music singer, songwriter and guitarist*Steve Young , industrial rock music songwriter and guitarist...
and Robbie Bosco
Robbie Bosco
Robbie Bosco is most widely known as an American football quarterback at Brigham Young University. Bosco is a native of Roseville, California....
. He once recorded double-digit receptions and over 200 yards receiving in a game (the Kickoff Classic, against Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
). A Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
article from the same period included a photo of Kozlowski leaping into the stands in celebration of one of his many touchdowns, reminiscent of the "Lambeau Leap" popularized by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the 1990s.
Glen suffered a serious knee injury during his senior season that threatened to derail his goal of playing in the NFL. As a show of support for his injured teammate, BYU quarterback Robbie Bosco switched his jersey number from 6 to 7 for one game.
NFL
Kozlowski was drafted in the 11th round of the 1986 NFL draft by the Bears. He spent the entire 1986 season on injured reserve, recovering from knee surgery. "Koz" struggled to recover from knee reconstruction and was waived by the Bears in 1987. A very fast and physical receiver in college, Kozlowski regained his speed after his injury. (Years later he acknowledged having a difficult time making cuts in and out of pass patterns due to the knee problem). He later rejoined the team, playing as a replacement player during the NFL's strike season (1987).Although Kozlowski played well in his replacement role, he suffered a broken leg while returning a kickoff, ending his "spare Bear" season. He returned to the Bears the following season and earned a spot on the regular season roster, principally as a special teams player. Because of his earlier releases and numerous re-signings, Kozlowski wore several different jersey numbers (83, 86, 88, and perhaps 96) while playing for the Bears. During his professional career, Kozlowski excelled on special teams, and was used sporadically at wide receiver. Arguably the most memorable catch of his professional career came during a 1988 Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
- a diving catch on a deep pass from Jim McMahon. Also of note, on special teams he once downed a punt at the one yard line in spectacular fashion, toe dancing the goal line while pitching the football back to teammate Ron Morris
Ron Morris (American football)
Ronald Wayne "Ron" Morris is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played six seasons for the Chicago Bears...
.
Post-NFL
In 2002, Kozlowski became the head football coach of Wauconda High SchoolWauconda High School
Wauconda High School, officially Wauconda Community High School, and most commonly WHS, is a public four-year high school located in Wauconda, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
in Wauconda, Illinois
Wauconda, Illinois
Wauconda is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,448 at the 2000 census, estimated to be 12,614 in 2006, and is projected to reach 13,811 by 2011. It is the site of the Wauconda Bog Nature Preserve, a National Natural Landmark...
. While the team was winless over the course of his first two seasons, it eventually became a playoff qualifier. In 2009, Kozlowski accepted the head coaching job at North Chicago High School, which is in the same athletic conference as Wauconda. On September 4, 2009, a brawl erupted between North Chicago and visiting Chicago Simeon High School in the first quarter of the second game of the season, which resulted in a forfeit by North Chicago. An ensuing investigation of the fight by the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
resulted in an indefinite suspension of North Chicago's football team, which was soon lifted on September 15, 2009.
Personal
Kozlowski's brother, MikeMike Kozlowski
Michael John Kozlowski was a safety for the Miami Dolphins . Kozlowski was a tailback at Colorado before switching to defense in the pros. Mike's brother, Glen Kozlowski played wide receiver at BYU and for six years with the Chicago Bears. Mike's nephew, Tyler, was a freshman wide receiver at BYU....
, played in the defensive backfield for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1980s. Glen married his college girlfriend, Julie, and all of Kozlowski's sons attended BYU with one, Tyler, playing football as a freshman walk-on.
Kozlowski is a weekend sports anchor on WGN-AM radio's Sports Central. Glen was also defeated in the 2007 Office Ball Championships held in Chicago by WGN Radio's David Kaplan.