John Holecek

John Holecek
No. 52, 59
PositionLinebacker
Personal information
Born (1972-05-07) May 7, 1972
Steger, Illinois, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight242 lb (110 kg)
Career information
High schoolChicago Heights (IL) Marian Catholic
CollegeIllinois
NFL draft1995: 5th round, 144th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
  • First-team All-Big Ten (1993)
  • Second-team All-Big Ten (1994)
  • Chicago Sports Hall-of-Fame (2011)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles380
Sacks3.5
Interceptions2
Forced fumbles3
Stats at Pro Football Reference

John Francis Holecek (born May 7, 1972) is an American former professional football player and football coach. He played linebacker for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills, the San Diego Chargers, and the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was later drafted by the Bills in 1995. Holecek also played for the Chargers in 2001 and the Falcons in 2002.

Holecek was hired as the head football coach at Loyola Academy in 2006. Over his 17-year tenure, he became the winningest head coach in the school's history with a 185–36 record, including Class 8A Illinois Football State Championships in 2015, 2018, and 2022. Holecek was a finalist for the 2015 National Coach of the Year award.