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Jim Schwantz chuckles when he tells the story of being recruited to Purdue from Fremd High in Palatine, Ill.

In the back of the high school, there were three rooms set up to host college coaches. One room included the tape of George Poorman, one of the top players in the Midwest. Another room had tape of Schwantz. And the tape of a third Fremd teammate played in the third room.

“Coach (Phil) Bennett was there to watch tape of Poorman (who would sign with Notre Dame),” said Schwantz. “But there was no room for him to sit. So, he watched my tape in the other room.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

“I got a scholarship to Purdue, and that changed the trajectory of my life,” said Schwantz. “My dad was a welder and my mom was a homemaker. I was gonna take advantage of my four years there.”

Schwantz ended up signing with Purdue and enjoyed a stellar career at linebacker from 1988-1991 in what was a “down time” for the program under Fred Akers and then Jim Colletto. He was one of three key 1988 recruits from Chicagoland, joining defensive linemen Frank Kmet and Jeff Zgonina.

GoldandBlack.com caught up with Schwantz to reminisce about his career … and to see what he has been up to.

GoldandBlack.com: What have you been up to?

Schwantz: I have been working for Von Sydows Moving and Storage for the last 19 years, basically since leaving the NFL.

GoldandBlack.com: And you also are involved in politics?

Schwantz: I am the mayor of Palatine. I Iot elected in 2009 and have been mayor ever since. We have 68,000 people in Palatine. It is a different job every day. It challenges me. It took me out of my comfort zone, which is healthy. I was unopposed my last two elections. I will be up again in April of 2021. There are no term limits. I think I am pretty good at it given my background in team sports. I would like to do it for at least a couple more terms and see where life is at that point.

GoldandBlack.com: Do you have political aspirations beyond being mayor of Palatine?

Schwantz: I was first elected in April 2009. Four hours later, my phone rang and I was asked to run for another position. But I have no aspirations beyond being mayor.

GoldandBlack.com: How were you able to get on the field so quickly at Purdue?

Schwantz: I was a freshman All-American. I always tell people that sounds cool, but it just means I played a lot. Tyrone Starks was a senior and starting weak side linebacker (my freshman year). We were practicing on the lower fields across from the band shell by Slayter. Bennett got upset with Tyrone about something and said: ‘You’re in!’ I don’t know if it was because I was standing in the right place. So, I ran out there with the “ones.” One of my jobs was to give down and distance in the huddle. My first call I said: ‘OK, it’s first-and-12.’ (My teammates) all looked at me like, ‘What in the world is wrong with this guy?’ I was about 185 (pounds), very nervous. My four years were awesome. We didn’t win much, but I played against a lot of future NFL players. I never in a million years thought I would play in the NFL.

GoldandBlack.com: What is one of your best Purdue memories?

Schwantz: When we beat Indiana (15-14) in Bloomington in 1989. (The loss to a three-win Purdue team cost IU a bowl bid and a likely Heisman Trophy for Anthony Thompson.) Coach (Bill) Mallory billed their stadium as “our house” Coach (Fred) Akers is a Christian man, never raises his voice. We are milling around (at halftime), getting yelled at by (defensive line) Coach (Bill) Kollar. Akers gathered us and said: ‘It’s time to tear the f-ing house down!” As soon as he dropped the F bomb, the whole place was silent and then went up for grabs. We all looked at each other and wondered: ‘What are we supposed to do with that?’ The locker room went nuts. I still have the T-shirt that says: No Heisman, No Bucket, No Bowl, No Sh—.

GoldandBlack.com: How did your NFL career start?

Schwantz: I wasn’t invited to any postseason games or the Combine. I took my future wife to Long John Silvers. I am in line, and Greg Brown is behind us. He was our DB coach under Colletto my last year. (He is Purdue’s DB coach now.) He had been a coach in the NFL. What he said was gospel. He told me then that I could play in the NFL. He was the first person to tell me that.

GoldandBlack.com: You signed with the Bears as a free agent and spent two years there on the practice squad. When did you get your break?

Schwantz: I tell people I was a 13th-round pick. I just don’t tell them there were only 12 rounds. The Falcons and Bears were interested in me. And I ended up in Chicago. After my third training camp with the Bears, I was traded to the Cowboys by Dave Wannstedt. My wife was 8.5 months pregnant. I played sparingly my first year in 1994, but things took off after that for me. Bill Bates and Darren Woodson told (special teams coach) Joe Avezzano I needed to be on all special teams. In 1995, I was second on the team in special teams tackles. We won the Super Bowl. The following year was my big year. I had a great set up. The scheme was set up for me to make a lot of tackles. I still have the record for the most special teams tackles in a season at 32. I was All-Pro. Was in the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. Every time I tell the story I think there is no way it happened.

GoldandBlack.com: Where is your Super Bowl ring?

Schwantz: I am in sales, so I wear it every day. (Customers) all want to talk about. They wanna hold it, have a picture taken with it. Put it on. It has a picture taken at least once a day. It’s great. It’s a blast.

Life is good. My daughter is 24 and an Iowa grad. She is working on her Ph.D. in physical therapy. My son just finished his sophomore year at Butler where he is a tight end.

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