Casey Urlacher
{{Short description|American politician (born 1979)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
Casey Urlacher (born August 24, 1979) is an American politician and former football player. He has been the mayor of Mettawa, Illinois, since 2013. Urlacher previously played football in the Arena Football League (AFL) for two seasons for the Chicago Rush and Nashville Kats. He is the brother of former National Football League (NFL) linebacker Brian Urlacher.
Early life
Urlacher was raised in Lovington, New Mexico. He attended Lovington High School, where alongside his older brother, Brian, won a state championship in 1995. Urlacher enrolled in the New Mexico Military Institute for two years, spending one year as a redshirt and only playing one season. He relocated to the Chicago area to follow Brian, who was playing in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/04/13/casey-urlachers-objective-a-chance/ |title=Casey Urlacher’s objective: A chance |work=Chicago Tribune |date=April 13, 2003 |access-date=November 26, 2024 }}{{cite news |last=Wajerski |first=Mike |url=https://campus.lakeforest.edu/foresters/football/july292003fb.htm |title=Casey Urlacher Signs Three-Year Contract With the Bears |work=Lake Forest College |date=July 29, 2003 |access-date=November 26, 2024 }}{{cite news |url=https://campus.lakeforest.edu/foresters/football/curlacher.htm |title=Forester Football - Casey Urlacher #34 |work=Lake Forest College |date=June 7, 2003 |access-date=November 26, 2024 }}{{cite news |last=Kirkpatrick |first=Curry |url=https://www.espn.com/magazine/curry_20011212.html |title=The Next Urlacher |work=ESPN |date=December 13, 2001 |access-date=November 26, 2024 }}
Chad Eisele recruited Urlacher to play for Lake Forest College's Foresters football team. Urlacher played three seasons for the Foresters as a linebacker and fullback, accruing 358 total tackles, 219 rushing yards, 8 rushing touchdowns, and a kickoff return touchdown. He received All-American honors and was also named the Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year during his senior year. Urlacher graduated with a business degree from Lake Forest College in 2003.
Professional football career
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name= Casey Urlacher
|image=
|number=37
|position=Fullback / Linebacker
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1979|8|27}}
|birth_place=Pasco, Washington, U.S.
|height_ft=6
|height_in=1
|weight_lbs=244
|high_school=Lovington (NM)
|college=Lake Forest College
|undraftedyear=2003
|pastteams=
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2003}})*
- Chicago Rush ({{AFL Year|2004}})*
- Peoria Pirates ({{af2 Year|2004}})
- Chicago Rush ({{AFL Year|2005}})
- Nashville Kats ({{AFL Year|2005}})
|aflstatlabel1=Rush attempts
|aflstatvalue1=2
|aflstatlabel2=Rushing yards
|aflstatvalue2=10
|aflstatlabel3=Rushing TDs
|aflstatvalue3=0
|afl=3906
}}Urlacher was not selected in the 2003 NFL draft. The Chicago Bears granted him a professional try-out during their training camp in 2003, but Urlacher failed to make the final roster.{{cite web |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bears/2003-08-07-urlacher-casey_x.htm |title=Casey Urlacher's Bears gig likely to be short, but he's loving it |date=August 7, 2003 |author=Skip Wood |publisher=USA Today |work=www.usatoday.com}}
The Chicago Rush arena football team signed him to play as a fullback and linebacker, but Urlacher failed to make the team's roster after training camp and was released. Upon his release, Casey signed with the Peoria Pirates of af2, then the Nashville Kats before being cut in 2005 and joining the Chicago Rush again for a short time.{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3140819 |title=Urlacher back with Rush |date=March 31, 2005 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |access-date=29 October 2013}}
Civic and political career
In April 2013, Urlacher was elected mayor of the Village of Mettawa, Illinois, having won 61% of the vote.{{cite web|last=Ward Room Staff|title=Who Won, Lost and Didn't Show Up On Election Day In Illinois|url=http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Who-Won-Lost-Didnt-Show-Up-Illinois-Election-Day-202301451.html|access-date=28 April 2013}} In October of that year, Urlacher was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) to the Illinois' Civil Service Commission.{{cite news|last1=Maxwell |first1=Mark |title=Urlacher's brother named to Illinois state commission |url=http://www.csnchicago.com/bears/urlachers-brother-named-illinois-state-commission |access-date=15 October 2015 |work=Comcast SportsNet |date=12 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131164306/http://www.csnchicago.com/bears/urlachers-brother-named-illinois-state-commission |archive-date=31 January 2016 }} Bruce Rauner reappointed Urlacher to the Illinois Civil Service Commission on May 8, 2017.{{cite web|last=Rauner|first=Bruce|title=Appointment Message 1000175|date=May 9, 2017|publisher=Illinois General Assembly|access-date=April 22, 2020|url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1000175&GAID=14&DocTypeID=AM&LegId=106912&SessionID=91&GA=100}} He served until February 2020, when he resigned his seat.{{cite web|last1=|first1=|title=Casey Urlacher resigns from Illinois Civil Service Commission|url=https://www.daily-chronicle.com/2020/02/23/casey-urlacher-resigns-from-illinois-civil-service-commission/apesn4s/|website=Daily, local and breaking news for DeKalb County, Illinois - Daily Chronicle|publisher=|access-date=23 July 2020}}
Urlacher announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination to run for State Senate in the 26th district to succeed Dan Duffy on October 1, 2015.{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=Brad|title=Urlacher Brother, Now Mayor Of Northwest Suburb, Eyes State Senate Seat|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/10/01/urlacher-brother-now-mayor-of-northwest-suburb-eyes-state-senate-seat/|website=CBS Chicago|publisher=CBS News|access-date=12 October 2015}} His attempt to get on the ballot was challenged, and state election officials invalidated more than 1000 of his collected signatures leaving him with only 48 above the minimum.{{cite news|last1=Riopell|first1=Mike|title=Brother of ex-Bear Urlacher can run for Illinois Senate, officials rule|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160120/news/160129891/|access-date=21 January 2016|work=Daily Herald}} In March 2016, Urlacher was defeated in a three-way primary by Dan McConchie by over 1,300 votes.{{cite news|last1=Graham|first1=Doug|title=McConchie claims victory in 26th state Senate District|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160317/news/160318806/|access-date=21 March 2016|work=Daily Herald|date=17 March 2016}}
After the federal indictment, Urlacher initially did not seek re-election as mayor of Mettawa in the 2021 consolidated election. However, after obtaining a pardon from President Trump, Urlacher declared as a write-in candidate for mayor. He was re-elected after obtaining 157 write-in votes.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-21|title=After Pardon By Trump, Casey Urlacher Wins Reelection As Write-In|url=https://patch.com/illinois/lakeforest/after-pardon-trump-casey-urlacher-wins-reelection-write|access-date=2021-06-22|website=Lake Forest-Lake Bluff, IL Patch|language=en}} Urlacher told the Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois) that he filed as a write-in after being urged by his neighbors.{{Cite web|last=Graham|first=Doug T.|date=2021-04-13|title=Urlacher says Mettawa residents urged him to run as write-in|url=https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20210413/urlacher-says-mettawa-residents-urged-him-to-run-as-write-in|access-date=2021-06-22|website=Daily Herald|language=en-US}}
In May 2021, Urlacher filed to run for state senate.{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Scott |date=2021-05-07 |title=Casey Urlacher, Illinois mayor pardoned by Trump, running for state senate |url=https://www.newsweek.com/casey-urlacher-illinois-mayor-pardoned-trump-running-state-senate-1589446 |access-date=2021-06-22 |website=Newsweek |language=en}} Dan McConchie, who defeated Urlacher in 2016, currently serves as the Illinois senate minority leader. Although Urlacher filed to challenge McConchie in the primary, the new state legislative maps put Urlacher in a different district.{{Cite web|last=ILLINOIS|first=CAPITOL NEWS|title=CAPITOL RECAP: New legislative maps passed on little notice; budget and ethics reforms approved, but college sports gambling bill on hold|url=https://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/capitol-recap-new-legislative-maps-passed-on-little-notice-budget-and-ethics-reforms-approved-but/article_3eec3215-a437-561c-acd6-ae04b7804510.html|access-date=2021-06-22|website=pantagraph.com|language=en}}
Federal indictment
File:2021-01-19 Trump pardon for TWENTY-EIGHT-link-1358426=master warrant 1 pardon 1.19.2021.pdf]]
Urlacher was among 10 people charged in a federal indictment alleging they ran an offshore sports gambling ring that raked in millions of dollars from hundreds of Chicago-area gamblers. The ring was led by Vincent "Uncle Mick" DelGuidice, a reputed associate of the Chicago Outfit who owned a gambling website registered in Costa Rica. Urlacher first was a customer of the gambling ring, before accumulating substantial debts, which he agreed to work off by recruiting new gamblers and collecting debts.{{Cite web|last=Seidel|first=Jon|date=2021-01-20|title=Casey Urlacher pardoned by Donald Trump, faced charges in gambling case|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/1/20/22240168/casey-urlacher-pardon-president-trump-sports-gambling-indictment|access-date=2021-06-06|website=Chicago Sun-Times|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Seidel|first=Jon|date=2020-02-20|title=Brian Urlacher’s brother charged in federal gambling indictment|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/2/20/21145631/brian-urlacher-brother-casey-charged-federal-gambling-indictment-mettawa|access-date=2021-06-06|website=Chicago Sun-Times|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Burnstein|first=Scott|date=2020-03-05|title="Uncle Mick," Urlacher's Baby Bro, Plead Not Guilty In Federal Gambling Case Out Of ChiTown|url=https://gangsterreport.com/uncle-mick-urlachers-baby-bro-plead-not-guilty-in-federal-gambling-case-out-of-chitown/|access-date=2021-06-06|website=The Gangster Report|language=en-US}} He was charged with conspiracy and running an illegal gambling business. He is accused of acting as an agent for the gambling ring, recruiting bettors in exchange for a cut of their eventual losses.{{Cite web|first1=Jason|last1=Meisner|first2=Angie|last2=Leventis Lourgos|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-casey-urlacher-sports-gambling-charges-20200220-d5bywxqudfaoxkin3dw64ys2jq-story.html|title=Casey Urlacher, brother of Bears Hall of Famer, charged with Chicago cop and 8 others in offshore sports gambling business|date=February 20, 2020|website=Chicago Tribune|access-date=April 30, 2021}} Urlacher pleaded not guilty to the charges in March 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-casey-urlacher-gambling-arraignment-20200304-jgvhx2wxwjczzi4pdz7mocowsq-story.html|title=Casey Urlacher, brother of Bears great, pleads not guilty in gambling case|first=Jason|last=Meisner|date=March 4, 2020|website=Chicago Tribune|access-date=April 30, 2021}} Urlacher was pardoned by President Donald Trump during his last hours in office on January 20, 2021.{{cite web |title=Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Grants of Clemency |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-regarding-executive-grants-clemency-012021/ |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |access-date=20 January 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.caseyurlacher.net/ Urlacher’s Official Website]
- [http://www.goforesters.com/search?query=casey+urlacher Urlacher’s College Stats and Information]
- [http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=3906 Urlacher’s Pro Stats]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Urlacher, Casey}}
Category:People from Pasco, Washington
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:American football fullbacks
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Nashville Kats players
Category:Lake Forest Foresters football players
Category:New Mexico Military Broncos football players
Category:Players of American football from New Mexico
Category:People from Lovington, New Mexico
Category:Sportspeople from Lea County, New Mexico
Category:People from Lake Bluff, Illinois
Category:Mayors of places in Illinois