Gary Fencik remained one of the most beloved Chicago Bears in history. A former Pro Bowl safety who was a member of the iconic 1985 defense that won the Super Bowl. While he had 40 interceptions in his career, most people remember Fencik as a ferocious hitter. Something he undoubtedly learned from teammate Doug Plank over the years.
There were so many that it can be difficult to track them all. Still, Jeff Joniak decided to ask him during a Bears All-Access interview what his favorite hit was. The answer he gave is indeed something people are unlikely to forget once they’re reminded of it.
“(Laughs). That one on Jimmy Johnson in the Giants game that we had to win to go to the playoffs in ’77. That was…uh…that was a killer hit.”
Fencik is actually referring to former Giants wide receiver Jimmy Robinson. The guy was having a pretty good game in horrendous icy conditions with three catches for 31 yards. It seemed Fencik had seen enough at that point.
Gary Fencik hit set the tone for the game
That bone-crunching shot really exemplified how the game was played. It was rough, tough, and defensively-driven. Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik completed just 12 of 33 passes for 121 yards and two interceptions. Robinson was his only reliable target that day until Fencik turned him into a bug on a windshield.
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The Bears defense allowed just nine points. In the final seconds, Walter Payton and the offense put together a good enough drive to set up a winning 28-yard field goal. It was the first time the Bears had made the playoffs in 14 years. A watershed event in team history. One that wouldn’t have happened without what Fencik did.
