Gary Glick

Gary Galen Glick (May 14, 1930 – February 11, 2015) was a professional American football safety who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) before he concluded his career in the American Football League (AFL) for one season. He was the number one overall selection in the 1956 NFL Draft. To date, Glick is still the only defensive back ever to be picked first overall in any NFL draft.

Early life
Glick was born in Grant, Nebraska. The family moved to Colorado not long after, and Glick grew up in a dairy farm in Laporte, Colorado, near Fort Collins, Colorado. He graduated from Cache la Poudre High School before entering the Navy in 1948, seeing service in the Korean War along with playing service football, basketball and softball; he cited his service as one that honed his skills as a player, as he went from roughly 160 pounds as a high school graduate to over 190 when he left the Navy He elected to play near home with Colorado State University (then known as Colorado A&M). In addition to defensive back, he also starred at quarterback and linebacker and served as a place-kicker for the Rams. He was one of four Glick brothers that would play football for A&M (Ivan, Leon, and Fred), with each receiving letters in football. Gary graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physical education. He recorded eight interceptions in 1954 and fourteen for a career at Colorado A&M, with the former still being a team record. In his senior season, he led A&M (as coached by Bob Davis in his final season) to the Skyline Conference title, clinching it with a 10-0 victory over Colorado in which he scored a touchdown and kicked the extra point and field goal; the title was the last one for the team for 39 years.

He was among the inaugural inductees of the Colorado State University Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. He also was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. His brother Fred, who also played in pro football, joined him in the University Sports Hall in 1991.

Football career
In 1956, Pittsburgh had won the first overall pick by way of bonus pick determined by lottery, and they also had the fifth pick in the first round. They used the bonus pick on Glick. Glick's selection was viewed as a surprise in some corners, in part because the Steelers were swayed not by footage seen of Glick but by letters sent to them (among other teams) by Davis. Steelers coach Walt Kiesling (in what turned out to be his final season as coach) was spurred to use the pick on Glick; Dan M. Rooney related that Glick was a "sleeper", but Kiesling reasoned "Everybody is going to know about him. Everybody will want him!" Among the players drafted later that year were future legends such as Lenny Moore, Forrest Gregg and Sam Huff. Pittsburgh had won the first overall pick by way of bonus pick determined by lottery, and they also had the fifth pick in the first round. The Steelers utilized Glick as a kicker in his first two seasons. He went 4-of-7 in his rookie season and 5-of-18 in his second and final year kicking field goals. He also played some snaps as a reserve defensive back, and he recorded two interceptions that season. He repeated the same number in 1958 while also recovering three fumbles, with one being for a touchdown. Glick was cut during the 1959 season by the Steelers and picked up by the Washington Redskins, where he recorded two interceptions. He played one more season with Washington, recording three interceptions. He signed with the Baltimore Colts for the 1961 season, recording a career-high four interceptions in his one season with the club, with three occurring in a game against Washington on November 26. In 1962, Glick took a job with the Denver Broncos to coach the defensive backfield while recovering from an injury. He returned to pro football as a player in 1963 with the San Diego Chargers. In what became his last season, he recorded his final interception against the Houston Oilers on December 1. Over a month later, the Chargers won the AFL Championship Game, with Glick retiring a winner in his final game.

In 1965, he was hired as head coach of the Norfolk Neptunes of the Continental Football League. He coached the team from 1965 to 1967 and the 1969 seasons, twice winning coach of the year honors and going 38-18; in 1968, he served as the offensive coordinator of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He served as an offensive coordinator at the University of Arizona before becoming a scout in the 1970s. He would scout for the Baltimore Colts, the New England Patriots and the Canadian Football League before retiring in 1985.

Personal life and death
After his playing and coaching years ended, Glick was involved with the Easter Seals of Colorado and the NFL Alumni Chapter of Denver. Glick died on February 11, 2015, at the age of 84, at his home in Fort Collins, Colorado, following a stroke. He was survived by his wife of 63 years and their three children.