Jim Schwantz

James William Schwantz (born January 23, 1970 in Arlington Heights, Illinois) is the Mayor of Palatine, Illinois. He is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and the San Francisco 49ers.

He went to the Pro Bowl after the 1996 NFL season as a special teams player. Schwantz played college football at Purdue University. He is a notable graduate of William Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois. Schwantz is also a contributor to the WBBM 780AM Chicago Bears Broadcast Team along with former players Jay Hilgenberg and Tom Thayer, plus announcers Jeff Joniak and Ron Gleason.

During the 1996 NFL season, he set the Dallas Cowboys single-season record for special teams tackles with 32. The Cowboys started keeping that stat in 1990.

Jim Schwantz played in 78 NFL games and was credited with 39 tackles, amounting to half a tackle per game. He made 35 of his tackles in his three years with Dallas.He also made the probowl in 1996 and was in the championship game.

Mayor of Palatine
On February 25, 2008, Schwantz declared his intention to run for mayor of the Village of Palatine, Illinois in the 2009 election.

On April 7, 2009, he secured 42% of the vote, defeating 20-year incumbent Rita Mullins, who ended up placing a distant third in a four-way mayoral race. Jim was sworn into office as Mayor of Palatine on May 4, 2009.

Jim Schwantz