Jerry Vainisi was an American football executive and businessman.
12 Facts About Jerry Vainisi
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Jerry Vainisi served as the general manager and executive vice president of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League when they won Super Bowl XX.
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Jerry Vainisi worked for the NFL's Detroit Lions, the World League of American Football, and in private business.
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Jerry Vainisi graduated from Campion High School in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in 1959.
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Jerry Vainisi started his career with Arthur Andersen as an accountant before George Halas Jr.
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Jerry Vainisi was the treasurer of the Chicago Bears from 1972 to 1982 before replacing Jim Finks as a general manager.
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Jerry Vainisi was one of the people responsible for the removal of the Bears cheerleading squad Chicago Honey Bears in 1985, saying that the squad might be replaced by a high school band, despite not having done so.
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Jerry Vainisi was the last Bears general manager until Jerry Angelo took over in 2001.
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In 1987, Jerry Vainisi became the vice president of player personnel for the Detroit Lions.
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Jerry Vainisi drafted Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders in the 1989 NFL draft.
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Jerry Vainisi left the Lions in 1990 to create and head the football operations of the World League of American Football.
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Jerry Vainisi died at age 80 on October 4,2022, in Oak Park, Illinois.