James “Jimbo” Covert was the biggest -
literally and figuratively - athlete to come out of Conway.
While attending Freedom High School, his exploits as both a wrestler
and a football player became legendary. In football, his scholastic
career earned him status as a member of the Western Pennsylvania
All Time High School team, the only
player selected both offensively
and defensively. Jim went to the University of Pittsburgh, where
his efforts were concentrated on the offensive side of the ball as a
tackle. He was twice named an All American on Pitt teams that were
among the best on the school’s history and was named to Pitt’s All
Time team. An Outland Trophy candidate,
he allowed only three sacks his collegiate career and none as a
senior for a team that averaged thirty passes a game. A first round pick of the Chicago Bears (sixth
overall), Jimbo was a standout from the beginning, earning
All Rookie honors in 1983 and was named team captain in his second year.
He had a spectacular season in 1985: he was named the NFC
Offensive Lineman of the Year, was a consensus All Pro, and earned
his first Pro Bowl appearance, with the season culminating with the Bears
destroying the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl under Coach
Mike Ditka. The following
year, Jim was named NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year as the Bears
led the league in rushing for the fourth consecutive season. His
high caliber of play continued for the next several seasons, with
his being
named All Pro a total of five times. In 1990, Covert was not
penalized all year for holding. Back problems that began in 1988
finally took its toll on Jim, and he spent the entire 1991 season on
injured reserve, which led to his retirement. Jim was inducted into the
Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1995, was named to the
NFL's All Time team of the 1980s, and was selected by the Chicago Tribune to the 75th anniversary All Time Chicago Bears team.
James “Jimbo” Covert was the biggest -
literally and figuratively - athlete to come out of Conway.
While attending Freedom High School, his exploits as both a wrestler
and a football player became legendary. In football, his scholastic
career earned him status as a member of the Western Pennsylvania
All Time High School team, the only
player selected both offensively
and defensively. Jim went to the University of Pittsburgh, where
his efforts were concentrated on the offensive side of the ball as a
tackle. He was twice named an All American on Pitt teams that were
among the best on the school’s history and was named to Pitt’s All
Time team. An Outland Trophy candidate,
he allowed only three sacks his collegiate career and none as a
senior for a team that averaged thirty passes a game. A first round pick of the Chicago Bears (sixth
overall), Jimbo was a standout from the beginning, earning
All Rookie honors in 1983 and was named team captain in his second year.
He had a spectacular season in 1985: he was named the NFC
Offensive Lineman of the Year, was a consensus All Pro, and earned
his first Pro Bowl appearance, with the season culminating with the Bears
destroying the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl under Coach