{{Short description|American football player (born 1959)}} {{Use American English|date=November 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Dennis Gentry | number = 29 | position = Running back, return specialist, wide receiver | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|2|10|mf=y}} | birth_place = Lubbock, Texas, U.S. | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 8 | weight_lb = 173 | high_school = Dunbar (Lubbock) | college = Baylor | draftyear = 1982 | draftround = 4 | draftpick = 89 | pastteams = * Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1982|1992}}) | highlights = * Super Bowl champion (XX) * First-team All-Pro (1986) * Second-team All-Pro (1987) * First-team All-SWC (1980) | statlabel1 = Receptions | statvalue1 = 171 | statlabel2 = Receiving yards | statvalue2 = 2,076 | statlabel3 = Return yards | statvalue3 = 4,353 | statlabel4 = Total touchdowns | statvalue4 = 16 | pfr = GentDe00 }}
'''Dennis Louis Gentry''' (born February 10, 1959) is an American former professional football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Baylor Bears. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1982 NFL draft. He spent his entire 11-year NFL career with Chicago from 1982 to 1992, and was a part of the Bears team that was victorious in Super Bowl XX versus the New England Patriots.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 27, 1986 |title=Bears Trounce Patriots, 46-10, in Super Bowl |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-27-mn-540-story.html |access-date=October 31, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> He was also a member of the "Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew" in the video "The Super Bowl Shuffle," which featured him pantomiming on the bass.
In 2001, he was the running backs coach for the XFL's Chicago Enforcers until the league folded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hworth.net/xfl/xfl_2001_enforcers.html|title=Dennis Gentry RB Coach|work=Offensive Backfield Coach|access-date=December 13, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105181616/http://www.hworth.net/xfl/xfl_2001_enforcers.html|archive-date=January 5, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/05/10/xfl_folds_ap/|title=XFL folds after disappointing first season|work=cnnsi.com|access-date=September 21, 2012|archive-date=October 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023061121/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/05/10/xfl_folds_ap/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Later that year he was hired as a BLESTO regional scout for the Detroit Lions until 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lionsgab.com/2011/06/18/lions-hire-joe-kelleher-as-new-blesto-scout/|title=Kelleher Replaces Dennis Gentry|work=Contract Not Renewed|access-date=September 21, 2012|archive-date=April 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409112225/http://www.lionsgab.com/2011/06/18/lions-hire-joe-kelleher-as-new-blesto-scout/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Gentry finished his career with 171 receptions for 2,076 yards and seven touchdowns. He also rushed for 764 yards and five touchdowns. But his main contribution came as a kick returner, and is currently ranked third in return yardage (4,353) for the Bears. Dennis is also tied for the club's all-time kick returns with 192.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/career-returns.htm|title=Chicago Bears Kick & Punt Returns Career Register|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date= September 21, 2012}}</ref> In 1986, he led the NFL with a 28.8-yards-per-return average.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Bears1982DraftPicks}} {{Super Bowl XX}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gentry, Dennis}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:American football running backs Category:American football wide receivers Category:Baylor Bears football players Category:Chicago Bears players Category:Chicago Enforcers coaches Category:Players of American football from Lubbock, Texas Category:20th-century American sportsmen