Steve Tasker

Last updated

Steve Tasker
Steve Tasker interview.png
Tasker in 2023
No. 80, 89
Position: Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1962-04-10) April 10, 1962 (age 62)
Smith Center, Kansas, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school: Wichita County (Leoti, Kansas)
College: Northwestern
NFL draft: 1985  / round: 9 / pick: 226
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:51
Receiving yards:779
Receiving touchdowns:9
Player stats at PFR

Steven Jay Tasker (born April 10, 1962) is an American sports reporter and former football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He spent the majority of his career with the Buffalo Bills but began his career with the Houston Oilers. He was a five-time first-team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, primarily as a special teams player.

Contents

Tasker played college football at Dodge City Community College in Kansas before playing for the Northwestern Wildcats. He was selected in the ninth round of the 1985 NFL draft by the Oilers. Tasker played most of his pro career with Buffalo, and was voted by Bills fans to the team's 50th season All-time Team. [1] After retiring from playing, he has worked as a reporter, currently serving locally in Western New York on the MSG Western New York cable TV station, and on WGR Radio and formerly for CBS Sports.

In 2008, the NFL Network show NFL Top 10 ranked Tasker the ninth-best former player not enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He has several times been a nominee for the Hall, making the semi-finalist list eight times, but has not been selected as a member as of 2024. [2]

College career

Tasker first attended Dodge City Community College. After two years, he transferred to Northwestern University where he played the final two years of his college career before joining the National Football League. Tasker finished his college career with 1,055 combined return yards from punts and kickoffs, averaging 10.8 yards per punt return. [3] After finishing his college football career, and before being drafted into the NFL, he joined the school's rugby team. Although he had never played rugby before, he was named most valuable player at the Big Ten Conference Tournament. [4] Tasker continues to hold the Northwestern Wildcats football career record for kickoff return average (24.3). [5]

Professional football career

Tasker was selected in the ninth round (226th overall) of the 1985 NFL draft by the Houston Oilers where he played for two seasons. [6] He was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills on November 8, 1986. [7]

Tasker was listed as a wide receiver, however, most of his playing time came as a gunner, on punts and kickoffs. After he joined the Buffalo Bills, he began to play at wide receiver more than with the Oilers. While he performed very well as a receiver when Buffalo needed his services there, the combination of excellent Bills depth at that position, his value as a special teams playmaker, and Tasker refusing to demand more playing time on offense kept his WR time very slight.

Still, Tasker did make contributions at the more traditional role on offense and special teams. In a 1994 playoff game against the Los Angeles Raiders, he set up the Bills first touchdown with a 67-yard kickoff return. He also caught 5 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo's 1995 playoff win against the Miami Dolphins.

Play on special teams

Tasker stood 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg); when he joined the Bills, Jim Haslett did not think that he was a player. Tasker recalled, "I told him not to worry because I was mistaken for a ball boy all the time". [8] Despite his small size, he gained a reputation as one of the league's most feared hitters, forcing numerous fumbles. Contributing to his success in breaking up kick and punt returns was his speed; he was almost always the first player to reach the return man. He was the first player to establish himself as a star almost exclusively through special teams play without being a kicker or a frequent returner. Tasker played in seven Pro Bowls (1987 and 1990–1995) and became the only special teamer ever to be named the game's MVP in 1993. [9]

He was ranked No. 9 on the NFL Network's NFL Top 10 Players Not in the Hall of Fame. [10]

Many, including former teammate and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, consider him to be the greatest special teams player of all-time and believe that he should be in the Hall of Fame. [11]

Sportscasting career

Tasker was a color commentator for CBS football telecasts with Andrew Catalon (play-by-play) and Steve Beuerlein (the other color commentator) starting in 2014. CBS did not renew his contract at the end of the 2018 season. He also does color commentary for the local broadcasts of Bills pre-season games, teaming with either his former broadcast partner Andrew Catalon or Rob Stone. He is also the spokesperson for the West Herr Auto Group. Tasker was on the sidelines with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms during the playoffs until 2013. He also worked with Don Criqui (Criqui, himself a Buffalo native, and Tasker were assigned to the majority of Bills games from 1999 to 2005) and was best known working with Gus Johnson in 1998, week 13 in 1999, week 5 in 2004, and from 2005 to 2010. Johnson left for FOX Sports the following year. He and Johnson called the David Garrard game winning Hail Mary touchdown pass for the Jacksonville Jaguars' win over the Houston Texans in 2010. CBS dismissed Tasker prior to the 2019 season as they chose not to renew his contract. [12]

On September 9, 2007, Tasker became the 24th person inducted to the Bills' Wall of Fame. [13]

On November 22, 2011, Tasker was named one of the semifinalists in balloting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. [14] [15]

On September 28, 2013, his son, Luke Tasker, made his Canadian Football League debut with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, in a home game against the Calgary Stampeders. [16] [17] Luke Tasker also became a broadcaster during and after his playing career, becoming the Tiger-Cats' color commentator.

In April 2018, Tasker became co-host of One Bills Live, a daily weekday radio show focusing on the Buffalo Bills alongside Chris Brown on WGR and MSG Western New York. He served as the color commentator and analyst for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network in 2020 alongside John Murphy after Eric Wood opted out of the season due to traveling difficulties associated with the coronavirus pandemic. [18]

Personal life

Steve is married with five children. His son Luke, played wide receiver in the Canadian Football League. They reside in East Aurora, New York. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXV</span> 1991 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1990 season. The Giants defeated the Bills by the score of 20–19, winning their second Super Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXVI</span> 1992 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1991 season. The Redskins defeated the Bills by a score of 37–24, becoming the fourth team after the Pittsburgh Steelers, the now Las Vegas Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers to win three Super Bowls. The Bills became the third team, after the Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos to lose back-to-back Super Bowls. The game was played on January 26, 1992, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the first time the city played host to a Super Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXVII</span> 1993 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1992 season. The Cowboys defeated the Bills by the score of 52–17, winning their third Super Bowl in team history, and their first one in 15 years. This game is tied with Super Bowl XXXVII as the fourth-highest scoring Super Bowl with 69 combined points, as of 2023. The Bills became the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls, and just the second of three teams to play in three straight. The following 1993 season, the Bills became the only team to both play and lose four consecutive Super Bowls. The game was played on January 31, 1993, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and is the last NFL championship game to date to be held in a non-NFL stadium. It was also the seventh Super Bowl held in the Greater Los Angeles Area, which did not host another until Super Bowl LVI in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXVIII</span> 1994 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1993 season. The Cowboys defeated the Bills, for the second straight year, by a score of 30–13, winning their fourth Super Bowl in team history, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers for most Super Bowl wins. The Buffalo Bills became the only team to both play and lose four consecutive Super Bowls for a 0-4 franchise Super Bowl record, and as of 2023, remains the team's most recent Super Bowl appearance. This is also the most recent consecutive Super Bowl rematch. The game was played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Since the 1993 regular season was conducted over 18 weeks, the traditional bye week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl was not employed; the last time this had happened was before Super Bowl XXV.

Troy Fitzgerald Brown is an American football coach and former player who is a skill development and kick and punt returners coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a wide receiver and return specialist for 15 seasons in the NFL, spending his entire career with the Patriots. Brown played college football at Marshall University and was selected by the Patriots in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL draft. During his New England tenure, he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2001 and was a member of the franchise's first three Super Bowl-winning teams. In 2020, Brown rejoined the Patriots as an offensive assistant. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Brown also was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2012.

André N. Davis is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech, earning first-team All-American honors in 2000. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. Davis also played for the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans in his career. While playing for Virginia Tech Davis appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andre Reed</span> American football player (born 1964)

Andre Darnell Reed is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Kutztown Golden Bears and was selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 1985 NFL draft with the 86th overall selection. Following 15 seasons with the Bills, where he earned Pro Bowl honors seven times, Reed spent his final season as a member of the Washington Redskins in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Lofton</span> American football player and coach (born 1956)

James David Lofton is an American former professional football player and coach. He played in the National Football League (NFL) as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers (1978–1986), Los Angeles Raiders (1987–1988), the Buffalo Bills (1989–1992), Los Angeles Rams (1993) and Philadelphia Eagles (1993). He was also the NCAA champion in the long jump in 1978 while attending Stanford University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music City Miracle</span> 2000 event in American football

The Music City Miracle was an American football play that took place on January 8, 2000, during the National Football League's (NFL) 1999–2000 playoffs. It occurred at the end of the American Football Conference (AFC) Wild Card playoff game between the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills at Adelphia Coliseum in Nashville, Tennessee. After the Bills had taken a 16–15 lead on a field goal with 16 seconds remaining in the game, on the ensuing kickoff return, Titans tight end Frank Wycheck threw a lateral pass across the field to Kevin Dyson, who then ran 75 yards to score the winning touchdown to earn a 22–16 victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desmond Howard</span> American football player (born 1970)

Desmond Kevin Howard is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, where he was a two-time All-American, including a unanimous All-American selection in 1991, winning the Heisman Trophy. He was selected fourth overall in the 1992 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. Howard spent most of his career on special teams as a return specialist and holds the NFL single season record for punt return yardage. With the Green Bay Packers, Howard was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXI after setting an NFL record for punt return yards and returning a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown, the longest return in Super Bowl history at the time. To date, he is the only special teams player to receive the award. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Metcalf</span> American football player (born 1968)

Eric Quinn Metcalf is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Browns and the Chargers. He was also the 1988 US Track and Field Champion in the long jump and a two-time NCAA Champion in the same event at Texas. His father Terry was a running back for the St. Louis Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Mitchell (running back)</span> American football player (born 1968)

Brian Keith Mitchell is an American former football running back and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a quarterback for the Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 1990 NFL draft. Mitchell is considered one of the greatest return specialists in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devin Hester</span> American football player (born 1982)

Devin Devorris Hester Sr. is an American former professional football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL). The only primary return specialist to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is widely considered to be the greatest return specialist of all time. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he was the first player in the university's recent history to play in all three phases of American football: offense, defense and special teams. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. Hester also played for the Atlanta Falcons, the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks over his 11-season NFL career. He is also the only player to return the opening kick of a Super Bowl for a touchdown. Hester was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team for both the 2000s and 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Anderson</span> American football player (born 1946)

Richard Paul Anderson is an American former professional football player who was a safety for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1960s and 1970s. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was selected in third round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft, and he played for his entire professional career for the Dolphins.

Kevin Ray Williams, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, earning first-team All-American honors in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacoby Jones</span> American football player (1984–2024)

Jacoby Rashi'd Jones was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). Selected in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Houston Texans, Jones also played with the Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers, and Pittsburgh Steelers before playing with the Monterrey Steel of the National Arena League in 2017.

Rodrick Hill is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Kentucky State Thorobreds. Hill played in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Raiders. After his NFL career, he played five seasons in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and still holds the career interception record for that franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Return specialist</span> American/Canadian football player who specializes in kick returns

A return specialist or kick returner is a player on the special teams unit of a gridiron football team who specializes in returning punts and kickoffs. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position such as wide receiver, defensive back, or running back. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a kicking specialist.

Andrew George Haddad is an American former professional football National Football League (NFL) wide receiver, who played for the Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills. He finished his career with the San Diego Chargers. He was drafted with the 25th pick of the 7th round in the 2000 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Slater</span> American football player (born 1985)

Matthew Wilson Slater is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is working as a special assistant to the head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played in the NFL for 16 seasons with the Patriots. A special teams player for most of his career, he is considered one of the greatest gunners of all time.

References

  1. ↑ Major, Andy (April 25, 2009). "Bills All-Time Team Fan Voting Determined 26 Total Members". Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
  2. ↑ "15 Modern-Era players announced as Finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2024 | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Steve Tasker College Stats".
  4. ↑ Sullivan, Jerry (May 8, 1996). "Tasker elevates Bills' depth chart to new heights". Buffalo News. p. C1. ProQuest   381145234.
  5. ↑ Northwestern Football 2011 Yearbook. NUSports.com. 2011. p. 162.
  6. ↑ "1985 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  7. ↑ "The Month of November in Bills History". Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on April 13, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
  8. ↑ Tasker, Steve; Pitoniak, Scott (2013). "Introduction". The Buffalo Bills: My Life on a Special Team. Sports Publishing. ISBN   978-1-61321-328-5.
  9. ↑ Dodson, Philip (June 24, 2010). "The Legend Of Special Teams Icon Steve Tasker". Bleacher Report.
  10. ↑ #9 Steve Tasker - NFL Films - Top 10 Players Not in the Hall of Fame (Motion picture). NFL Films. May 15, 2017.
  11. ↑ Miller, Ryan. "Buffalo Bills special teams ace Steve Tasker named Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist". democratandchronicle.com. www.democratandchronicle.com. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  12. ↑ Pergament, Alan (May 21, 2019). "Steve Tasker's days at CBS Sports are over". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Steve Tasker Wall of Fame Ceremony". Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
  14. ↑ Class of 2012 semifinalists, Pro Football Hall of Fame, November 22, 2011.
  15. ↑ Pro Football Hall Of Fame Announces 26 Semifinalists, Sports Illustrated , November 23, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Luke Tasker – Hamilton Tiger-Cats" . Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Luke Tasker making CFL debut this weekend". CHCH. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  18. ↑ Pergament, Alan. "Eric Wood returns to Buffalo Bills radio booth this season". buffalonews.com. The Buffalo News. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  19. ↑ "CBs Sports Team". CBSSports.com . Archived from the original on October 14, 2002. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.