Tunch Ilkin

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Tunch Ilkin (born September 23, 1957) is a former American football player and a sports broadcaster. He currently serves as a television and radio analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Ilkin's parents Mehmet and Ayten Ilkin emigrated to the United States when he was two years old and settled in the Chicago area. He attended Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois where he won All Conference and All County honors as a football player. In 1975, he was granted an athletic scholarship to Indiana State University. He was chosen by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 1980 NFL Draft.

He played offensive tackle for the Steelers from 1980 to 1992 earning two Pro Bowl appearance honors (1988 and 1989). He played for the Green Bay Packers in 1993 before retiring from football. He served as Vice-President of the NFL Player's Association from 1989 to 1994.

After retiring from football, Ilkin began appearing as a commentator and sports reporter on sports broadcasts in the Pittsburgh market. His popular segment, titled Lunch with Tunch, featured interviews with Steeler players and coaches.

In 1998 he joined the official Steelers broadcasting team of Myron Cope and Bill Hillgrove as an analyst. He worked alongside sideline reporter and former team mate Craig Wolfley, who like Ilkin joined the Steelers via the 1980 draft. Ilkin and Wolfley hosted a morning radio show called In The Locker Room with Tunch and Wolf on WBGG (AM). The show was cancelled in the summer of 2006.

Ilkin works as an analyst on the Pittsburgh affiliate of Fox Sports Net and has written articles for NFLHS.com, a website for football fans. He is the Senior Vice President of the Athletic Training Network, a company that provides athletic training and program material to coaches and players.

Ilkin also is the Director Of Men's Ministries for South Hills Bible Chapel. [1]

[edit] Trivia

In addition to Ilkin and Craig Wolfley, the 1980 Steelers draft also produced future sports broadcaster Mark Malone.
Tunch's mother was Miss Turkey in 1950.[2]
Tunch Ilkin has a fifteen year old son Clay Ilkin, who attends Upper St. Clair High School and plays on the football team.
Originally, he was a Muslim, but then converted to Christianity. [3]