Tunch Ilkin

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Tunch Ilkin
Date of birth: September 23, 1957 (1957-09-23) (age 50)
Place of birth: Istanbul, Turkey
Career information
Position(s): OT
Jersey №: 62
College: Indiana State
NFL Draft: 1980 / Round: 6 / Pick 165
Organizations
 As player:
1980-1992
1993		 Pittsburgh Steelers
Green Bay Packers
Career highlights and Awards
Pro Bowls: 2
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Tunch Ilkin (Turkish: Tunç Ali İlkin) (born September 23, 1957 in Istanbul, Turkey) is a sports broadcaster and a former American football player. He currently serves as a television and radio analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[edit] Biography

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.[1]

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. After Cope's retirement following the 2004 season, the team decided not to replace Cope and Ilkin took on the color-commentary duties once carried by Cope. 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.

Tunch Ilkin is currently married with three children: Tanner, Natalie, and Clay. The Ilkins still reside in Upper St. Clair. A convert from Islam to Christianity, Tunch Ilkin is the Director Of Men's Ministries for South Hills Bible Chapel.[2]

In 2007, Tunch became a Limited Partner and Spokesperson for LIFExpo, a Health, Sports and Fitness expo started in Pittsburgh by Managing Partners: Ed Foutz, Tim Gerwing, Michael M. Kadrie and Rob Young.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.hickoksports.com/history/nfldraft1980.shtml#round6 accessed 17 Feb 2007
  2. ^ http://biblechapel.org/
  3. ^ LIFExpo **HEALTH.SPORTS.FITNESS 4 GENERATIONS**
Persondata
NAME İlkin, Tunç Ali
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ilkin, Tunch
SHORT DESCRIPTION Sports broadcaster, former American football player
DATE OF BIRTH September 23, 1957
PLACE OF BIRTH Istanbul, Turkey
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH


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