Todd Christensen
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| Todd Christensen | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | August 3, 1956 |
| Place of birth |  Bellefonte, Pennsylvania |
| Position(s) | Tight end |
| College | Brigham Young |
| NFL Draft | 1978 / Round 2/ Pick 56 |
| Pro Bowls | 5 |
| Stats | |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1979 1979-88 |
New York Giants Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders |
Todd Jay Christensen (born August 3, 1956 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania), is a former professional football player and a current sports broadcaster for NBC and ESPN.
[edit] Football career
Christensen began his NFL career as a second round draft pick of Dallas in 1978 out of Brigham Young University, while playing fullback he broke his foot in the final exhibition game that year and was cut. He would later sign with the Oakland Raiders, who would convert him to a tight end.
After three seasons of no spectacular statistics (including the Raiders' Super Bowl winning campaign in 1980), Christensen broke out in 1982, catching 42 balls for 510 yards and 4 TD's in the strike shortened season, helping the Raiders to the best record in the NFL.
The next year, Christensen caught 92 passes for a career high 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns, and earned the first of his five trips to the Pro Bowl for his efforts. His total catches led the NFL, making him the second tight end to ever do this (Kellen Winslow was the other).
Christensen topped 1,000 yards again in 1984, catching 82 passes in the process. He hit 80 receptions again the following year, just missing 1,000 yards by 13 yards.
1986 was Christensen's last big season statistically. He would end the year with a career high and league leading 95 receptions, for 1,153 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also became the first tight end in history to catch 90 passes twice in a career.
Christensen's 1987 campaign was cut short, but in 12 games he still managed to catch 47 balls (a little less than 4 a game). His 663 yards averaged to 14.1 yards per reception, a career high in seasons where he caught at least 40.
In Christensen's final year, he missed more than half the season with injuries and only managed 15 receptions, with none going for touchdowns.
In his career, Christensen caught 461 passes for 5,872 yards and 41 touchdowns. In eight postseason games, he caught 31 balls for 358 yards and only one touchdown.
He led the league in receptions twice, and his 349 receptions from 1983-86 were a then NFL record.
[edit] Post-football
After retiring from football, Christensen got into TV work, co-hosting the second half of the first season of American Gladiators with Mike Adamle. He would later join NBC as part of its NFL coverage, and recently did color commentary for ESPN's college football coverage.
Categories: 1956 births | American sports announcers | Living people | New York Giants players | Oakland Raiders players | Los Angeles Raiders players | American football tight ends | American football fullbacks | American game show hosts | National Football League announcers | Brigham Young Cougars football players
