Todd Blackledge
No. 14 | |||||||
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Position: | Quarterback | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Canton, Ohio, U.S. | February 25, 1961||||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Hoover (North Canton, Ohio) | ||||||
College: | Penn State (1979–1982) | ||||||
NFL draft: | 1983 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Todd Alan Blackledge (born February 25, 1961) is a former
High school career
Blackledge's family moved to
College career
Blackledge was a three-year starter at Penn State, under Coach Joe Paterno, where he guided the Nittany Lions to a 31–5 record including a national championship in 1982.
Following the 1982 season, Blackledge won the Davey O'Brien Award for best quarterback in the nation. As a senior, Blackledge threw for 2,218 yards with 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, while also rushing for three touchdowns.[2][3]
Blackledge led the Nittany Lions to the national championship with a 27–23 victory over Herschel Walker-led Georgia Bulldogs in the 1983 Sugar Bowl. Blackledge was the MVP of the game, throwing for 228 yards and a 4th-quarter 47-yard touchdown to Gregg Garrity.[4]
Professional career
Blackledge was the seventh pick and second quarterback selected in the first round of the
Blackledge was a Chief for five seasons (1983–1987) before ending his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1988–1989). He served mainly as a back-up to Bill Kenney in Kansas City[7][8] starting only 24 of 40 possible games[9] and completing just 49% of his passes for 4,510 yards, 26 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.[10]
Blackledge was the backup to Bubby Brister in Pittsburgh his final two seasons, going 2-3 in games started due to Brister's injury.[7]
Broadcasting career
Blackledge went on to host radio sports talk shows in Cleveland (WKNR) and Canton, Ohio (WHBC). He also did analyst work for the Big East Network, Indianapolis Colts preseason games, and ESPN.
From 1994–1998, he worked as a college football analyst for
Blackedge was teamed with Brad Nessler and sideline reporter Erin Andrews for the 2009 season, while Patrick was teamed with Craig James and sideline reporter Heather Cox.
In the early 2020s, Blackledge was paired with Sean McDonough, who returned to calling games at the college level after spending two seasons with Monday Night Football, and Holly Rowe, whom he has teamed with over the previous three years.
For the 2023 season, NBC Sports signed Blackledge as the color analyst on the new Big Ten Saturday Night package, partnering with Noah Eagle. The duo was also the #2 play-by-play team for NFL on NBC, calling the Week 16 Bengals-Steelers game and the Browns-Texans Wild Card game on NBC.
Coaching career
In April 2014, Blackledge was hired as the head varsity basketball coach at Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio.[11]
Personal life
Blackledge is the son of Ron, a former NFL assistant coach.
Blackledge earned a
Blackledge was selected to receive the prestigious 2008
References
- ^ "Penn State title stirs memories of prep quarterback", Battle Creek EnquirerJanuary 4, 1983. Accessed October 2, 2017. "Princeton also is in Mercer County, and that fall Princeton had a new offensive coordinator for its football team by the name of Ron Blackledge. Blackledge's family moved to Princeton with him, including his son, Todd, who enrolled as a sophomore at Princeton High School and tried out for the football team as a quarterback."(subscription required)
- ^ "Davey O'Brien Award Winners". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
- ^ "Todd Blackledge College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
- ^ firefly-wp. "1983 Game Recap". Official Site of the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
- ^ "Elway to Marino". 30 for 30. Season 2. April 23, 2013. ESPN.
- ^ "1983 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ a b "Todd Blackledge Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "1984 Kansas City Chiefs Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "Kansas City Chiefs: 10 Biggest Draft Busts in Team History". bleacherreport.com.
- ^ "Trey Lance traded: Ranking the biggest draft bust for every team; three quarterbacks, punter crack top five". cbssports.com.
- ^ "North Canton hires Blackledge as varsity boys basketball coach". Canton Rep.com. April 16, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ^ a b "Blackledge to receive prestigious NCAA Silver Anniversary Award". Penn State Department of Sports Information. November 21, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2007.
- ^ "Allen and Blackledge Receive Distinguished Alumni Awards". Penn State Department of Sports Information. June 3, 2009.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference