Tony Hill (wide receiver)

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Not to be confused with Tony Hill (defensive end).

Tony Hill
No. 80
Position:
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:199 lb (90 kg)
Career information
High school:Long Beach Polytechnic (Long Beach, California)
College:Stanford
NFL draft:1977 / Round: 3 / Pick: 62
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:
479
Receiving yards:7,988
Touchdowns:51
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Leroy Anthony Hill Jr. (born June 23, 1956) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), playing 10 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Stanford University.

Early years

Hill was a

Gene Washington. He broke most of Washington's high school passing records, and then followed him to Stanford University, where he was converted into a wide receiver, and again broke most of Washington's receiving records.[1]

As a senior, Hill had an ankle injury against

Penn State University, that forced him to miss the University of Michigan
game and be limited in the next two contests.

Hill ranks eleventh on

Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame.[2]

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Hill was selected by the

1977 NFL Draft. He started his career as a punt returner and backup wide receiver, winning a championship ring with the Cowboys when they defeated the Denver Broncos 27-10 in Super Bowl XII
.

The following season, Hill became a starting wide receiver over the more-experienced Golden Richards and Butch Johnson.[3] At the end of the season, he made the Pro Bowl, after catching 46 passes for 823 yards and six touchdowns, while helping the team to their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. In Dallas' 35–31 Super Bowl XIII loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hill caught two passes for 49 yards and a touchdown.

Known for his quick speed and big play ability, Coach Tom Landry called Hill “Our Home Run Hitter. I’ve never seen a guy who could adjust to a ball in mid-air like Tony. He is a very explosive player---the type who can turn a short play into a big play in a hurry, because he has excellent running ability and speed.”

In 1979, Hill and

touchdowns. Pearson and Hill also became the first wide receiver tandem in Cowboys history to record 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the same year.[3]

Hill became the number one receiver when

1982 divisional playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, when he caught seven passes for 142 yards in the Cowboys' 38–0 win.

Hill was waived by the Cowboys in 1987 at the start of training camp.

Hall of Famers Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin and tight end Jason Witten
.

At the time, Hill ranked first in receiving yards, second in receiving touchdowns and second in receptions in Dallas Cowboys history.[5]

San Francisco 49ers

On July 24, 1987, the San Francisco 49ers outbid the Los Angeles Rams for Hill's services,[6] but he never played another regular season game, after he was released on September 7.[7]

Hill finished his 10 NFL seasons with 479 receptions for 7,988 yards and 51

kickoff returns
. For his career, he averaged 16.1 yards per touch and 16.7 yards per reception.

Television appearances

In 2000, Hill appeared as a contestant on the short-lived game show Greed. He did not win any money after he got sacked on his $500,000 question as the team's captain. The question was: Which four automotive companies and their affiliates have the highest global market share? The seven choices were General Motors, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Toyota, and BMW. Honda, BMW and Hyundai were the incorrect answers.

On June 23, 2011 (his birthday), Hill appeared on Good Morning Texas to promote the Market Street Allen USA Celebration, a Fourth of July celebration held annually the last weekend of June in his hometown, Allen, Texas. In honor of headline entertainer Lou Gramm, Hill showcased his singing voice by performing a small portion of one of Foreigner's hit songs, "Hot Blooded".

Broadcasting

Hill was the

NFL
and college football.

Personal life

Hill is the

CEO of Legends Sports Promotions, Inc., a company that raises funds for charitable organizations through celebrity basketball, softball, and football games as well as golf
tournaments. It also manages athletes for motivational and promotional events. He is currently employed by the City of Allen Parks and Recreation Department as a Resource Development Manager.

Hill and his wife Millie have four children.

Hill credits his aunt [Bobbie] for helping him towards a better path and going out for sports when he was younger.

References

  1. ^ "Cards' Hill Nears Marks". Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  2. ^ "Stanford Hall of Fame". Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d "Cowboys Top 50 List: No. 36 Tony Hill As No. 2 Receiver Or A Leading Role, Hill Always Thrilled". dallascowboys.com. June 5, 2009. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  4. ^ "Cowboys Cut Tony Hill; Landry to Stay 3 More Years". Los Angeles Times. July 17, 1987. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  5. ^ "Cowboys release Hill". Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  6. ^ Dufresne, Chris (July 25, 1987). "Tony Hill Gets a Better Offer From 49ers". Los Angeles Times.
  7. ^ "NFL Roundup : Dolphins Cut Moore and Nathan; McMahon Put on Injured Reserve". Los Angeles Times. September 8, 1987.
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