Steve Tannen (American football)
Encyclopedia
Steven Olson Tannen is a former American college and professional football
player who was a defensive back
in the National Football League
(NFL) for five seasons during the early 1970s. Tannen played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the New York Jets
of the NFL.
in 1948, and attended Southwest Miami High School. He was an outstanding track and field
athlete in the Florida Relays as a senior
in high school
, competing in the high hurdles, pole vault
, high jump
and the 440 relay, as well as starring in high school football
for the Southwest Miami Eagles. In 2007, forty-one years after he graduated from high school, the Florida High School Athletic Association
(FHSAA) recognized Tannen as one of the "100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years" of Florida high school football.
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played defensive back
for coach Ray Graves
' Florida Gators football
team from 1967 to 1969. He developed a reputation for tough play and being brash and cocky. Tannen was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference
(SEC) selection in 1968, a first-team All-American in 1969
, and the recipient of the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage." Memorably, Tannen blocked a punt
in the 1969 Gator Bowl
, which was returned for a touchdown
and provided the Gators' margin of victory in their 14–13 upset win over the Tennessee Volunteers
, and helped the Gators achieve their then best-ever record of 9–1–1. A versatile athlete, Tannen finished his three-season college career with eleven interceptions, and led the team in punt return yardage as a senior.
Tannen graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
in business administration in 1972, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."
, and he played for the Jets for five seasons from to . As a rookie
, he blocked a punt, recovered the ball and scored against Buffalo in . A series of muscle pulls idled him in . Shoulder injuries slowed him, but he managed to play in thirteen of the games and led the team in interceptions with seven during the season. In he managed to start three games at free safety and spent the bulk of the season as backup man at either safety or at cornerback
since he had experience at all positions. During his five-year NFL career, Tannen played in sixty-one games and had twelve interceptions with 204 return yards. He was also a standout special teamer, and blocked two field goals and a punt.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who was a defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for five seasons during the early 1970s. Tannen played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL.
Early years
Tannen was born in Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
in 1948, and attended Southwest Miami High School. He was an outstanding track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete in the Florida Relays as a senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, competing in the high hurdles, pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
, high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
and the 440 relay, as well as starring in high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
for the Southwest Miami Eagles. In 2007, forty-one years after he graduated from high school, the Florida High School Athletic Association
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
(FHSAA) recognized Tannen as one of the "100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years" of Florida high school football.
College career
Tannen received an athletic scholarshipScholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
for coach Ray Graves
Ray Graves
Samuel Ray Graves is a former American college and professional football player and former college football coach. He is a native of Tennessee and an alumnus of the University of Tennessee, where he played college football...
' Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1967 to 1969. He developed a reputation for tough play and being brash and cocky. Tannen was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) selection in 1968, a first-team All-American in 1969
1969 College Football All-America Team
The 1969 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
, and the recipient of the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage." Memorably, Tannen blocked a punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
in the 1969 Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
, which was returned for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
and provided the Gators' margin of victory in their 14–13 upset win over the Tennessee Volunteers
1969 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1969 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1969 college football season. The Volunteers offense scored 328 points while the defense allowed 179 points. Led by head coach Doug Dickey, the Volunteers competed in the...
, and helped the Gators achieve their then best-ever record of 9–1–1. A versatile athlete, Tannen finished his three-season college career with eleven interceptions, and led the team in punt return yardage as a senior.
Tannen graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in business administration in 1972, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."
Professional career
The New York Jets selected Tannen in the first round (twentieth pick overall) of the 1970 NFL Draft1970 NFL Draft
The 1970 National Football League Draft was held on January 27–28, 1970.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
, and he played for the Jets for five seasons from to . As a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
, he blocked a punt, recovered the ball and scored against Buffalo in . A series of muscle pulls idled him in . Shoulder injuries slowed him, but he managed to play in thirteen of the games and led the team in interceptions with seven during the season. In he managed to start three games at free safety and spent the bulk of the season as backup man at either safety or at cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
since he had experience at all positions. During his five-year NFL career, Tannen played in sixty-one games and had twelve interceptions with 204 return yards. He was also a standout special teamer, and blocked two field goals and a punt.
See also
- 1969 College Football All-America Team1969 College Football All-America TeamThe 1969 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1960–1969
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of New York Jets first-round draft picks
- List of New York Jets players
- List of University of Florida alumni