Tunch Ilkin
Encyclopedia
Tunch Ilkin (born September 23, 1957 in Istanbul, Turkey) is a Turkish
sports broadcaster and a former American football
player. He currently serves as a television and radio analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
, 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
.
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 to wife Sharon 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.
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.
In August, 2008 Mr. Ilkin began working with riverset credit union of Pittsburgh, PA. The credit union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative and Mr. Ilkin helps endorse the credit union through various media channels.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
sports broadcaster and a former American football
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. He currently serves as a television and radio analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
Biography
Born in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Ilkin's parents Mehmet and Ayten Ilkin emigrated to the United States when he was two years old and settled in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area. He attended Highland Park High School
Highland Park High School (Highland Park, Illinois)
Highland Park High School, or HPHS, is a public four-year high school located in Highland Park, Illinois, a North Shore suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 113, which also includes Deerfield High School.Prior to the 1949–50 school year, the...
in Highland Park, Illinois
Highland Park, Illinois
Highland Park is a suburban municipality in Lake County, Illinois, United States, about north of downtown Chicago. As of 2009, the population is 33,492. Highland Park is one of several municipalities located on the North Shore of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.-Overview:Highland Park was founded...
where he won All Conference and All County honors as a football player. In 1975, he was granted an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
. He was chosen by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 1980 NFL Draft
1980 NFL Draft
The 1980 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1980. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
.
He played offensive tackle for the Steelers from 1980 to 1992, earning two Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
appearance honors (1988 and 1989). He played for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in 1993 before retiring from football. He served as Vice-President of the NFL Player's Association
National Football League Players' Association
The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is the labor organization for the professional football players in the National Football League . It has been at times a professional association, as well as a labor union...
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
Myron Cope
Myron Cope , born Myron Sidney Kopelman, was an American sports journalist, radio personality, and sportscaster who is best known for being "the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers."...
and Bill Hillgrove
Bill Hillgrove
Bill Hillgrove is an American sports journalist, radio personality, and sports broadcaster.He is currently the lead play-by-play broadcaster for the steelers football network and for the University of Pittsburgh Img sports network he calls the Pitt games with former Pitt quarterback Pat...
as an analyst. After Cope's retirement following the 2004 season
2004 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers looked to rebound after a disappointing 6–10 season the year before, which saw the team go through the entire season without winning consecutive games....
, the team decided not to replace Cope and Ilkin took on the color-commentary
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
duties once carried by Cope. He worked alongside sideline reporter and former team mate Craig Wolfley
Craig Wolfley
Craig Wolfley is a former American football player and current sideline reporter for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Along with former teammate Tunch Ilkin, he hosts a show on ESPN Radio 970.-College career:...
, 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)
WBGG (AM)
WBGG is a sports radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, owned by Clear Channel Communications. The station broadcasts at 970 kHz with 5,000 watts day and night.- History :...
. The show was cancelled in the summer of 2006.
Ilkin works as an analyst on the Pittsburgh affiliate of Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
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 to wife Sharon with three children: Tanner, Natalie, and Clay. The Ilkins still reside in Upper St. Clair. A convert from Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, Tunch Ilkin is the Director Of Men's Ministries for South Hills Bible Chapel.
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.
In August, 2008 Mr. Ilkin began working with riverset credit union of Pittsburgh, PA. The credit union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative and Mr. Ilkin helps endorse the credit union through various media channels.