Mike Tilleman facts for kids
| No. 74, 78 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | March 30, 1944 Zurich, Montana |
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| Died: | September 18, 2020 (aged 76) Chinook, Montana |
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| Height: | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 272 lb (123 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Chinook (Chinook, Montana) | ||||||||
| College: | Montana | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1965 / Round: 12 / Pick: 163 | ||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1965 / Round: Red Shirt 5 / Pick: 34 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Michael John Tilleman (March 30, 1944 – September 18, 2020) was an American professional football player. He played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. A defensive tackle is a player who tries to stop the other team from running with the ball. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Montana Grizzlies.
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Mike Tilleman's Story
Early Life and School
Mike Tilleman was born on March 30, 1944. He grew up on a ranch near Zurich, Montana. His parents were Henry and Irma Tilleman. He went to a small, one-room schoolhouse when he was young.
Mike was a big football star in high school. He played for Chinook High School. Because he was so good, he earned a scholarship to the University of Montana. A scholarship helps pay for college.
Playing Professional Football
Mike played college football for the Montana Grizzlies in 1963 and 1964. He was chosen as a second-team All-Big Sky Conference player in both years. This means he was one of the best players in his college league.
After college, Mike was chosen in the 1965 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. The NFL Draft is where professional teams pick new players. He decided to play for the Vikings because the NFL was a stronger league than the AFL at the time.
Mike played for four different NFL teams during his career:
- He started with the Minnesota Vikings for two years.
- Then, he was picked by the New Orleans Saints in an expansion draft. This means the Saints were a new team, and they chose players from other teams. Mike was one of the original Saints players.
- He then played for the Houston Oilers for two years.
- Finally, he finished his career with the Atlanta Falcons. He was traded to the Falcons for a first-round draft pick, which shows how valuable he was.
Mike was known for being a tough player. One player even joked that it was harder to play against Mike than to catch spears!
Life After Football
After his football career, Mike and his wife, Gloria, lived in Havre, Montana. They owned a car dealership called Tilleman Motor Company. They had three children: Suzanne, Christopher, and Craig. Craig now runs the family business.
Mike also hosted a special event called "Legends for Lights." Former NFL players would come to Havre for a pheasant hunt. All the money raised helped the Northern Lights Athletic Foundation. This foundation provides scholarships for college athletes and helps pay for coaching jobs at MSU-Northern.
Mike Tilleman passed away on September 18, 2020, at the age of 76.
