Tony Jaye Tucker Jr. facts for kids
Tucker DE #90 playing for Pitt
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| Position: | Defensive end |
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| Personal information | |
| Born: | February 18, 1989 Maryland, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | St. John's College High, Washington, DC |
| College: | Pittsburgh |
| NFL Draft: | 2011 / Round: |
| Career history | |
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Tony J. Tucker Jr. (born February 18, 1989), also known as TJ, is a former American football player. He played as a defensive end, a position where players try to stop the other team's offense. TJ was known for being "quick off the ball," meaning he was very fast at the start of each play.
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TJ's High School Football Journey
Tony (TJ) Tucker Jr. has loved football his whole life. From a young age, he dreamed of playing in the NFL. He even wrote down all his goals on a poster board! He started playing football at age six for youth teams in Maryland, like the Falcons of Hyattsville and the Bowie Bulldogs. Because he was always big for his age, he often played with older kids.
Playing for St. John's College High School
At St. John's College High School, Tony was a key player for two years. He played both defensive end and tight end. Tony worked very hard to achieve the goals he had set for himself. His coach, Joe Patterson, helped him become one of the most sought-after players in the Washington, D.C. area.
Tony received many awards while in high school. He was chosen for the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) All League team. He also made the Washington Post All-Metropolitan First Team. The highest football award at St. John's College High School, the Mush Dobofsky Award, was given to Tony.
Top Recruit Status
Experts in football recruiting thought highly of Tony. Rivals.com rated him as a four-star recruit. He was seen as the third best player in Washington, D.C., and the 11th best weak-side defensive end in the country. Scout.com ranked him as the 24th best defensive end in the nation. In 2007, Super Prep magazine rated him as the eighth best player overall. He was also named to the George Michael Golden 11 team.
In 2007, over 35 college teams from the DC area wanted Tony to play for them. These included big schools like Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Ohio, and North Carolina. After high school, Tony played in the 2007 East-West All American Game, an all-star game for top players.
College Football at the University of Pittsburgh
Tony Tucker, a highly talented defensive end, announced he would play for Pitt on January 6 at an all-star game shown on ESPNU. A famous Pitt defensive end, Hugh Green, was even an assistant coach for the East team at that game.
Starting at Pitt
In 2007, Tony was one of the most recruited players in the Washington D.C. area. He earned All-America honors from PrepStar College Recruiting. Coach Dave Wannstedt decided that Tony would "red-shirt" his freshman year at Pitt. This meant Tony practiced with the team but didn't play in games, which allowed him to develop more. The next year, Tony started playing more often, rotating into games with his teammate Jabaal Sheard. Tony made important plays that helped his team win many games.
Speedy defensive end who will be a significant member of Pitt's defensive line rotation... lettered last year in a reserve role...very effective with his hands and could emerge as one of the Panthers' top pass rushers
Key Plays and Awards
In 2008, Coach Wannstedt played Tony in every game as a top backup defensive end. Tony had four tackles, one sack, and forced one fumble that year. He was especially noted for helping Pitt win against Iowa. Tony made two big plays during Iowa's last chance to score. He had a two-yard sack, and then on the very next play, he forced a fumble. His teammate Greg Romeus recovered the ball with only 50 seconds left, securing the win for Pitt. Tony was also named to the 2008 Big East All-Freshmen team.
Leaving Pitt to Help Family
In 2009, Tony faced a difficult decision. His mother was in a car accident, and he felt he had no choice but to leave his respected Pitt team to help take care of her. After leaving Pitt, Tony tried to attend the University of Maryland, as his father wished. However, he couldn't meet all the academic requirements and wasn't allowed to play football there. Tony then went to Prairie View A&M University.
In 2011, the 2011 NFL lockout happened, which stopped Tony from entering the NFL. During the draft process, teams like the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, and Philadelphia Eagles were interested in him. But the lockout put everything on hold. Soon after, Tony received an offer to play indoor football for the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks and the Cedar Rapids Titans. He also continued his education, studying Criminal Justice at Kirkwood Community College.
Tony's Professional Football Career
- 2012: Tony played for the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks in the Indoor Football League (IFL).
- 2012: He was then traded to the Cedar Rapids Titans, also in the IFL.
- 2013: Tony participated in the International Prograss Scout Bowl.
- 2014: Tony moved back to his hometown of Bowie, MD.
- 2015: Tony played with a local semi-pro team called the Washington Warriors. He stayed very determined to reach his NFL goal. To keep himself ready, he joined an intense training program at Future Fitness.
One area that came alive against Reading was the defense, which recorded a safety on the game’s opening play and forced four turnovers, capped off by a 23-yard fumble return for a score by defensive lineman Tony Tucker in the final 30 seconds
Tony has only been with the team a couple of weeks, so it was great to see him make a big play like that. That win was all about the defense.
- 2016: Tony was drafted to the Rivals Professional Football League.
Recent Years
- 2017: Tony played with a semi-pro team in Washington, D.C. He continued his daily intense training and conditioning.
- Nov 12–14, 2017: Tony attended a networking event called the PrimeTime Sports Management Conference & Trade Show.
- March 2018: Tony went to tryouts for the Canadian Professional Football League.
- September 2019: Tony played semi-pro football with the Washington Warriors in Washington, D.C. He continued to train hard with his certified professional football trainer, still working towards his dream of playing in the NFL.
