Tony Robinson (American football) facts for kids
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Robinson (left) receiving his Super Bowl ring at a ceremony held in 2018
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| No. 15, 10 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | January 22, 1964 Monticello, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Leon (Tallahassee, Florida) | ||||||||
| College: | Tennessee | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1986 | ||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||
Tony Robinson, born on January 22, 1964, is a former American football player. He was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Washington Redskins during a special time in 1987. This was when many regular players were on strike. Tony and other replacement players helped the team. He even received a Super Bowl ring for his part.
Before the NFL, Tony played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. This was from 1982 to 1985. He became a star quarterback. He led his team to important games. Later, in 1987, he joined the Redskins. He played in one game and helped them win. His story even inspired parts of the 2000 movie The Replacements.
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Early Life and High School Football
Tony Robinson was born in Monticello, Florida. He grew up in Tallahassee. From a young age, he loved playing football. He played high school football at Leon High School in Tallahassee. His coach was Gene Cox.
Tony started on the junior varsity team in 1978. He first played as a wide receiver. But his coach saw how well he could throw the ball. So, Tony switched to quarterback.
Becoming a Starting Quarterback
Tony became Leon High's starting quarterback in his second year. This was a big decision. He was younger than many players. Coach Cox believed in playing the best player. He said Tony was "unquestionably the best."
During his three years as a starter, Tony was amazing. He threw for 6,581 yards and 75 touchdowns. He was one of the few high school quarterbacks to throw for over 2,000 yards for three years in a row. With Tony, Leon High lost only four games out of 33. In his senior year, he led his team to a perfect regular season. He was named "Florida Player of the Year." He also made the Parade All-American team.
College Football Career
Tony Robinson wanted to play for Florida State. This college was very close to his high school. But Florida State did not show much interest at first. Their coach was worried about Tony's size.
Tony then decided to sign with Tennessee. Coach Johnny Majors offered him a scholarship. Tony joined a strong group of new players in 1982. Many of them later played in the NFL.
Starting at Tennessee
Tony was a backup quarterback in his first two years. He played behind star quarterback Alan Cockrell. Tony did not play much in games. But he led Tennessee's junior varsity team to a good record. He also threw for many yards and touchdowns.
In 1983, he played more in one game. He completed 6 of 12 passes for 123 yards. He also threw a 35-yard touchdown.
The 1984 Season: A Breakout Year
Tony thought about leaving the team because he wasn't playing much. But then Alan Cockrell decided to leave college early. This meant Tony became the starting quarterback.
Tony played well in the first two games of 1984. He missed a game due to a leg injury. He then had a tough game against Auburn.
Big Games and Records
Tony had an amazing game against rival Florida. He completed a school-record 29 passes for 371 yards. He threw two long touchdown passes to Tim McGee and Joey Clinkscales. He also rushed for 18 yards. This gave him a school record of 389 total yards.
A week later, Tony led Tennessee to a thrilling win over rival Alabama. Tennessee was losing 27–13 in the fourth quarter. Tony led a scoring drive. He threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to McGee. Later, Tennessee scored again. With the score 27–26, Coach Majors decided to go for a two-point conversion. Tony faked a handoff and dove into the end zone. This gave Tennessee a 28–27 victory. Tony was named "Southeast Back of the Week."
Tony continued to play well. He helped Tennessee win against Georgia Tech and Memphis State. He finished the 1984 season with 1,963 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. He also rushed for 126 yards and 3 touchdowns. His 2,089 total yards set a new school record. His 61.7% completion rate was also a record.
The 1985 Season: Heisman Hopeful
Tony was named Preseason All-SEC before the 1985 season. Many people thought he could win the Heisman Trophy. In the first game against #10 UCLA, he threw for a school record 387 yards. He also rushed for 30 yards. This gave him 417 total yards, breaking his own record. The game ended in a 26–26 tie.
On September 28, 1985, Tennessee played #1 Auburn. Auburn had future Heisman winner Bo Jackson. Tony played an incredible game. He threw for 259 yards and a school-record four touchdown passes. Tennessee won 38–20. Tony was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Injury and Team Success
After a tough win against Wake Forest, Tennessee played #7 Florida. Tony threw for 300 yards. But Florida won the game.
On October 19, Tennessee played Alabama. In the fourth quarter, Tony was injured. He tore a ligament in his knee. This injury ended his season. Even without Tony, Tennessee won the game 16–14. The team then rallied behind backup quarterback Daryl Dickey. They went on to win the school's first SEC Championship in 16 years. Tony played in only five games in 1985. He completed 91 passes for 1,246 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Tony Robinson's College Records
During his time at Tennessee, Tony completed 253 passes for 3,332 yards. He threw 23 touchdowns. He also rushed for 195 yards and four touchdowns. Even though he started only 15 games, his 3,527 total yards were among the school's highest. He also threw a touchdown pass in 13 straight games. This was a record until the early 1990s.
His single-game record of 417 total yards was later broken by Peyton Manning. Tony's 389 total yards against Florida in 1984 is still one of the school's best. His single-season record of 2,089 total yards has also been surpassed since.
College Statistics
| Year | School | Conf | Pos | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | AY/A | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Tennessee | SEC | QB | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | Tennessee | SEC | QB | 6 | 12 | 50.0 | 123 | 10.3 | 8.2 | 1 | 1 | 146.9 |
| 1984 | Tennessee | SEC | QB | 156 | 253 | 61.7 | 1963 | 7.8 | 7.3 | 14 | 9 | 138.0 |
| 1985 | Tennessee | SEC | QB | 91 | 143 | 63.6 | 1246 | 8.7 | 7.6 | 8 | 7 | 145.5 |
| Career | Tennessee | 253 | 411 | 61.6 | 3332 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 23 | 17 | 13 |
Professional Football Career
After his college injury, Tony's path to the NFL became difficult. He did not get drafted in the 1986 NFL draft. He later played for a team called the Richmond Ravens.
In 1987, NFL players went on strike. Teams needed temporary players. Tony's coach with the Ravens knew the Washington Redskins coach, Joe Gibbs. Tony signed with the Redskins as a backup quarterback.
The Famous Strike Game
The Redskins won their first two games with replacement players. The third and final replacement game was on October 19, 1987. It was against their rival, the Dallas Cowboys. This game was on Monday Night Football. The Redskins had only replacement players. But the Cowboys had some of their star players who crossed the picket lines. Many people thought the Redskins had no chance.
In the first quarter, the Redskins' starting replacement quarterback was injured. Tony Robinson entered the game. He helped lead Washington to an amazing 13–7 upset victory. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 152 yards. He was praised for how he handled the offense. This game is remembered as one of the greatest upsets in NFL history. The Redskins announcer, Frank Herzog, said Tony "played a hell of game. He was the hero."
Life After Football
After the strike, Tony returned to play for the Richmond Ravens. He later played for the Virginia Storm.
The movie The Replacements came out in 2000. It was inspired by the Redskins' 1987 replacement team. The main character, Shane Falco, was based on Tony Robinson.
Tony returned to Tallahassee in 1993. In a 2012 interview, he said he was coaching Pee-Wee football. He also remained close to his brothers, Frederick and Broderick.
Tony's son, Josh Cody, played defensive end for UT Martin. Josh played at Neyland Stadium in 2010.
Returning to Tennessee
On October 19, 2013, Tony returned to Neyland Stadium. It was his first time back since 1985. This was part of an effort by Coach Butch Jones to connect with former players. Tony even ran through the "T" with his former coach, Johnny Majors.
On November 9, Tony was honored as a "Legend of the Game" during a Tennessee game. On April 12, 2014, he played in a "Vol for Life" flag football game. He threw a touchdown pass and was named the game's MVP.
