Tunch Ilkin (born Tunç Ali lkin; September 23, 1957 – September 4, 2021) was an American football player and sports commentator of Turkish descent. He was the first Turk to play in the National Football League, and he was a two-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL). From 1998 until 2020, he worked as a television and radio analyst for the Steelers after retiring as a player.
From 1980 until 1992, he was an offensive tackle for the Steelers, making two Pro Bowl appearances (1988 and 1989). Before retiring from football in 1993, he played for the Green Bay Packers. From 1989 through 1994, he was the NFL Players’ Association’s vice president.
Player, broadcaster Tunch Ilkin passed away at 63
Today’s world is a less interesting one.
Mr. Ilkin died on Saturday, September 4, after being diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s illness) in September 2020. He was 63 years old at the time.
Mr. Ilkin was Karen’s devoted husband; the adoring father of Tanner (Jess) Ilkin, Natalie (Danny) Coale, and Clay (Kristin) Ilkin; the cherished son of Ayten and the late Mehmet Ilkin; and the cherished grandfather of Levi, Abbott, Brynn, Althea, and Connor. Sharon, Mr. Ilkin’s first wife, died before he did.
Let’s have a quick look on his life
Tunch Ilkin was born in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1957, and moved to America with his parents, Mehmet and Ayten Ilkin, two years later. Mr. Ilkin became the first Turk to play in the NFL when the Steelers selected him in the sixth round of the 1980 NFL Draft, after learning the game at Highland Park High School and further honing his skills on a scholarship at Indiana State University. He would go on to have a storied career in professional football.
Mr. Ilkin was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers for 13 years (1980-92) and the Green Bay Packers for a 14th season in 1993. Mr. Ilkin was a two-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle (1988-89) and served as vice president of the NFL Players Association from 1989 to 1994, during which time ownership and the union crafted and ratified the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which tied free agency to a salary cap, a system that is still in place today and has been copied by the NBA and NHL.
Mr. Ilkin loved football and played it with distinction starting in high school, then in college, and then as a professional. He was named to the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team in 2007 as part of the franchise’s 75th Season celebration, and he was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor as part of the Class of 2021.
Also read: Who is Tunch Ilkin Wife? Karen Rafferty Age, Family, Husband, Net worth, Birthday, Wiki, Bio
Mr. Ilkin, on the other hand, proved to be a better man than a football player over the course of his life.
Tunch Ilkin Age, Date of Birth, Birthday, Family, What about his father, mother, where is he from? Early Life
Tunch Ilkin was born in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1957, and moved to America with his parents, Mehmet and Ayten Ilkin, two years later. On September 23, 1957, he was born. On September 4, 2021, he passed away.
Ilkn’s parents, Mehmet and Ayten Ilkin, were born in Istabul, Turkey, and came to the United States when he was two years old, settling in the Chicago region.
Tunch Ilkin Net worth, How much did he earn?
According to Net of Post, Karen’s deceased partner, Tunch, left an estate worth $8 million.
Tunch Ilkin Wife, His Relationship, What about Children?
Tunch Ilkin married Sharon Senefeld on April 24, 1982, and the couple produced three children: Tanner, Natalie, and Clay. Sharon Ilkin, who lived in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, died on February 6, 2012, following a long fight with cancer.
Ilkin remarried in 2013 to Karen Raggerty. Ilkin was the pastor of Ment’s Ministry for the Boble Chapel, a multi-site church in Pittsburgh’s south hills. He was a convert from Islam to Christianity.
Tunch Ilkin Career
From 1980 until 1992, he was an offensive tackle for the Steelers, making two Pro Bowl appearances (1988 and 1989). Before retiring from football in 1993, he played for the Green Bay Packers. From 1989 through 1994, he was the NFL Players’ Association’s vice president.
Ilkin began appearing as a commentator and sports reporter on sports broadcasts in the Pittsburgh market after retiring from football. Lunch with Tunch, his popular series, included conversations with Steelers players and coaches.
During the 1995 NFL season, Ilkin worked as a game analyst for NBC. Dan Hicks or Jim Donovan were his teammates.
As an analyst, he joined Myron Cope and Bill Hillgrove’s official Steelers television team in 1998. Following Cope’s retirement after the 2004 season, the club chose not to replace him, and Ilkin took over Cope’s color-commentary duties. He worked alongside former colleague and sideline reporter Craig Wolfley, who, like Ilkin, was drafted by the Steelers in 1980. On WBGG, Ilkin and Wolfley hosted In The Locker Room with Tunch and Wolf, a morning radio show. In the summer of 2006, the show was canceled. During the football season, the show aired on 970 ESPN in Pittsburgh every day.
Further Information
Ilkin worked as a sports analyst for Fox Sports Net’s Pittsburgh affiliate and contributed articles to NFLHS.com, a website for football fans. He was the senior vice president of the Athletic Training Network, a corporation that supplies coaches and athletes with athletic training and program materials.
Tunch Ilkin married Sharon Senefeld on April 24, 1982, and the couple produced three children: Tanner, Natalie, and Clay. Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, was home to the Ilkins. Sharon Ilkin died on February 6, 2012, following a long fight with cancer. Ilkin marries Karen Rafferty in 2013. Ilkin was the Pastor of Men’s Ministry for The Bible Chapel, a multi-site church in Pittsburgh’s south hills, after converting from Islam to Christianity.
For more than 30 years, Tunch has been a strong supporter of the Light of Life Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter and addiction treatment ministry on Pittsburgh’s North Side.
Where he attended his High school and University? What was his major?
He was a football player at Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois, where he received All Conference and All County accolades. Tunch received an athletic scholarship to Indiana State University in 1975, where he played for Head Coach Tom Harp (1975-77) and Head Coach Dick Jamieson. He was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection[3], and he was selected by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 1980 NFL Draft.
Tunch Ilkin Social Media Reach
Tunch Ilkin has about 7372 followers on Twitter, which indicates that he has a solid social media follower He has only followed 115 celebrities on Twitter. His Followers can follow him on Twitter. He has Joined Twitter in July 2014.
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Moreover, he has 13K followers on Facebook with many posts which shows his fan follower on Facebook are huge. His Followers can follow him on Facebook.
By looking into his social media mostly he uses and always wants to interact with his fans. All the fans also admire him very closely and loves him a lot.
Tunch Ilkin FAQ’S
Tunch Ilkin (born Tunç Ali lkin; September 23, 1957 – September 4, 2021) was an American football player and sports commentator of Turkish descent.
He was 63 years old when he died. He was born on September 23, 1957.
Karen Rafferty was the second wife of Tinch Ilkin. His first wife died in 2012.
Yes, he uses social media. He is available on Twitter and Facebook.
No, he is not an actor but he was an American football player and sports commentator of Turkish descent. He was the first Turk to play in the National Football League, and he was a two-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL).
Tunch Ilkin’s Body Appearance Height, Weight
| Height | Feet: 6 feet 3 inches Meter: 1.91m CM: 191cm |
| Weight | KG: 119kg Pound: 263lbs |
| Hair | Black |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Body Type | Fit |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Interesting facts about Tunch Ilkin’s which you should know
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | N/A |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Net Worth | $8 million |
| Single/ In a relationship | Married |
| Current Girlfriend/ Spouse | Sharon Senefeld, Karen Rafferty |
| Children | Three Children |
Social Media
Twitter: @TunchIlkin
Facebook: Tunch Ilkin
