Spencer Tillman
Encyclopedia
Spencer Tillman is a former professional American football
player who played running back
for eight seasons for the Houston Oilers and San Francisco 49ers
.
running back
for the University of Oklahoma
(1982–85) and was the captain of the 1985 National Championship team when it defeated Penn State, 25–10, in the Orange Bowl.
He received several awards during his playing career, including UPI Player of the Year in the Big Eight Conference
in 1982, Big Eight Football Newcomer of the Year in 1983 and MVP of the 1986 Orange Bowl. He placed fifth in the Heisman Trophy
voting in 1983.
in journalism in 1986 and a bachelor's degree
in communications in 1988 from the University of Oklahoma.
by the Houston Oilers as the 133rd Overall Pick in the 5th round. He played for the Oilers for two seasons (1987–88).
where he played for three seasons (1989–91). He was part of the 49ers roster at Super Bowl XXIV
when they defeated the AFC
Champion Denver Broncos
.
during the seven-month off-season. His football and broadcasting careers developed in tandem as he hosted two radio sports-talk shows and was a reporter and anchor for a radio PM magazine in Oklahoma City
prior to his television jobs.
in 1999 as lead studio analyst for College Football Today, the network's pre-game studio show. Tillman, who had served as WABC-TV
's weekend sports anchor in New York from 1997 to 1999 and spent 10 years as a sports anchor for KPRC-TV
Houston, is paired with Tim Brando
at the College Football Today desk. Tillman and Brando also broadcast regional NFL games for CBS from 2000–2003.
He has also served for four years as a reporter for the Network's NCAA tournament coverage and is an anchor for regional broadcasts on Fox Sports Net
. He also served as host of DirecTV
's "NFL Sunday Ticket
."
1560 The Game, a Houston sports talk radio station, when the station launched its new format in August 2007. Spencer's role includes reading promotional copy for the station as well as weekly on-air time during football season.
, along with his wife, Rita, and their four daughters.
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 who played running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for eight seasons for the Houston Oilers and San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
College Football
Tillman was an All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
(1982–85) and was the captain of the 1985 National Championship team when it defeated Penn State, 25–10, in the Orange Bowl.
He received several awards during his playing career, including UPI Player of the Year in the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
in 1982, Big Eight Football Newcomer of the Year in 1983 and MVP of the 1986 Orange Bowl. He placed fifth in the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
voting in 1983.
Journalism
Tillman earned a bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in journalism in 1986 and a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in communications in 1988 from the University of Oklahoma.
Houston Oilers
Spencer Tillman was drafted in the 1987 NFL Draft1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 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 28–29, 1987...
by the Houston Oilers as the 133rd Overall Pick in the 5th round. He played for the Oilers for two seasons (1987–88).
San Francisco 49ers and Super Bowl XXIV
In the 1988 off-season, Tillman was traded to the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
where he played for three seasons (1989–91). He was part of the 49ers roster at Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season...
when they defeated the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Champion Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Return to the Oilers
In 1992, Tillman was traded back to Houston, where he completed his playing career (1992–94).Broadcasting
After being drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1987, Tillman worked as an anchor and reporter at KPRC-TVKPRC-TV
KPRC-TV is the NBC affiliated television station based in Houston, Texas, and serving the Greater Houston television market. It has studios located in the Sharpstown district on the Southwest portion of the city, and has a transmitter site in unincorporated Fort Bend County near Missouri City...
during the seven-month off-season. His football and broadcasting careers developed in tandem as he hosted two radio sports-talk shows and was a reporter and anchor for a radio PM magazine in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
prior to his television jobs.
CBS Sports
Spencer Tillman joined CBS SportsCBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
in 1999 as lead studio analyst for College Football Today, the network's pre-game studio show. Tillman, who had served as WABC-TV
WABC-TV
WABC-TV, channel 7, is the flagship station of the Disney-owned American Broadcasting Company located in New York City. The station's studios and offices are located on the Upper West Side section of Manhattan, adjacent to ABC's corporate headquarters, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State...
's weekend sports anchor in New York from 1997 to 1999 and spent 10 years as a sports anchor for KPRC-TV
KPRC-TV
KPRC-TV is the NBC affiliated television station based in Houston, Texas, and serving the Greater Houston television market. It has studios located in the Sharpstown district on the Southwest portion of the city, and has a transmitter site in unincorporated Fort Bend County near Missouri City...
Houston, is paired with Tim Brando
Tim Brando
Tim Brando is a radio host and CBS Sports studio host and play-by-play announcer.-Biography:...
at the College Football Today desk. Tillman and Brando also broadcast regional NFL games for CBS from 2000–2003.
He has also served for four years as a reporter for the Network's NCAA tournament coverage and is an anchor for regional broadcasts on 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 :...
. He also served as host of DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
's "NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket is an Out-of-Market Sports Package that broadcasts National Football League regular season games unavailable on local affiliates. It carries all regional Sunday afternoon games produced by Fox and CBS...
."
KGOW 1560 AM Houston
Spencer Tillman began duties as the voice of KGOWKGOW
KGOW , known as "1560 The Game," is a sports talk format radio station based in Houston, Texas, USA. It is currently owned by GOW Communications...
1560 The Game, a Houston sports talk radio station, when the station launched its new format in August 2007. Spencer's role includes reading promotional copy for the station as well as weekly on-air time during football season.
KTRK abc13 Houston
Spencer Tillman is a current co host of KTRK's Houston Texans Inside The Game, a 30 minute weekly post game recap and analysis program that typically follows KTRK abc Eyewitness news on game days.Personal life
Spencer currently lives in Sugar Land, TexasSugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
, along with his wife, Rita, and their four daughters.