Travares Tillman
Encyclopedia
Travares Arastius Tillman (born October 8, 1977 in Lyons, Georgia
) is an American football
safety who is currently a free agent
. He was originally drafted by the Buffalo Bills
in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played college football
for the Georgia Tech football team
.
, and he was a standout in football, basketball
, and golf
. In football, he was a standout wide receiver
, and as a senior, he was a Class A All-State selection and the Class 3-A Defensive Player of the Year.
for four years, where he excelled in football. He was a two-time All-ACC second team selection and finished his marvelous career with seven interceptions, 236 tackles, a sack, and two fumble recoveries.
contract with the Dolphins as an unrestricted free
agent from Carolina on March 4, 2005. . . Originally
drafted by Buffalo in the second round (58th overall) in
2000 . . . Was waived by the Bills on September 1,
2000 . . . Signed with Houston on January 14, 2003
...Was waived by the Texans on September 17, 2003
and then claimed by Carolina a day later.
2006–Played in 14 games, including seven starts ...
Was inactive for two contests ...Recorded 42 tackles
and three passes defensed ...Added four tackles and
a forced fumble on special teams ...Opened the first
seven contests at strong safety before giving way to
Yeremiah Bell, starting with contest at Chicago (11/5)
. . . Had a season-high nine tackles at New England
(10/8), a figure which also equaled a career best ...Had two special teams stops and a forced
fumble in 13-10 win over Kansas City (11/12) ...Was inactive for Thanksgiving Day game at
Detroit (11/23) with a left hand injury sustained vs.Minnesota (11/19) ...Underwent surgery
on November 21 to reduce and stabilize a fourth metacarpal fracture of his left hand ...Also
was inactive for finale at Indianapolis (12/30) with a hamstring injury.
2005–Played in all 16 games, including 10 starts, in his first year with the Dolphins . . .
Registered 54 tackles, three interceptions and five passes defensed . . . Added five tackles
and a fumble recovery on special teams ...Three interceptions marked the second-highest
figure on the team, trailing only the four amassed by Lance Schulters, and were two more
than he had totaled in his previous four NFL campaigns ...Began the season as a reserve
. . . Moved into starting lineup at strong safety for game at New Orleans (10/30) following
season-ending pectoral injury to Tebucky Jones . . . In 27-24 win over Carolina (9/25),
recovered a Steve Smith fumbled punt at the Panthers’ 16, leading to an 18-yard TD pass
from Gus Frerotte to Randy McMichael two plays later ...Tied a career high with nine tackles
vs.Atlanta (11/6) ...All three of his interceptions on the year came in consecutive weeks;vs.
New England (11/13), at Cleveland (11/20) and at Oakland (11/27) ...First interception as a
Dolphin occurred when he picked off a Tom Brady pass in the Patriots game and returned it
a career-long 22 yards ...In addition to his interception of a Charlie Frye pass in the Browns
game, matched his career-high figure of nine tackles, which also was a team high that day
. . . That three-game interception streak is tied with many others for the third-longest in
franchise history and was the longest since Patrick Surtain had one in games 2-4 of 2003
. . .Underwent surgery on June 14, 2005 to debride a medial meniscal tear and articular
cartilage damage ...The surgery was performed by Dr.George Caldwell at Broward General
Medical Center in Ft.Lauderdale ...
CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH AN INTERCEPTION:Tillman tallied his three interceptions
in 2005 in consecutive weeks, including games vs.New England (11/13), at Cleveland (11/20)
and at Oakland (11/27) ...He picked off a Tom Brady pass in the third quarter of the Patriots
game for a 22-yard return, a Charlie Frye attempt in the fourth quarter of the Browns contest for
a 16-yard return and a Kerry Collins pass on the final play of the first half in the Raiders game in
which there was no return ...The streak is tied for the third-longest in Dolphins history:
PLAYER YEAR (GAMES) NO.
1. Dick Westmoreland 1967 (9-13) 5
2. Willie West 1966 (6-9) 4
3. TRAVARES TILLMAN 2005 (9-11) 3
Many others 3
LONGEST INTERCEPTION STREAKS IN DOLPHINS HISTORY
2004–Played in six games with the Panthers, including a start at free safety vs. San Diego
(10/24) ...Sustained a broken right arm in the Chargers game ...Was inactive for each of the
next two weeks before being placed on injured reserve on November 9 ...Finished the season
with five tackles on defense and a pair of stops on special teams.
2003–Began the season with Houston ...Was inactive for each of the first two games before
being waived by the Texans on September 17 ...Was claimed by the Panthers on September
18 and went on to play in seven regular season games, all in a reserve role ...Registered four
tackles on special teams ...Also saw action in a reserve role in Divisional Playoff game at St.
Louis (1/10/04) ...Was inactive for each of the Panthers’three remaining postseason contests.
2002–Was out of football after being released by the Bills on September 1.
2001–Started six of the 12 games in which he played at free safety with Buffalo ...Tallied 47
tackles, an interception, five passes defensed, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble ...Was
inactive for three of the final four games with a chest injury ...First career interception came
off a Mark Brunell pass at Jacksonville (10/18) in the game’s final minute to preserve the Bills’
12-10 win . . . Established a career high with nine tackles vs. Miami (11/25), when he also
recovered an Oronde Gadsden fumble (forced by Nate Clements) in the end zone to thwart a
Dolphins scoring drive ...Forced a fumble at San Francisco (12/2).
2000–Played in 15 games, including four starts, in his rookie season with the Bills . . .
Recorded 26 tackles and a pass defensed . . . First NFL start came at free safety vs. Miami
(12/3) as he responded with six tackles.
In 2006 Travares married fashion designer and celebrity wardrobe stylist Kikikilikiana Kirchner. The couple have three children.. son, Atticus Troy Tillman, January 23, 2007 daughter, Harper Lily Tillman, October 9, 2009 and son Balthazar Saint Tillman August 25, 2011. Travares went back to Georgia Tech to earn his Bachelors degree in Management. He graduated on December 18, 2010.
Lyons, Georgia
Lyons is a city in Toombs County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,169 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Toombs County.Lyons is part of the Vidalia Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
) is an American football
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...
safety who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was originally drafted by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Georgia Tech football team
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
Early years
Tillman attended Toombs County High School in Lyons, GeorgiaLyons, Georgia
Lyons is a city in Toombs County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,169 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Toombs County.Lyons is part of the Vidalia Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, and he was a standout in football, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. In football, he was a standout wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, and as a senior, he was a Class A All-State selection and the Class 3-A Defensive Player of the Year.
College years
Tillman attended Georgia TechGeorgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
for four years, where he excelled in football. He was a two-time All-ACC second team selection and finished his marvelous career with seven interceptions, 236 tackles, a sack, and two fumble recoveries.
Professional Years
CAREERTRANSACTIONS: Signed a two-yearcontract with the Dolphins as an unrestricted free
agent from Carolina on March 4, 2005. . . Originally
drafted by Buffalo in the second round (58th overall) in
2000 . . . Was waived by the Bills on September 1,
2000 . . . Signed with Houston on January 14, 2003
...Was waived by the Texans on September 17, 2003
and then claimed by Carolina a day later.
2006–Played in 14 games, including seven starts ...
Was inactive for two contests ...Recorded 42 tackles
and three passes defensed ...Added four tackles and
a forced fumble on special teams ...Opened the first
seven contests at strong safety before giving way to
Yeremiah Bell, starting with contest at Chicago (11/5)
. . . Had a season-high nine tackles at New England
(10/8), a figure which also equaled a career best ...Had two special teams stops and a forced
fumble in 13-10 win over Kansas City (11/12) ...Was inactive for Thanksgiving Day game at
Detroit (11/23) with a left hand injury sustained vs.Minnesota (11/19) ...Underwent surgery
on November 21 to reduce and stabilize a fourth metacarpal fracture of his left hand ...Also
was inactive for finale at Indianapolis (12/30) with a hamstring injury.
2005–Played in all 16 games, including 10 starts, in his first year with the Dolphins . . .
Registered 54 tackles, three interceptions and five passes defensed . . . Added five tackles
and a fumble recovery on special teams ...Three interceptions marked the second-highest
figure on the team, trailing only the four amassed by Lance Schulters, and were two more
than he had totaled in his previous four NFL campaigns ...Began the season as a reserve
. . . Moved into starting lineup at strong safety for game at New Orleans (10/30) following
season-ending pectoral injury to Tebucky Jones . . . In 27-24 win over Carolina (9/25),
recovered a Steve Smith fumbled punt at the Panthers’ 16, leading to an 18-yard TD pass
from Gus Frerotte to Randy McMichael two plays later ...Tied a career high with nine tackles
vs.Atlanta (11/6) ...All three of his interceptions on the year came in consecutive weeks;vs.
New England (11/13), at Cleveland (11/20) and at Oakland (11/27) ...First interception as a
Dolphin occurred when he picked off a Tom Brady pass in the Patriots game and returned it
a career-long 22 yards ...In addition to his interception of a Charlie Frye pass in the Browns
game, matched his career-high figure of nine tackles, which also was a team high that day
. . . That three-game interception streak is tied with many others for the third-longest in
franchise history and was the longest since Patrick Surtain had one in games 2-4 of 2003
. . .Underwent surgery on June 14, 2005 to debride a medial meniscal tear and articular
cartilage damage ...The surgery was performed by Dr.George Caldwell at Broward General
Medical Center in Ft.Lauderdale ...
CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH AN INTERCEPTION:Tillman tallied his three interceptions
in 2005 in consecutive weeks, including games vs.New England (11/13), at Cleveland (11/20)
and at Oakland (11/27) ...He picked off a Tom Brady pass in the third quarter of the Patriots
game for a 22-yard return, a Charlie Frye attempt in the fourth quarter of the Browns contest for
a 16-yard return and a Kerry Collins pass on the final play of the first half in the Raiders game in
which there was no return ...The streak is tied for the third-longest in Dolphins history:
PLAYER YEAR (GAMES) NO.
1. Dick Westmoreland 1967 (9-13) 5
2. Willie West 1966 (6-9) 4
3. TRAVARES TILLMAN 2005 (9-11) 3
Many others 3
LONGEST INTERCEPTION STREAKS IN DOLPHINS HISTORY
2004–Played in six games with the Panthers, including a start at free safety vs. San Diego
(10/24) ...Sustained a broken right arm in the Chargers game ...Was inactive for each of the
next two weeks before being placed on injured reserve on November 9 ...Finished the season
with five tackles on defense and a pair of stops on special teams.
2003–Began the season with Houston ...Was inactive for each of the first two games before
being waived by the Texans on September 17 ...Was claimed by the Panthers on September
18 and went on to play in seven regular season games, all in a reserve role ...Registered four
tackles on special teams ...Also saw action in a reserve role in Divisional Playoff game at St.
Louis (1/10/04) ...Was inactive for each of the Panthers’three remaining postseason contests.
2002–Was out of football after being released by the Bills on September 1.
2001–Started six of the 12 games in which he played at free safety with Buffalo ...Tallied 47
tackles, an interception, five passes defensed, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble ...Was
inactive for three of the final four games with a chest injury ...First career interception came
off a Mark Brunell pass at Jacksonville (10/18) in the game’s final minute to preserve the Bills’
12-10 win . . . Established a career high with nine tackles vs. Miami (11/25), when he also
recovered an Oronde Gadsden fumble (forced by Nate Clements) in the end zone to thwart a
Dolphins scoring drive ...Forced a fumble at San Francisco (12/2).
2000–Played in 15 games, including four starts, in his rookie season with the Bills . . .
Recorded 26 tackles and a pass defensed . . . First NFL start came at free safety vs. Miami
(12/3) as he responded with six tackles.
Personal
Travares is the third of four children, born to Vera Pearl Tillman of Lyons, Georgia. He has two brothers, Desi Cornelius Mobley and Raphael Lycal Tillman and one sister Rashuna Tillman-Akins.In 2006 Travares married fashion designer and celebrity wardrobe stylist Kikikilikiana Kirchner. The couple have three children.. son, Atticus Troy Tillman, January 23, 2007 daughter, Harper Lily Tillman, October 9, 2009 and son Balthazar Saint Tillman August 25, 2011. Travares went back to Georgia Tech to earn his Bachelors degree in Management. He graduated on December 18, 2010.