Tim Anderson (defensive back)

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1949)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}

{{For|the defensive tackle who also played for Ohio State|Tim Anderson (defensive tackle)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Tim Anderson

| image =

| position = Defensive back

| number = 26

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|8|1}}

| birth_place = Colliers, West Virginia, U.S.

| death_date =

| draftyear = 1971

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 23

| college = Ohio State

| teams =

• Toronto Argonauts (1971–1974)
• San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1975}})
• Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1976}})
• Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1977}})*

| highlights =

• CFL East All-Star (1973)
• 2× National champion (1968, 1970)
• Second-team All-American (1970)
• 2× Second-team All-Big Ten (1969, 1970)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 15

| pfr = AndeWi21

}}

William Tim Anderson (born August 1, 1949) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for the Toronto Argonauts, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.{{Cite web|url=http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2012/11/09/gameday/history.html|title = History.HTML}}

After being drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 1971 NFL draft, Anderson was so unhappy with the 49ers' contract offer that he considered quitting football and signed with the Argonauts instead.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-03|newspaper=Ithaca Journal|title=He kept his dream: Canada to the 49ers|date=September 1, 1975|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108884068/the-ithaca-journal/}} Anderson said that "The negotiations with the 49ers go off on the wrong foot and got progressively worse." He believed that he was the first NFL first round draft pick to sign with the CFL instead (but he was not as that was Johnny Bright who was selected 5th in 1952, and many other players followed), and was followed by Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers in 1973 in taking that route. He earned all-CFL honors while with the Argonauts in 1973.{{cite web|title=William Anderson|url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/p-anderwil002|publisher=Stats Crew|accessdate=2022-09-03}} He signed with the 49ers before the 1975 season and said that the contract was "for a lot better money than they offered [in 1971], but it's not a no-cut contract."

After serving as a backup safety for most of the 1975 season, Anderson and Mike Holmes were traded to the Bills in exchange for 2 draft picks before the 1976 season.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-03|newspaper=Concord Transcript|date=September 7, 1976|title=Niners deal with Bills|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108884864/concord-transcript/}} After playing the first two games for the Bills in September 1976, he was placed on injured reserve with a bruised thigh and the Bills then waived him in October.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-03|newspaper=Valley Morning Star|date=September 25, 1976|title=Bills waive Vic Washington|page=B4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108885121/valley-morning-star/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-03|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle|date=October 8, 1976|title=Bills start Edwards|author=Pascarelli, Peter|page=3D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108885467/democrat-and-chronicle/}} The Detroit Lions signed Anderson before the 1977 season but waived him during preseason.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-03|newspaper=Johnson City Press|date=June 24, 1977|title=Lions sign Tim Anderson|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108885692/johnson-city-press/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-03|newspaper=Herald-Palladium|date=September 2, 1977|title=Lions get Mike-Mayer|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108885909/the-herald-palladium/}}