Tom Janik

{{Infobox NFL biography

|number=27

|birth_date={{Birth date|1940|9|6}}

|birth_place=Poth, Texas, U.S.

|death_date={{Death date and age|2009|11|21|1940|9|6}}

|death_place=Poth, Texas, U.S.

|college=Texas A&I

|position=Safety, punter

|highlights=

AFL champion (1965)
2× AFL All-Star (1965, 1967)

|afldraftyear=1963

|afldraftround=3

|afldraftpick=21

|pastteams=

Denver Broncos (1963–1964)
Buffalo Bills (1965–1968)
Boston / New England Patriots (1969–1971)

|pfr=J/JaniTo00

}}

Thomas Alvin Janik (Pronounced: Yah-NICK) (September 6, 1940 – November 21, 2009) was an American professional football defensive back and punter.

Early life

Thomas Alvin Janik was born on September 6, 1940, in Poth, Texas.{{citation needed |date=February 2024}} He played one season of college football with Texas A&M and three seasons with Texas A&I.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-star-tom-janik-dies-at-69-26-n/140061181/ |title=Tom Janik dies at 69 |date=2009-11-26 |newspaper=The Post-Star |page=21 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-02-01}}{{Open access}} He was an all-conference running back and punter. He was inducted to the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982.{{citation needed |date=February 2024}}

Professional career

Janik was a safety for nine seasons of professional football.{{citation needed |date=February 2024}} He played eight seasons in the American Football League. He played with the Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills. On August 27, 1969, he was traded to the Boston Patriots.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-tom-janik-traded-to-bos/140063096/ |title=Tom Janik Traded to Boston Patriots |date=1969-08-27 |newspaper=The Buffalo News |page=71 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-02-01}}{{Open access}} He played one season with the New England Patriots after the AFL–NFL merger. In his career, he had 21 or 25 interceptions, sources differ, and 6 touchdown returns.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-favres-great-supportin/140061817/ |title=Favre's great supporting cast gives him a boost |date=2009-11-29 |last=Gaughan |first=Mark |newspaper=The Buffalo News |page=D15 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-02-01}}{{Open access}} In 1967, he tied the record of 10 single season interceptions held by Billy Atkins. In 1968, he broke the record for longest interception return (100 yards) after an interception from Joe Namath of the New York Jets. He was an AFL All-Star in 1965, when he played for the AFL Champion Bills, and again in 1967.{{citation needed |date=February 2024}} In April 1972, he retired.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-pats-lose-gai/140063537/ |title=Pats Lose, Gain |date=1972-04-26 |newspaper=The Austin Statesman |page=43 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2024-02-01}}{{Open access}}

One of Janik's biggest games was the September 29, 1968, contest at home against the New York Jets, in which the Bills' defensive backfield picked off Joe Namath five times, three times for touchdowns as Butch Byrd and Booker Edgerson had 53 and 45-yard TD interceptions within 1:02, and Janik had one of two picks go for a 100-yard score. The Bills won a barn-burner, 37–35, which was Buffalo's only win of the season. The Jets went on to finish 11–3, and won the AFL title before going on to defeat the Colts in Super Bowl III.{{citation needed |date=February 2024}}

At the time of his death in 2009, he was third in interception return yards (495), behind Butch Byrd and Tony Greene. He was 11th in interceptions (21).{{citation needed |date=February 2024 |reason=clarity on 21 vs. 24 career interceptions and whether of AFL or both AFL/NFL}}