Tony Bertuca
{{Short description|American football player (born 1950)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Tony Bertuca
| image = Bertuca-Tony-1975.jpg
| caption = Bertuca in 1975
| number = 51
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|1|4}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 225
| high_school = St. Patrick
(Chicago, Illinois)
| college = Cal State-Chico
| undraftedyear = 1971
| pastteams =
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|1971}})*
- Baltimore Colts ({{NFL Year|1974}})
- Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|1977}}–{{NFL Year|1978}})*
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 14
| statlabel2 = Starts
| statvalue2 = 0
| pfr = BertTo21
}}
Anthony Francis "Tony" Bertuca (born January 4, 1950) is a former American football linebacker who played one season with the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League (NFL).{{cite news | url=https://newspapers.com/image/242681478/?match=1&clipping_id=133417514 | title=Colts Release Tony Bertuca | work=The Sheboygan Press | date=September 3, 1975 | accessdate=October 14, 2023}}
Biography
Tony Bertuca was born January 4, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended St. Patrick in that city.
Bertuca played college football at the University of Montana, Wenatchee Valley Junior College, and Chico State.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BertTo21.htm |title=Tony Bertuca |work=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=August 28, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerb/bert01200.html |title=Tony Bertuca |work=Pro Football Archives |access-date=August 28, 2023}} He also played college basketball for Chico State.{{cite web|url=http://collegehoopedia.com/players/they-played-the-game/football |title=Shed Your Helmets and Shoulder Pads: Are You Ready For Some Basketball? |work=collegehoopedia.com |access-date=August 28, 2023}} He graduated from that school with a bachelor of arts degree in Physical Education in 1971.Mike Duchant and Joe Marcin (eds.), Football Register: 1975 Edition. St. Louis, MO: The Sporting News, 1975, p. 32.
Undrafted in the 1971 NFL draft, Bertuca attempted to make the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent. Legendary head coach Paul Brown of the Bengals moved Bertuca from safety to linebacker in camp, telling him that he had NFL potential but lacked seasoning.Alan Goldstein, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-tony-bertuca-colt-lin/153289491/ "Bertuca, Colt Linebacker, Was Bouncer for Bear Star,"] Baltimore Sun, Aug. 24, 1974; pp. B5, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-bertuca-colt-lineback/153289768/ B7].
With his college football eligibility lapsed, Bertuca attempted to hone his football skills playing for the semi-professional Lake County Rifles of the Central State League, which he did for the 1972 and 1973 seasons. "We had to drive 700 miles to some games and play that same night," he recalled. "We practiced nights at a field that didn't have any lights, but by that time most of the guys were worn out from working all day on their regular jobs."
To pay the bills Bertuca worked as a bouncer in a bar owned by Chicago Bears linebacker Doug Buffone.
It was through the Lake County team that Bertuca received his key professional football break break, when team booster Ray O'Brien, who had business connections with Chicagoland HVAC contractor Bob Irsay, owner of the Baltimore Colts recommended him as a pro prospect. Irsay passed on the information to Colts general manager Joe Thomas and an invitation to the team's 1974 training camp followed. Against all odds, the unheralded Bertuca made the team as an undrafted free agent.
Although ostensibly listed as a linebacker on the depth chart, the hard-hitting Bertuca was exclusively a special teams coverage player for Baltimore.Barry Jones (ed.), ’75 Colts Media Guide. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Colts Football Club, 1975; p. 28. He saw action in all 14 games of the 1974 season.[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BertTo21.htm "Tony Bertuca,"] Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com After recording two quarterback sacks in preseason action, Baltimore head coach Howard Schnellenberger praised Bertuca effusively, declaring the upstart to be "a real dynamo."
"Tony is strong and reckless, the endearing trait a coach looks for in a special team player," Schnellenberger said. "His biggest asset is his overall speed."
He was also at the training camp of the Miami Dolphins in 1977 and 1978, but was unable to make the final roster for either of those clubs.{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactionsb/bert01200.html |title=Tony Bertuca NFL Transactions |work=Pro Football Archives |access-date=August 28, 2023}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bertuca, Tony}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Montana Grizzlies football players
Category:Junior college football players in the United States
Category:Chico State Wildcats football players
Category:Chico State Wildcats men's basketball players
Category:Indianapolis Colts players
Category:Cincinnati Bengals players
Category:Miami Dolphins players