Tony Green (American football)

{{For|the American football safety for the Buffalo Bills|Tony Greene}}

{{Infobox NFL player

|name = Tony Green

|number = 34

|position = Kickoff returner, running back

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|9|26|mf=y}}

|birth_place = Rochester, New York, U.S.

|height_ft = 5

|height_in = 9

|weight_lbs = 185

|high_school = Riverview (Sarasota, Florida)

|college = Florida

|draftyear = 1978

|draftround = 6

|draftpick = 159

|pastteams =

Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1978}})
New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1979}})
Seattle Seahawks (1979)

|highlights =

Second-team All-Pro (1978)
Pro Bowl (1978)
First-team All-SEC (1977)

|statlabel1 = Kickoff returns

|statvalue1 = 66

|statlabel2 = Kickoff return yards

|statvalue2 = 1,521

|statlabel3 = Punt returns

|statvalue3 = 61

|statlabel4 = Punt return yards

|statvalue4 = 581

|statlabel5 = Return touchdowns

|statvalue5 = 2

|pfr = GreeTo01

}}

Anthony Edward Green (born September 26, 1956) is an American former professional football player who was a kickoff returner and running back in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the late 1970s. Green played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Washington Redskins, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks of the NFL.

Early life

Green was born in Rochester, New York in 1956.Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GreeTo01.htm Tony Green]. Retrieved August 5, 2010. He attended Riverview High School in Sarasota, Florida,databaseFootball.com, Players, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100212183944/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=GREENTON02 Tony Green]}}. Retrieved August 5, 2010. and he played high school football for the Riverview Rams.

College career

Green accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Doug Dickey's Florida Gators football team from 1974 to 1977.[http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402035222/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf |date=April 2, 2012 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 96, 138–140, 146–148, 150, 181 (2011). Retrieved August 29, 2011. Memorably, he rushed eleven times for 178 yards (a 16.2-yard average) against the Maryland Terrapins in 1974, and ran eighty yards for a touchdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 1977. He was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection as a senior in 1977. Green finished his four-year college career with 2,590 rushing yards on 445 carries (a 5.8-yard average), 287 yards receiving, and 775 yards in punt and kickoff returns.

Professional career

The Washington Redskins chose Green in the sixth round (156th pick overall) in the 1978 NFL draft,Pro Football Hall of Fame, Draft History, [http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.aspx?story_id=2012 1978 National Football League Draft]. Retrieved August 5, 2010. and he played for the Redskins for a single season in {{NFL Year|1978}}.National Football League, Historical Players, [http://www.nfl.com/players/tonygreen/profile?id=GRE047730 Tony Green]. Retrieved August 5, 2010. He had a remarkable rookie season as the Redskins' primary kick return specialist in {{NFL Year|1978}}: forty-two punt return for 440 yards, and thirty-four kickoff returns for 870 yards. Green was selected for the Pro Bowl as a kick returner after the season ended.

He finished his NFL career in {{NFL Year|1979}}, splitting the season between the New York Giants and the Seattle Seahawks.

References

Bibliography

Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). {{ISBN|0-7948-2298-3}}.
Golenbock, Peter, Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory, Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). {{ISBN|0-9650782-1-3}}.
Hairston, Jack, Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told, Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). {{ISBN|1-58261-514-4}}.
McCarthy, Kevin M., [https://books.google.com/books?id=_Tk-IQepI6cC Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football], Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). {{ISBN|978-0-7385-0559-6}}.
Nash, Noel, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). {{ISBN|1-57167-196-X}}