Tony Hunter (tight end)

{{Short description|American football player (1960–2024)}}

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

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Tony Hunter

| number = 47, 87

| position = Tight end

| birth_date = {{birth date|1960|05|22}}

| birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|06|11|1960|05|22}}

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lb = 237

| high_school = Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)

| college = Notre Dame

| draftyear = 1983

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 12

| pastteams =

• Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1983|1984}})
• Los Angeles Rams ({{NFL Year|1985|1986}})
• San Diego Chargers ({{NFL Year|1989}})*

| highlights =

• PFWA All-Rookie Team (1983)
• First-team All-American (1982)

| statlabel1 = Receptions

| statvalue1 = 134

| statlabel2 = Receiving yards

| statvalue2 = 1,501

| statlabel3 = Touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 9

| pfr = H/HuntTo00

}}

Tony Wayne Hunter (May 22, 1960 – June 11, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL).

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hunter played scholastically for Ohio powerhouse Archbishop Moeller High School.{{cite web| url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntTo00.htm |title=Tony Hunter Stats |website=Pro Football Reference |access-date=June 2, 2024}} He played collegiately for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish,{{cite web| url=https://www.nfl.com/players/tony-hunter-2/ |title=Tony Hunter Stats |website=NFL.com |access-date=June 2, 2024}} where, as a senior, he was honored by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as a first-team All-American.{{cite news |title=Hershel (sic) Walker and John Elway Head '82 NEA All America team |author=Murray Olderman |newspaper=The Albert Lea Tribune (MN) |date=December 26, 1982 |page=12 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-albert-lea-tribune-1982-nea-all-amer/147553231/ |via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}

Hunter was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first-round (12th overall) of the 1983 NFL draft, two picks ahead of Jim Kelly.{{Cite web |title=1983 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1983/draft.htm |access-date=June 2, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference}} He split his four-year NFL career between the Bills and the Los Angeles Rams, accumulating 134 receptions for 1501 yards with 9 touchdowns.{{Cite web |url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerh/hunt06400.html |title=Tony Hunter Stats |website=Pro Football Archives |access-date=June 2, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502202817/https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerh/hunt06400.html |archive-date=May 2, 2023}} His final season in 1986 was cut short due to a career ending leg injury.{{cite news |title=Rams Say Goodbye to Hunter |newspaper=The Buffalo News (NY) |date=September 2, 1987 |page=C-5 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-rams-say-goodbye-to-to/148561934/

|via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}

Hunter died on June 11, 2024, at the age of 64.{{Cite web |url=https://www.totalprosports.com/nfl/former-buffalo-bills-first-round-running-back-has-tragically-passes-away/ |title=Former Buffalo Bills First-Round Running Back Has Tragically Passes Away |first1=Alex |last1=Hoegler |website=Total Pro Sports |date=June 20, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2024}}