Tony Scheffler
{{Short description|American football player (born 1983)}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Tony Scheffler
| image = Tony Scheffler 2011.jpg
| caption = Scheffler during his tenure with the Lions in 2011
| number = 88, 85
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|2|15|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Morenci, Michigan, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 255
| high_school = Chelsea {{nowrap|(Chelsea, Michigan)}}
| college = Western Michigan (2001–2005)
| draftyear = 2006
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 61
| pastteams =
- Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2006}}–{{NFL Year|2009}})
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2010}}–{{NFL Year|2013}})
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 258
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 3,207
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 22
| pfr = ScheTo00
}}
Tony Scheffler (born February 15, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football and baseball for the Western Michigan Broncos. He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Scheffler also played for the Detroit Lions during his NFL career.
Early life
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=March 2022}}
Scheffler played at Chelsea High School in Chelsea, Michigan, where he played high school football. He set a school record for receiving yards in a season with 1,340 and finished the 2000 season with 67 receptions and 16 touchdowns playing wide receiver. He committed to play college football and baseball at Western Michigan University
College career
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=March 2022}}
Scheffler attended Western Michigan University and had 117 receptions and 1,345 receiving yards with 13 touchdowns in his career. He finished his career ranked second among tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards in school history. He was also a two-time first team all-Mid-American Conference selection, and as a senior placed fourth in voting for the John Mackey Award as the nation's best tight end, posting a career-high 57 receptions for 670 yards (11.8 avg.) with nine touchdowns.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 5 3/8
| weight = 254
| dash = 4.60
| ten split = 1.64
| twenty split = 2.71
| shuttle = 4.01
| cone drill = 6.81
| vertical = 33.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 7
| bench = 17
| wonderlic =
| arm span = 33 1/4
| hand span = 9 1/8
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/tony-scheffler/32005343-4809-5691-5eb0-e74614b0dcca |title=Tony Scheffler Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=September 7, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=14159&DraftYear=2006 |title=2006 Draft Scout Tony Scheffler, Western Michigan NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=September 7, 2022}}
}}
=Denver Broncos=
Scheffler was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2006 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2006/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} After seeing limited playing time early in the season, Scheffler saw increased playing time and production after Jay Cutler was inserted as the Broncos starting quarterback on December 3, 2006, against the Seattle Seahawks.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} In a game against the San Diego Chargers on December 10, Scheffler caught his first NFL touchdown from a pass by Cutler. After the following kickoff was fumbled, Scheffler caught another touchdown, 48 seconds after his previous one.
On May 19, 2007, Scheffler broke his left foot in seven-on-seven passing drills during practice. The injury caused Scheffler to miss much of training camp, the setback kept Scheffler out of his place in the lineup as the Broncos pass receiving tight end until October 21, 2007, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Scheffler finished the season among league leaders of tight ends with 49 receptions for 549 yards and five touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Tony Scheffler 2007 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/ScheTo00/gamelog/2007/ |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
Following the 2007 season, Scheffler, Cutler and Marshall went to Atlanta together to train and work on timing for the 2008 season.{{Citation|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=353844 |title=Real Insight. Real Fans. Real Conversations |publisher=Sporting News |date=February 17, 2008 |access-date=June 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910070735/https://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/article/2008-02-17/inside-dish-no-rest-broncos-trio |archive-date=September 10, 2009}}
On April 14, 2010, Scheffler was re-signed to a one-year contract.{{Citation|last=Klis |first=Mike |title=Broncos' Scheffler will sign tender, clearing way for trade |url=https://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_14882667 |newspaper=Denver Post |date=April 14, 2010 |access-date=June 11, 2014}}
=Detroit Lions=
On April 19, 2010, Scheffler was traded to the Detroit Lions in a three-team trade involving the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles received linebacker Ernie Sims, and the Broncos got the Eagles fifth-round draft pick for 2010 (137th overall). The Lions also received Denver's seventh-round draft pick for 2010.{{Citation|title=Eagles acquire LB Sims, Lions land TE Scheffler in three-team trade|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8179da99/article/eagles-acquire-lb-sims-lions-land-te-scheffler-in-threeteam-trade|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113064225/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8179da99/article/eagles-acquire-lb-sims-lions-land-te-scheffler-in-threeteam-trade|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 13, 2012|website=NFL.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-05}}
On October 22, 2013, Scheffler was released by the Lions after suffering his third concussion in four years earlier in the month.{{Citation|url=https://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9863493/tony-scheffler-released-detroit-lions |title=Tony Scheffler released by Lions |date=October 22, 2013 |publisher=ESPN |last=Rothstein |first=Michael |access-date=June 11, 2014}}
On June 11, 2014, Scheffler announced his retirement, citing the concussions he sustained as a key reason.{{cite web | title=Concussions push Tony Scheffler to retire from NFL | website=USA TODAY | date=2014-06-11|agency=Associated Press | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/06/11/concussions-push-tony-scheffler-to-retire-from-nfl/10330959/ | access-date=2024-10-25}}{{Citation|url=https://espn.go.com/blog/detroit-lions/post/_/id/8575/scheffler-smart-to-retire-after-concussions |title=Scheffler smart to retire after concussions |last=Rothstein |first=Michael |publisher=ESPN |date=June 11, 2014 |access-date=June 11, 2014}} He signed three contracts during his career and subsequently earned $12,194,000 in his eight-year career in the NFL.{{Citation|url=https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/detroit-lions/tony-scheffler-3208/cash-earnings/ |title=Tony Scheffler Contracts, Salaries, Cap Hits, & News Profile |publisher=Spotrac.com |access-date=June 12, 2014}}
Personal life
After his [https://www.mlive.com/sports/ann-arbor/2014/06/former_detroit_lion_tight_end.html#incart_river_default retirement], Scheffler became a real estate agent in Chelsea, MI, volunteered as a coach for the Chelsea High School football team, and purchased a ranch in Texas to raise Texas Longhorns.
On September 28, 2013, Scheffler competed in a 2 on 1 basketball game vs Dave Portnoy and Daniel "Big Cat" Katz{{Cite web |last=Presidente |first=El |title=Throwback - Barstool Bro Show Featuring Tony Scheffler |url=https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/954392/throwback-barstool-bro-show-featuring-tony-scheffler |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=www.barstoolsports.com |language=en}} of Barstool Sports. Despite Scheffler having a big lead the entire game, Portnoy's hot shooting earned the Barstool bloggers a comeback 11–10 victory. After the loss, an irate Scheffler refused to shake hands and punted the basketball into a dense forest. On August 23, 2023, Scheffler appeared on Big Cat's podcast, Pardon My Take, and aired his frustration with the continual discussion of this basketball game. They made plans for another event which has yet to be announced.
In 2020 he became [https://www.westernherald.com/sports/article_3c5ff7d6-97e9-11ea-a7ec-177aa1edebb4.html coach] of the Chelsea High School girls varsity basketball team. He was named a [https://chelseaupdate.com/tony-scheffler-named-girls-basketball-sec-white-coach-of-the-year/ district coach of the year] in 2023, and [https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2024/05/chelsea-girls-basketball-coach-tony-scheffler-steps-down-after-4-seasons.html resigned] in 2024.
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| Bold
| Career high |
= Regular season =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="6"| Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |
| 2006 | DEN
| 13 || 5 || 37 || 18 || 286 || 15.9 || 29 || 4 | |||||||
| 2007 | DEN
| 16 || 7 || 65 || 49 || 549 || 11.2 || 41 || 5 | |||||||
| 2008 | DEN
| 13 || 7 || 61 || 40 || 645 || 16.1 || 72 || 3 | |||||||
| 2009 | DEN
| 15 || 9 || 50 || 31 || 416 || 13.4 || 52 || 2 | |||||||
| 2010 | DET
| 15 || 4 || 72 || 45 || 378 || 8.4 || 25 || 1 | |||||||
| 2011 | DET
| 15 || 5 || 43 || 26 || 347 || 13.3 || 36 || 6 | |||||||
| 2012 | DET
| 15 || 4 || 85 || 42 || 504 || 12.0 || 57 || 1 | |||||||
| 2013 | DET
| 5 || 1 || 12 || 7 || 82 || 11.7 || 22 || 0 | |||||||
| colspan="2"| | 107 | 42 | 425 | 258 | 3,207 | 12.4 | 72 | 22 |
= Playoffs =
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20091021054931/https://www.tonyscheffler88.com/ Official website]
- {{commons category-inline}}
{{Broncos2006DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scheffler, Tony}}
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Denver Broncos players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:People from Lenawee County, Michigan
Category:Players of American football from Michigan