Steve Tasker - Greatest Special Teams Player EVER?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I think so.

When I played football, aside from my normal defensive end position, I was also the punter, and played kickoff special teams.

I molded the way I wanted to play around the way that Steve Tasker did. He was amazing. Incredible. He played special teams the way Walter Payton played running back; with such passion and devotion that I still get goosebumps thinking about the way he played.

Today, I caught a brief mention of him on a highlight reel on ESPN. It was the first time I had heard of him since his last season in the NFL. They mentioned that he’s eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2003.

I think he should be there. Unquestionably.

What’s YOUR take? Do you even remember him?

2

It’s too bad that he got tossed out of his final game.

3

That was indeed a goddamn crying shame. The ref was probably Phil Luckett. :smiley:

4

I don’t really know how Steve Tasker and Mosi Tatupu compare, since I was a little too young during Tatupu’s heyday. But it is the Mosi Tatupu Award given out to the nations’ top special-teamer, so he had to have something going for him.

5

Truly awesome. Arguably the best ever, as a defensive special teamer.

As a punt returner, I’d have to go with Deion, though I don’t have to like it.

6

Who was it that said “as a receiver, NOBODY can cover Steve Tasker”. Was that Jim Kelley? As I recall, he went on a s a wideout, and racked up 160 yards in a game before getting injured.

What a PHENOMENAL player. Even if I spelled it wrong, the guy was just the shiznit.

7

I lived in Buffalo during three of the four consecutive Conference Championships, saw many a home game, and was in awe of Tasker. He was invariably the first guy to make a hit on a Bill’s kickoff. And on returns, he made the defense dance. He is a short guy, but DAMN he moved!

8

I’d have to say it was Bill Bates. He was the first player to go to the Pro Bowl specifically for special teams, not to mention that he played for 15 years.

9

Steve Tasker was the first special teams player to be the Pro Bowl MVP (1993), though.

10

An exagerration by Kelly, no doubt. But still, 1996 vs the jets…

http://www.football-reference.com/games/TaskSt00.htm

More detailed stuff:

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/4743/tasker.html

And these guys think he’s going to Canton:

http://nusports.fansonly.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080200aab.html

He was a *player.

11

Maybe so, but the reason that there is a spot for special teams players in the Pro Bowl is because of Bill Bates. Tasker may have gotten a game MVP, but Bates created the position.

12

I once read that the veteran Bills cornerbacks would get easy money by betting the rookie cornerbacks that they couldn’t cover Tasker.

Now with all due respect for the way Bill Bates played the game, he didn’t have Tasker’s athletic gifts, and I never saw him dominate the way Tasker did. Though he made his share of plays, they didn’t come at the 5 yard line, the way Tasker’s always seemed to.