Steve Tasker is a former American football player who is best known for his career as a wide receiver and special teams player. He played for the Buffalo Bills for most of his career and was widely regarded as one of the best special teams players in NFL history.
Tasker was born on April 10, 1962, in Smith Center, Kansas. He attended Northwestern Missouri State University, where he played football as a wide receiver and punt returner. He was a standout player in college, earning All-American honors in his senior year.
Tasker was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the ninth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. He played for the Oilers for one season before being traded to the Buffalo Bills in 1986. It was with the Bills that Tasker would make his mark on the NFL.
Tasker was primarily used as a special teams player for the Bills, and he quickly became one of the best in the league. He was known for his speed, agility, and fearlessness, and he was a key player on the Bills' special teams units for over a decade.
Tasker was also a solid wide receiver, although he was never a star at that position. He finished his career with 51 receptions for 779 yards and nine touchdowns. However, it was his special teams play that made him a legend.
Tasker was a seven-time Pro Bowler and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1990s. He was also named to the Buffalo Bills' 50th Anniversary Team in 2009.
Tasker's most memorable moment came in Super Bowl XXVII, when he recovered a fumble on a kickoff return and returned it for a touchdown. The play helped the Bills win their third consecutive AFC Championship and reach their third consecutive Super Bowl.
Tasker retired from the NFL after the 1997 season. He went on to work as a television analyst for CBS and was a regular on the network's coverage of the NFL and college football. He was also a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2010, but he has yet to be inducted.
Overall, Steve Tasker was one of the most dominant special teams players in NFL history. His speed, agility, and fearlessness made him a force to be reckoned with on kickoffs and punts, and he helped the Buffalo Bills become one of the most successful teams of the 1990s.
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