Steve Tasker

Infobox NFLretired


|caption=
position=Wide Receiver / Gunner / Special Teams
number=89
birthdate=birth date and age|1962|4|10
Leoti, Kansas
debutyear=1985
finalyear=1997
draftyear=1985
draftround=9
draftpick=226
college=Dodge City Community College, Northwestern
teams=
* Houston Oilers (1985-1986)
* Buffalo Bills (1986-1997)
stat1label=Receptions
stat1value=51
stat2label=Receiving Yards
stat2value=779
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=9
nfl=TAS415290
highlights=
* Pro Bowl (x7) (1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)

Steven Jay Tasker (born April 10, 1962 in Leoti, Kansas) is a broadcaster for CBS Sports, who previously was a wide receiver and special teams player for the Houston Oilers and the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. He was drafted in the 1985 NFL Draft out of Northwestern University, where he played for his junior and senior years. He was picked by the Oilers in the ninth round (226th overall) of the draft. He began his college career at Dodge City Community College.

Although he was listed as a wide receiver, and played occasionally at that position during his career (especially in his later years with the Bills), he is mostly remembered for his work on special teams. Despite a diminutive stature by NFL standards (5'8", 183 lb, or 1.73 m, 83 kg), Tasker gained a reputation as one of the league's most feared hitters as he covered both punt and kickoff returns (known as being a gunner), forcing numerous fumbles by opposing return men. Contributing to his success in breaking up kick returns was his great speed; Tasker was almost always the first player to reach the return man, gaining an advantage of several seconds for his team. He was the first player to establish himself as a major star almost exclusively through special teams play without being either a kicker or a return man. Tasker played in seven Pro Bowls (1987 and 1990-1995) as a special-teamer and was named the game's MVP in 1993. Many, including former teammate and Hall of Fame Quarterback Jim Kelly, consider him to be the greatest special teams player of all time and believe that he should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was even ranked #9 on NFL Network's NFL Top 10 Players not in the Hall of Fame.

Famous ESPN sportscaster Chris Berman gave Tasker one of his famous nicknames: Steve "A Tisker a" Tasker.

Tasker currently does color commentary for CBS football telecasts as well as play-by-play for the local broadcasts of Bills pre-season games, working alongside his former coach, Marv Levy, who also did color commentary until becoming the General Manager of the Bills in 2006. In 2007, Ray Bentley took his former teammate's place as play-by-play man while Tasker provided color analysis.

On September 9th, 2007, Tasker became the 24th person enshrined on the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame.

ee also

* List of NFL on CBS commentator pairings

External links

*
* [http://cbs.sportsline.com/cbssports/team/stasker CBS Sports profile, Steve Tasker]