Todd Christensen

Todd Jay Christensen (August 3, 1956 – November 13, 2013) was an American football player who played in the National Football League from 1978 until 1988, spending most of that time playing tight end for the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders. Following his retirement Christensen became a commentator for both professional and collegiate games, working for NBC Sports, ESPN, and CBS Sports Network among others.

Early years

Born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Christensen's parents were Ned Jay and June Christensen. His father was working on a doctorate degree at Pennsylvania State University at that time. After teaching in West Virginia, his father was offered a professorship in Eugene, Oregon, when Todd was 5 and the family relocated.

Athletically, Christensen’s early desire was to continue excelling in track and field as he had when he set the world records as a 9-year-old boy. "Puberty and adolescence helped me realize that I was not as fast as I had thought," he recalled. "My body went a different direction and that was when I started leaning towards football." He graduated from Sheldon High School in Eugene in 1974, and then attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah.