Van Leigh Tiffin (born September 6, 1965) is a former American football placekicker.
| No. 3, 1 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Placekicker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | September 6, 1965 Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight: | 155 lb (70 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Red Bay (AL) |
| College: | Alabama |
| Undrafted: | 1987 |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Early life and education
editVan Leigh Tiffin was born in Tupelo, Mississippi.[1] He lived in Red Bay, Alabama, and attended Red Bay High School, attracting notice for his football ability.[2]
College career
editTiffin attended the University of Alabama where he was the Alabama Crimson Tide's primary placekicker from 1983 to 1986.[3] He holds the school record for longest converted field goal, with a successful 57-yard attempt against Texas A&M in 1985. He held the school record for converting 135 extra point attempts until his son, Leigh Tiffin, broke it in 2009 by one; Van never missed, however, going 135 for 135, while Leigh required 142 attempts.[4]
Tiffin's most notable kick came in the 1985 Iron Bowl against in-state rival Auburn. His 52-yard field goal lifted the Crimson Tide to a 25–23 victory as time expired. It has become part of Alabama lore, known mainly as "The Kick."[5]
In 1986, Tiffin was named a first team All-American by Scripps Howard.[6]
Professional career
editTiffin spent one season in the National Football League with the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[7]
References
edit- ^ "On this day in Alabama history: Placekicker Van Tiffin was born in Tupelo". Alabama News Center. September 6, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ Hurt, Cecil (November 18, 2005). "Long-term memory a cinch for Van Tiffin". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ Sperrazza, Casey (December 14, 2015). "Alabama Football All-Time Team: The Two Best At Each Position". Bama Hammer. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
- ^ 2010 Alabama media guide http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/alab/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/record-book.pdf Archived September 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Sallee, Barrett (July 20, 2012). "Classic SEC Football: Alabama Tops Auburn in 1985 in 'the Kick'". Bleacher Report. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ "Scripps Howard All-America Team". The Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN). November 21, 1986 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Van Tiffin". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
External links
edit- Van Tiffin at NFL.com
- Van Tiffin statistics at Pro-Football-Reference.com