Todd Christensen was a record setting tight end for the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1980s.(Photo George Rose Getty Images)
Story HighlightsRecord setting tight end spent most of NFL career with RaidersChristensen 57 was known for a vocabulary not regularly heard from football playersHe was a man with eclectic interests from poetry to American GladiatorsJim Plunkett knew Todd Christensen as a fun guy who loved catching passes especially in the end zone and sometimes on plays in which he was supposed to be blocking.
Christensen's former broadcast partners fondly recall his big personality too and the fancy words he used with ease.
Christensen 57 a five time Pro Bowl tight end with the Oakland/Los Angeles/during his NFL career (1978 1988) died Wednesday at a hospital near his home in Alpine Utah from complications during liver transplant surgery.
Plunkett the former Raiders quarterback who teamed with Christensen on two Super Bowl championship teams learned Christensen was ill after seeing him at a Raider reunion in July 2012.
He had lost of lot of weight. And I didn't find out until afterwards that he was ill and looking for a transplant for 10 months says Plunkett.
Christensen a devout Mormon did not drink. Toby one of his four sons told the Associated Press the family believed the liver problems began 25 years ago after a botched gall bladder operation.
Playing at 6 3 230 in the NFL Christensen finished with 461 receptions for 5 872 yards and 41 touchdowns in the regular season including 92 catches for 1 247 yards and 12 touchdowns in 1983.
He brought a lot to table as a person and a personality and also on the football field he could catch everything thrown his way basically says Plunkett. He was a big barrel chested guy at one time and he had knack for getting between the ball and the defender.
Christensen came out of BYU as a running back but late Raiders owner Al Davis saw something else. He was a hybrid tight end an H back before it came a football term says former Raiders coach Tom Flores.
Nicknamed The Renaissance Man for his varied interests Christensen left football for broadcasting including at NBC Sports ESPN and the CBS Sports Network.
I remember Todd always using big words and quotes from famous authors and poets Flores says. He was comical at times because no one knew what he was talking about.
Plunkett also recalled Christensen's fancy vocabulary Oh yeah but you know I went to Stanford. I put him in his place a few times.
PHOTOS A look back at Todd Christensen
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Last SlideNext SlideJames Bates his broadcast partner for five seasons of Mountain West Conference football telecasts through 2009 says he and Christensen were reunited in the booth for a couple of games last year including at San Diego State.
Early in the third quarter I said 'Todd it's so good to work with you again. It's been a long time since I've been adroit astute prescient and salient all in the same broadcast.' He had used all four of those in the first half says Bates.
Former NFL running back Mike Adamle who co hosted the syndicated American Gladiators series with Christensen in 1990 says Christensen didn't suffer fools very well.
Whatever the topic was you'd better come prepared to talk about it because he knew everything there was to know says Adamle now a sports anchor in Chicago.
Bates knew Christensen had been battling liver problems.
The last year or so I was with him out West he lost a good chunk of weight ... and he was on a list waiting on a liver Bates says.
It was a true blessing to call him my friend.
TODD JAY CHRISTENSEN
Born Aug. 3 1956 in Bellefonte Pa. about 10 miles from State College Pa. but grew up in Eugene Ore.
Nickname The Renaissance Man
Education Degree in social work at BYU where he was a four year starter as a running back.
Family Wife Kathy four sons including Toby who played wide receiver at his father's alma mater
Hall of Fame Inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2000 into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1992.
Playing career Won Most Valuable Player honors at the 1978 Blue Gray All Star Classic switched to tight end in the NFL and played from 1979 88 played on the Oakland Raiders' Super Bowl winning team for the 1980 season and for the Los Angeles Raiders' Super Bowl winning team for the 1983 season twice caught at least 90 passes in a season and led the Raiders in receptions from 1982 86 five Pro Bowl selections and twice voted All Pro post NFL he competed in masters track and field events and set age group record in the heptathlon and was the top decathlete in the world in the 45 and over category.
TV sports career Game analyst field reporter and pregame contributor at NBC Sports from1990 94 and later was a college football analyst for ESPN.
Author Three books of self published poetry
TV series As Travis James on Married with Children (1994) a host of American Gladiators (1990)
Trivia His eclectic interests included being a collector of quotes jokes game results anything that could be recorded and becoming an accomplished operatic tenor.
Quote When people think about the Raider image I don't come to mind. I'm not a wild guy a renegade a macho man. Eugene Oregon doesn't exactly make you a street guy. ... I'm tough in a competitive football situation but I'm not a tough guy. I want to win and I'm an individual. Does that make sense Christensen to Sports Illustrated in 1987
Contributing Rachel Shuster
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