Tony Richardson was a fullback for the Chiefs in the early 2000s, a Man of the Year nominee, a three-time Pro Bowler, and a member of the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
Who is Tony Richardson?
Antonio Richardson was born on December 17, 1971, in Frankfurt, where his father, a U.S. Army sergeant, was stationed. He spent his first eight years of life in Germany before his family returned to the United States and settled in Alabama. Tony completed his high school education there, began playing football, and earned a scholarship to Auburn University. He spent three years playing for the Tigers, becoming one of the few rookies under coach Pat Dye to earn a starting position from the outset. In 1993, Richardson contributed to Auburn's 11-0 season, finishing fourth in the rankings, and winning the SEC Western Division.
How good was Tony Richardson?
In the 1994 NFL Draft, Tony wasn't selected and signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. Although he was cut twice, he eventually made it to the practice squad, where he spent his rookie season while observing star players like Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston. In February 1995, Richardson moved to the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent four seasons as a backup before becoming the starting fullback for the team in 1999.
Tony blocked for Bam Morris, helped Priest Holmes achieve two of his best seasons with 1500+ rushing yards, and assisted Larry Johnson in achieving back-to-back 1700+ rushing yards. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in the 2003 and 2004 seasons and was nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2002.
In 2006 and 2007, Richardson played for the Minnesota Vikings, where he battled injuries but still earned his third Pro Bowl selection. He began the NFL journey of Adrian Peterson, who rushed for 1314 yards in his rookie season. The New York Jets became Tony's last team in his career, playing for them from 2008 to 2010. During this time, he also served for two years on the executive committee of the NFL Players Association. The league included him in the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s. Since 2016, Richardson has been inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.
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After retiring from playing, Tony fully utilized his two degrees and pursued a business career. He also actively participates in charitable events, regularly visits military units serving abroad, and remains engaged with the Army and Navy.
That’s All Things You Need To Know About Tony Richardson.