Todd Christensen was born August 3, 1956 in Pennsylvania, the second son of Ned and June Christensen. Early in his childhood the family moved to Eugene, Oregon, where Todd’s father Ned was a University of Oregon professor. From an early age Todd had a strong interest in athletics, excelling in track and field, baseball, basketball, and football. Football was destined to become his meal ticket. He was a 4-year starter at fullback for Brigham Young University and was later drafted into the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. After a few years of struggling in the league, he found his niche with the Oakland Raiders, where he became an all-pro pass-catching tight end, leading the league in receiving twice and winning two super bowl championships.

Within Christensen’s pedigree are some groundbreaking achievements. In 1983, he caught 92 passes, for the second highest total in NFL season history (Johnny Morris of the Chicago Bears had 93 in 1963). It was also a record for tight ends at the time, one he raised three years later to 95, becoming the only tight end in history to have caught 90 passes at the time, having done it twice. Twice he led the NFL in receptions, as did Kellen Winslow. Christensen and Winslow are the only tight ends still to have topped the league even once. Christensen went to five straight Pro Bowls and is the only player in history to have led the league in receiving for a Super Bowl Champion. Even before his playing career was done, his unique verbal skill was recognized, and he transitioned easily from the playing field to the broadcast booth, working as a broadcaster for NBC, ESPN, the MTN Network, and most recently, CBS Sports. He also had a short but memorable stint as a moderator for the television program, ‘American Gladiators.’

Todd recognized how fortunate he was that so many of his childhood dreams had come true, but professional success, however rewarding, did not distract him from what he considered his true priorities in life – his family and his faith. He was married to Kathleen Simmons Christensen, the love of his life, on November 28, 1977 and the two of them had four sons and now eight grandchildren. Todd passed away on November 13, 2013 at the age of 57, due to complications during surgery.