Andre Tippett

Andre Bernard Tippett Sr. was born on December 27, 1959, in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended Barringer High School in Newark, New Jersey, before playing college football at Ellsworth Community College and the University of Iowa. At the University of Iowa, he was recognized as a consensus All-American in 1981 and a two-time All-Big Ten selection (1980 and 1981). He led the Hawkeyes to their first winning season in two decades in 1981, along with their first Big Ten title and Rose Bowl appearance. He holds the Iowa record for tackles for lost yardage in a season with 20 tackles for 153 yards in 1980.

Tippett was selected by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 1982 NFL draft, where he spent his entire 11-year professional career. He is considered one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history, setting the record for most sacks over a two-year period with 35 sacks in the 1984 and 1985 seasons. He also holds the Patriots’ franchise record for career sacks with 100.0. During his career, he was a five-time Pro Bowl selection (1984-1988) and was named first-team All-Pro twice (1985 and 1987). In 1985, he was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the AFC champion Patriots and was also voted the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) co-Defensive Player of the Year. Tippett holds a seventh-degree black belt in Uechi-ryu karate and has studied martial arts for over four decades.

Following his retirement from the NFL, Tippett transitioned into a leadership role within the New England Patriots organization. Since 2007, he has served as the team’s Executive Director of Community Affairs, actively engaging in local youth football and coaching a Pop Warner team. His contributions to football were recognized with his induction into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in 1999, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021. He was also inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.