Tom Curtis (American football)
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Curtis interviewed after the 1969 Michigan-Ohio State game
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| Position: | Safety |
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| Personal information | |
| Date of birth: | November 1, 1947 |
| Place of birth: | Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Career information | |
| College: | Michigan |
| NFL Draft: | 1970 / Round: 14 / Pick: 356 |
| Career history | |
Thomas Newton Curtis (born November 1, 1947) is a former American football safety. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. He was selected as a consensus All-American in 1969. He also broke Michigan's records for interceptions in a game, season, and career—none of which have been broken. He also set the NCAA career record with 431 return yards off interceptions. Curtis also played two seasons for the Baltimore Colts (1970–1971) which included the Colts' Super Bowl V winning team. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
Curtis was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1947. He grew up in Aurora, Ohio, where he was the quarterback on the Aurora High School football team. He was a Class A All-Ohio quarterback in high school.
Curtis played college football at the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969. As a freshman in 1966, he played at the quarterback position on the all-freshman team.
As a sophomore, the Michigan coaching staff asked Curtis to move from the quarterback position to the safety position. Curtis told a reporter the following year, "It took a little mental adjustment on my part, but it was all right with me. I wanted to play, and it was pretty obvious I wasn't going to beat out (Dick) Vidmer." Curtis started eight games at safety and one at cornerback for the 1967 Michigan Wolverines football team. On November 11, 1967, Curtis had three interceptions against Illinois, which remains tied for Michigan's single game record. During the 1967 season (his first as a defensive back), Curtis totaled seven interceptions to tie the Big Ten Conference record. In June 1968, Curtis received the Frederick C. Matthei Scholarship Award for sportsmanship off and on the field.
As a junior, Curtis started all 10 games for the 1968 team that finished the season with a record of 8-2. He totaled 10 interceptions in 1968, a mark that remains Michigan's single season record. He was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten player after the 1968 season.
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