Ron Blackledge, Todd Backledge father, boasts an impressive thirty-three-year history as a former coach. He also brings a wealth of experience as a former collegiate-level player.
As the old tale says, “Like father, Like son,” Todd shares his father’s enthusiasm, mainly for sports.
Acknowledging his success in the NFL until today, Todd credits his father for his unwavering support and guidance.
A former professional from 1983-1989, Todd Blackledge, spent over six seasons playing in the National Football League (NFL).
After high school, Todd committed to play for the Penn State Nittany Lions, leading the team toward the 1983 Sugar Bowl victory.
Throughout his professional tenure, the quarterback played for two teams- Kansas City Chiefs (1983-1987) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1988-1989).
Drafted in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft, he mainly served as a backup QB on both teams.
Following his retirement, the former footballer opted for a career in broadcasting, initially starting as a college football analyst in 1994 with ABC Sports.
Recently, Todd joined NBC Sports as the color analyst, ending a 17-year association with ESPN.
Who Is Todd Blackledge Father? Know About Ron Blackledge
As mentioned earlier, Todd’s father, Ron Blackledge (born April 15, 1938), takes pride in his impressive history as a retired player and coach.
The Timken High School graduate earned first or second-team All-Ohio honors in football, basketball, and baseball.
Further, while at Bowling Green State University, he played football (1957-1959) and baseball (1958-1960), earning all-conference honors in both sports.
In recognition of his contributions, Ron was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972.
Upon graduation, he transitioned into a coach, starting as head high school football coach at Canton South, Glenwood, and Timken.
From 1968 to 1980, he served as an offensive line coach in various colleges, including Ashland, Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Kenn State University.
Later, Ron commenced his journey in the NFL, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1982 as an assistant coach. Besides that, he was an offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts from 1992 to 1997.
Why Did The Broadcaster Leave ESPN?
Fans have shown a growing interest in delving into the reasons behind the broadcaster’s decision to depart from ESPN.
After nearly serving for 17 years since 2006, college football analyst Todd Blackledge left ESPN this season on January 2023.
Following his departure, he joined NBC Sports as the color analyst on Big Ten Saturday Night alongside Noah Eagle.
In an interview with The Athletic, Todd stated,
“It wasn’t as much what was wrong with ESPN as what was right with NBC.”
Explaining further, Todd mentioned,
“When NBC came and kind of started talking to me about what this project was going to be, what this new adventure was going to be, I was very intrigued.”
Moreover, he stated that NBC made him feel very important and wanted, and he enjoys working where they make him feel so.
