Position: Long Snapper / Center Name Dan Turk Role American football player | Weight 132 kg Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Siblings Matt Turk | |
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Date of birth: (1962-06-25)June 25, 1962 Date of death: December 24, 2000(2000-12-24) (aged 38) Died December 24, 2000, Ashburn, Virginia, United States Education James Madison College, James Madison Academic Campus, Drake University, University of Wisconsin-Madison | ||
Place of death: Ashburn, Virginia Place of birth: Milwaukee, Wisconsin | ||
Dan Turk: Football Long Snapper and Center
Daniel Anthony Turk (June 25, 1962 – December 24, 2000) was an American football center in the National Football League from 1985 to 1999 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. Turk was mainly used as a long snapper and reserve center.
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Professional career
Turk was a 4th round pick (101st overall selection) of the Steelers in the 1985 draft. He was the only player on an active NFL roster who appeared as a replacement player during the 1987 strike, appearing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their final replacement game.
In 1995, as a result of a training camp injury to Don Mosebar, Turk became the fourth starting center in Raider history. That year, he started all 16 games, between Steve Wisniewski at left guard and Kevin Gogan at right guard, and did a credible job for a team finishing with a won-lost record of 8-8, Mike White's first year as head coach. But the following year, he was replaced by a heavier and more powerful blocker: Barret Robbins.
Dan Turk went to Washington in 1997, long snapping to his brother, Matt Turk. He also served as a holder for place kicking. In his final season with the Redskins and in the NFL, Turk botched several snaps during the regular season. During his last game, a divisional round contest of the 1999-00 NFL playoffs against his former club, the Buccaneers, he misdirected the snap to Brett Conway that could have resulted in a game-winning 51-yard field goal. He died from testicular cancer the following year at age 38 after being diagnosed earlier in the year.