Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers great Tunch Ilkin dies after battle with ALS

Tunch Ilkin, who in 1980 was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, died Saturday, according to his best friend and former teammate Craig Wolfley.

Ilkin passed away at age 63 after a bout with ALS, which he first made public in October of 2020.

“We are heartbroken by the passing of Tunch Ilkin. He was a man of faith who dedicated his entire life to being a devout Christian and family man,” Steelers president Art Rooney said in a statement. “His passion for the game was evident in his everyday life. As a player, he fought his way through tough times of being cut and injured, but continued to make an impact as a leader of our offensive line and made two Pro Bowls.”

Ilkin, an offensive tackle, became the first player of Turkish descent to play in the National Football League in 1980. He played 13 seasons for the Steelers, then one season with the Green Bay Packers before announcing his retirement after the 1993 season.

In his NFL career, Ilkin made two Pro Bowl teams — one in 1988 and one in 1989 — and was named to the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time team. He helped the Steelers make it to the AFC Championship game in 1989.

Ilkin also served as the vice president of the NFL Players Association from 1989 to 1994.

He played college football at Indiana State.

“After his playing career, Tunch continued to make an impact in our community in so many ways,” Rooney’s statement continued. “His desire to always help others made everyone apprecaite him. He was loved by his family, teammates and friends.”

Ilkin after his retirement joined the Steelers broadcast team in 1998, where he continued to play a role in the organization. He worked his way up into the lead analyst role, alongside play-by-play man Bill Hillgrove, and spent years analyzing the Steelers’ play on radio, television and local networks in Pittsburgh.

Ilkin eventually worked his way into infrequent analyst roles in national television broadcasts, working games for NBC during the 1995 NFL season.

“We were fortunate to have Tunch as a player and broadcaster for so many years,” Rooney said. “Our condolences to his entire family during this difficult time.”