Editing Steve Tasker (section)

==Professional football career==
Tasker was selected in the ninth round (226th overall) of the [[1985 NFL draft]] by the Houston Oilers where he played for two seasons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1985/draft.htm |access-date=2023-10-05 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills on November 8, 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.buffalobills.com/team/history/important-dates-november.html |title=The Month of November in Bills History |publisher=[[Buffalo Bills]] |access-date=August 9, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413135411/http://www.buffalobills.com/team/history/important-dates-november.html |archive-date=April 13, 2009 }}</ref>

Tasker was listed as a wide receiver, however, most of his playing time came as a [[Gunner (American football)|gunner]], on [[Punt (gridiron football)|punts]] and [[Kickoff (American football)|kickoffs]]. After he joined the Buffalo Bills, he began to play at wide receiver more than with the Oilers. While he performed very well as a receiver when Buffalo needed his services there, the combination of excellent Bills depth at that position, his value as a special teams playmaker, and Tasker refusing to demand more playing time on offense kept his WR time very slight.

Still, Tasker did make contributions at the more traditional role on offense and special teams.  In a 1994 playoff game against the [[Los Angeles Raiders]], he set up the Bills first touchdown with a 67-yard kickoff return.  He also caught 5 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo's 1995 playoff win against the [[Miami Dolphins]].

===Play on special teams===
Tasker stood {{convert|5|ft|9|in|m}} tall and weighed {{convert|180|lb}}; when he joined the Bills, [[Jim Haslett]] did not think that he was a player. Tasker recalled, "I told him not to worry because I was mistaken for a ball boy all the time".<ref name="tasker2013">{{Cite book |title=The Buffalo Bills: My Life on a Special Team |last1=Tasker |first1=Steve |last2=Pitoniak | first2=Scott | publisher=Sports Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-61321-328-5 |chapter=Introduction }}</ref> Despite his small size, he gained a reputation as one of the league's most feared hitters, forcing numerous [[fumble]]s. Contributing to his success in breaking up kick and punt returns was his speed; he was almost always the first player to reach the return man. He was the first player to establish himself as a star almost exclusively through [[special teams]] play without being a [[Place kicker|kicker]] or a frequent returner. Tasker played in seven [[Pro Bowl]]s ([[1988 Pro Bowl|1987]] and [[1991 Pro Bowl|1990]]–[[1996 Pro Bowl|1995]]) and became the only special teamer ever to be named the game's [[Most valuable player|MVP]] in [[1993 Pro Bowl|1993]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/410954-the-legend-of-special-teams-icon-steve-tasker |title=The Legend Of Special Teams Icon Steve Tasker |date=2010-06-24 |first=Philip |last=Dodson |work=Bleacher Report}}</ref>

* 204 special teams tackles  
* 7 blocked punts
* 7-time Pro Bowl selection
* Only special teams player ever elected Pro Bowl MVP
* Was voted one of 26 players by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the year 2000 as "The Best of the Best ALL TIME Players in the History of the Game"

He was ranked No. 9 on the [[NFL Network]]'s ''[[NFL Top 10]]'' Players Not in the Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite AV media | date=May 15, 2017 |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvETIAEGovg| title=#9 Steve Tasker - NFL Films - Top 10 Players Not in the Hall of Fame |medium=Motion picture |publisher=NFL Films}}</ref>

Many, including former teammate and [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] [[quarterback]] [[Jim Kelly]], consider him to be the greatest [[special teams]] player of all-time and believe that he should be in the Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Ryan |title=Buffalo Bills special teams ace Steve Tasker named Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist |url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/football/nfl/bills/2023/07/12/steve-tasker-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-2024-semifinalist-buffalo-bills/70407447007/ |website=democratandchronicle.com |publisher=www.democratandchronicle.com |access-date=21 December 2023}}</ref>