Tom Curtis ( American football ) 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 . Early years . 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 . University of Michigan . 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 . As a senior , Curtis started all 11 games at safety for the 1969 team that was the first to be coached by Bo Schembechler . He intercepted eight passes for 156 yards in 1969 . Two of his interceptions came in the Michigan ' s victory in the 1969 Ohio State game , regarded as one of the biggest upsets in college football history . He was selected as a consensus first - team All - American ( selected as first - team by , among others , the United Press , Associated Press and " Football News " ) . With 25 career interception s , Curtis still holds Michigan ' s all - time career interceptions record . ( Charles Woodson is second with 18 interceptions . ) His career total of 431 return yards off interceptions also broke the NCAA record set by Lynn Chandnois in the 1940s . At the end of the 2010 college football season , Curtis was tied for fourth place in career interceptions in NCAA Division I - A / FBS history . In an interview in 1968 , Curtis said he know how to think like a quarterback after playing five years at the position . He noted that his ability to think like a quarterback and read formations helped make him successful as a defensive back . Asked years later about his skill at intercepting passes , Curtis said , " I ' m not certain how I did it . It was a combination of instinct , great hands and quickness - - not speed . " In 2005 , Curtis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame . Professional football . Curtis was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the 14th round ( 356th overall pick ) of the 1970 NFL Draft . He appeared in 24 games for the Colts during the 1970 and 1971 seasons . In August 1972 , Curtis was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for a future draft pick . He was cut by the Rams and picked up on waivers by the Miami Dolphins . He missed the Dolphins ' undefeated 1972 season with a knee injury that kept him on injured reserve status . In late July 1973 , Curtis announced his retirement from professional football . Family and publishing career . Curtis met his wife , Debbie , in Miami , FL . They were married in approximately 1974 and live in Miami . They have two sons , Brad and Matthew , and a daughter , Tammi , who is married to former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr ' s son , Jason Carr . Curtis owns and operates Curtis Publishing Company , one of the nation ' s largest privately owned publishing companies . The company ' s publications include " Dolphin Digest " , " Steelers Digest " , " Eagles Insider " , " River Cities Gazette " , and " Draft Digest " . He was also the owner and publisher of " Football News " .