Todd Christensen Todd Jay Christensen ( born August 3 , 1956 ) is a former professional American football player and a current sports broadcaster for the CBS Sports Network . Early years . Christensen was born in Bellefonte , Pennsylvania , on August 3 , 1956 , to Ned Jay and June Christensen . His father was working on a doctorate degree at Penn State University at that time . After teaching in West Virginia , his father was offered a professorship in Eugene , Oregon , when Todd was 5 and the family relocated . Athletically , Christensen ’ s early desire was to continue excelling in track and field as he had when he set the world records as a 9 - year - old boy . “ Puberty and adolescence helped me realize that I was not as fast as I had thought , ” he recalled . “ My body went a different direction and that was when I started leaning towards football . ” He graduated from Sheldon High School in Eugene , and then attended Brigham Young University ( BYU ) in Utah . At BYU , Christensen was a four - year starter ( 1974 – 77 ) at running back , led the team for three consecutive seasons in receiving and was an All - Western Athletic Conference selection in 1977 . His career numbers while at BYU : 152 receptions , 1 , 568 yards and 15 touchdowns . He graduated with a degree in social work in 1978 before embarking on his pro career . Professional career . Dallas Cowboys . Christensen began his NFL career as a second - round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1978 NFL Draft . While playing fullback and leading the team in rushing , he broke his foot in the final exhibition game , so he was placed on injured reserve and couldn ' t play a down on a season the team went on to win Super Bowl XII . The next year the Cowboys wanted to convert him to tight end , but he didn ' t agree with the move after working one week in his new position , so he was waived at the end of training camp . New York Giants . He was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants but only played in one game , and lasted two weeks with the team . Oakland Raiders . After being unclaimed , he was signed by the Oakland Raiders in 1979 and became a key player on special teams . After three seasons of unspectacular statistics ( including the Raiders ' Super Bowl winning campaign in 1980 ) , Christensen broke out in 1982 , catching 42 balls for 510 yards and 4 TD ' s in the strike - shortened season , helping the Raiders to the best record in the NFL . The next year , Christensen caught 92 passes for a career high 1 , 247 yards and 12 touchdowns and earned the first of his five trips to the Pro Bowl for his efforts . His total catches led the NFL , making him the second tight end to ever do this ( Kellen Winslow was the other ) . The Raiders finished the season with a resounding 38 - 9 victory over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII . Christensen topped 1 , 000 yards again in 1984 , catching 82 passes in the process . He hit 80 receptions again the following year , missing 1 , 000 yards by just 13 yards . The 1986 NFL season was Christensen ' s last big one statistically . He ended the year with a career - high , league - leading 95 receptions for 1 , 153 yards and 8 touchdowns . He also became the first tight end in history to catch 90 passes in two seasons . Christensen ' s 1987 campaign was cut short , but in 12 games he still managed to catch 47 balls ( a little less than 4 a game ) . His 663 yards averaged to 14 . 1 yards per reception , a career high in seasons where he caught at least 40 . In Christensen ' s final year , he missed more than half the season with injuries and only managed 15 receptions , with none going for touchdowns , after which he retired . In his career , Christensen caught 461 passes for 5 , 872 yards and 41 touchdowns . In eight postseason games , he caught 31 balls for 358 yards and only one touchdown . He led the league in receptions twice , and his 349 receptions from 1983 - 86 were an NFL record . Post NFL . Following his football career Todd Christensen had tryouts with the Oakland A ' s and the Anaheim Angels but found his niche in Masters Track and Field where he set an age - group World Record in the Heptathlon and was the top decathlete in the world for ages 45 - and - over . Christensen became a broadcaster , co - hosting the second half of the first season of " American Gladiators " with Mike Adamle . He later joined the " NFL on NBC " as a color commentator from 1990 to 1994 , teaming up with Charlie Jones for the first 4 years , see List of NFL on NBC commentator pairings . He has recently done color commentary for ESPN ' s college football coverage before moving to MountainWest Sports Network . Christensen would remain with Mtn . until the network shut down in June 2012 . Christensen was announced as the new analyst for CBS Sports Network Navy games in August 2012 . In 2000 , Christensen was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame .