| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | Running back |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1971-04-15)April 15, 1971 (age 54) London, Ontario, Canada |
| Listed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Saunders Secondary(London, Ontario) |
| University | Western Ontario |
| NFL draft | 1994: undrafted |
| CFL draft | 1994: 3rd round, 28th overall pick |
| Career history | |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Stats atPro Football Reference | |
Timothy Scott Tindale (born April 15, 1971) is a Canadian former professionalfootball player who was arunning back for theBuffalo Bills of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedCIS football in Canada at theUniversity of Western Ontario.
Tindale was an all-starfullback with theWestern Mustangs football program from 1990 to 1994. After dominating the CIS, he graduated with a degree inkinesiology. While in High School atSaunders Secondary School, he said he never intended to play pro football, but instead wanted to be a doctor. Tim won 2Hec Crighton trophies, which is awarded to the CIS Football player of the year. Many say that if he hadn't fractured his leg in 1992, he would've gotten a third. Tindale was announced as a member of theCanadian Football Hall of Fame 2022 class, based on his university career, on June 21, 2022.[1]
In 1994, after graduating from the kinesiology program, Tindale tried out for the Buffalo Bills as a free agent and made the squad. "It was an unbelievable life experience," he said. Tim remembers his first NFL game, saying he's never seen so many people for an exhibition game. "70,000 people came just to see some guys try out for a team."
With rumours of the treatment of Canadian players in the NFL filtering through fans and players alike, Tindale had the inside scoop and his pleasant experience contradicted the stereotypes. "On my first day of mini-camp,Buffalo Bills coachMarv Levy came up to me and knew my name and all my stats. He was the head coach and he knew everything about me." (Levy had coached in theCanadian Football League for a period in the late 1970s and early 1980s.) Tindale had gained television exposure in Buffalo throughCHCH-TV's broadcast of Ontario university football, which had made him a "cult hero" of sorts in the station's broadcast area.[2]
Tindale scored his first career rushing touchdown on December 30, 1995, in aplayoff game against theMiami Dolphins.[3] His Western University coach, Larry Haylor, said he remembers watching Tindale's first NFL touchdown while on vacation. "We were huddled around a 7-inch TV screen. Tim broke a run for 44 yards and my wife and I were jumping up and down, cheering and screaming. People came storming into our room to see what was wrong." Haylor also said "I always said Tim would be the guy I would pick first if I had to choose a team. At 5'11", 220 [pounds], he had very unusual talents. He's one of those guys who will give you his soul in effort."
Due to injuries, Tim had to retire from the NFL.