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22 Facts About Tony Mandarich

1.

Ante Josip "Tony" Mandarich was born on September 23,1966 and is a Canadian former professional American football player who was an offensive tackle for seven seasons in the National Football League.

2.

Tony Mandarich is the only top five pick in his draft class not inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and is considered a draft bust.

3.

Tony Mandarich was born and raised in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, the son of Croatian immigrants.

4.

Tony Mandarich was a unanimous first-team All-American in his senior year, an Outland Award finalist and a two-time Big Ten Lineman of the Year.

5.

Tony Mandarich was selected second overall by the Green Bay Packers.

6.

The September 28,1992, cover of Sports Illustrated featuring Tony Mandarich labelled him "The NFL's Incredible Bust".

7.

Tony Mandarich did not admit his steroid use until 2008, though according to SI, he told at least one Packer teammate that he did use steroids.

8.

Tony Mandarich's family checked him into a rehabilitation clinic on March 23,1995, and he became sober.

9.

Tony Mandarich returned to football in 1996 with the Indianapolis Colts, seeing his first meaningful game action in five years.

10.

Tony Mandarich started all 16 games during the 1997 season and retired from football in 1998 due to a shoulder injury.

11.

Tony Mandarich owned a golf course and remarried his wife Char in 2004.

12.

From September 2004 until September 2005, Tony Mandarich served as an NFL analyst for The Score TV sports network in Canada.

13.

Tony Mandarich quit in October 2005 and moved to Arizona.

14.

Tony Mandarich has expanded his business, named Tony Mandarich Media Group, to include photography, video production, web design, search engine optimization, and Internet marketing.

15.

In September 2008, Tony Mandarich admitted to using anabolic steroids during his college career at Michigan State, and that he faked a drug test before the 1988 Rose Bowl.

16.

Tony Mandarich stated that he did not use steroids while in the NFL, but did reveal that he was addicted to alcohol and painkillers while playing for the Packers.

17.

Tony Mandarich went further in 2009, saying he used steroids from late in his senior year of high school until the 1989 NFL Combine.

18.

Tony Mandarich only stopped because NFL testing procedures even then made it impossible to cheat.

19.

In that book, Tony Mandarich ascribed his underwhelming performance with the Green Bay Packers to his painkiller addiction, which sapped his drive and work ethic.

20.

Tony Mandarich's addiction was such that he kept syringes in his athletic supporter to have his narcotics supply close at hand.

21.

Tony Mandarich went on to describe his traumatic and triumphant stint in rehabilitation, and his subsequent return to the NFL.

22.

In 2009, Tony Mandarich was sued by his former girlfriend for posting explicit photographs of her online.