Tony Mandarich

About Tony Mandarich

Ante Josip "Tony" Mandarich (born September 23, 1966 in Oakville, Ontario) is a former football offensive lineman of the NFL. He was the first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1989, second overall behind Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and ahead of the third selection, Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders.

Tony had an older brother, John, who was instrumental in his development as an athlete, including sponsoring his younger brother's transfer to a stateside high school before Tony's senior year. John made his own reputation in professional football in the Canadian Football League.

Playing at Michigan State University, Mandarich played in the 1988 Rose Bowl, was named as a first-team All-American, an Outland Award finalist and a two-time Big Ten Lineman of the Year. Upon his entry into the 1989 NFL Draft, both scouts and media (most notably Sports Illustrated, which did a cover story on him, famously naming him "The Incredible Bulk") began trumpeting Mandarich as the best offensive line prospect ever. He appeared on the cover of Sports Ilustrated twice. Mandarich was also a colorful character, such as challenging then-Heavyweight Boxing Champion Mike Tyson to a fight, his well-documented love of the band Guns N' Roses (he had a dog named Axl and also a tattoo of the cross-design from the cover of Appetite for Destruction on his arm), and referring to Green Bay as "a village".