Born in Cohoes, NY, Tommy Myers came to Syracuse from New Britain, Connecticut.

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An outstanding athlete at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, he went on to football stardom at Syracuse University and the National Football League.

Myers may not have been big, but the 180-pound free safety was regarded as one of the hardest hitters in the NFL.

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At SU, Tommy played for legendary Hall of Famer Ben Schwartzwalder.  Those were not the best of times on the Hill, the Orange going just 14-15-1 and bowl-less.

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But Myers was a stud in the secondary — an Associated Press first team All-American defensive back and recipient of SU’s Bill Horr Most Valuable Player Award as a senior.  He played in the 1971 East-West Shrine and 1972 College All-Star games.

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Tommy was also a great punt returner (13.6-yard average).  His 436 return yards as a junior in 1970 remained a school record into the 21st century.

Myers is a member of Syracuse’s All-Century Team.

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A third-round pick by New Orleans (and 74th overall), Tommy played his entire NFL career with the Saints.  Again, losses outnumbered wins.

 

But the gritty defensive back remained a standout, playing in 136 games.  He was the Saints’ initial first-team All-Pro in 1979, and a Pro Bowl selection.

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He had 36 interceptions during his Saints’ career — 18 of those returned 390 yards from 1978-80, including a franchise-record 97-yarder for a touchdown thrown by the Vikings’ Fran Tarkenton in the 1978 opener. He also had 15 fumble recoveries (2 for touchdowns) and took a blocked punt in for a score.

A shoulder injury sidelined him in 1982.  He later finished his pro football-playing days with the USFL’s Houston Gamblers in 1984 and ’85, rooming with quarterback Jim Kelly.

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Tommy was named to Houston’s all-time team.  Even more impressive was his 1989 induction into the Saints’ Hall of Fame.

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And now, Tommy Myers — No. 37 — becomes a member of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2018.