{{Short description|American football player and commentator (born 1979)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography |name=Anthony Herron |image=Anthony Herron in 2012.jpg |caption=Herron in 2012. |number=77, 99 |position=Defensive end |birth_date={{birth date and age|1979|9|24}} |birth_place=Bolingbrook, Illinois, U.S. |death_date= |height_ft = 6 |height_in = 3 |weight_lbs = 280 |high_school = Bolingbrook {{nowrap|(Bolingbrook, Illinois)}} |college=Iowa |undraftedyear=2001 |teams= * Detroit Lions (2001)*<ref>{{cite web |title=Anthony Herron |url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/h/herr01500.html |website=Pro Football Archives |access-date=6 July 2024}}</ref> * Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2001}})* * Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2001|2002}}) * Indiana Firebirds ({{AFL Year|2004}}) * Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2004}})* * Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2004|2005}})* * Nashville Kats ({{AFL Year|2006}}–{{AFL Year|2007}}) |pastcoaching= * Tennessee Valley Vipers (asst. HC/DC) ({{af2 Year|2008}}–{{af2 Year|2009}}) |statlabel1=Games played |statvalue1=1 |aflstatlabel1=Games played |aflstatvalue1=26 |aflstatlabel2=Total tackles |aflstatvalue2=27.5 |aflstatlabel3=Sacks |aflstatvalue3=4.0 |aflstatlabel4=Pass deflections |aflstatvalue4=5 |aflstatlabel5=Receiving touchdowns |aflstatvalue5=1 |pfr=H/HerrAn21 |afl=4360 |highlights= '''As assistant coach:''' * ArenaCup champion (IX)
}}
'''Anthony Glenn Herron'''<ref name="marriage"/> (born September 24, 1979) is an American football commentator and former defensive end. Originally from Bolingbrook, Illinois, Herron played college football at Iowa. Following the 2001 NFL draft, Herron signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent and spent three seasons with the team, in addition to short stints with the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Atlanta Falcons. Although Herron played in only one NFL game, he had a more productive career in the Arena Football League with the Indiana Firebirds in 2004 and Nashville Kats in 2006 and 2007. A regular starter for the Kats in 2006, Herron played a total of 26 games in the Arena Football League.
After his playing career, Herron was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Valley Vipers of af2 from 2008 to 2009, helping the Vipers win the ArenaCup IX title in 2008. Herron also became a college football and NFL commentator on Chicago-area and national TV and radio, including the Big Ten Network, Pac-12 Network, and Sirius XM.
==Early life and college career== Born and raised in Bolingbrook, Illinois, Herron graduated from Bolingbrook High School in 1997. He played football, basketball, and track in high school.<ref name="Iowa">{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20021120094656/http://www.hawkeyefootball.com/2000/players/99.htm|archivedate=November 20, 2002|title=Anthony Herron|url=http://www.hawkeyefootball.com/2000/players/99.htm|publisher=University of Iowa|work=HawkeyeFootball.com|accessdate=September 27, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> At the University of Iowa, Herron played at defensive end from 1997 to 2000 and was a regular starter in his last two seasons.<ref name="Iowa"/> As a senior in 2000, Herron had an honorable mention All-Big Ten season after making 64 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles.<ref name="Falcons">{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051127233757/http://www.atlantafalcons.com:80/team/playerBio.jsp?id=1577|archivedate=November 27, 2005|title=Anthony Herron|url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/playerBio.jsp?id=1577|publisher=Atlanta Falcons|accessdate=September 27, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> In his college career, Herron had 172 tackles (including 19 for loss), 10 sacks, and one blocked kick.<ref name="Kats"/> Herron completed his bachelor's degree in English at Tennessee State University during the 2006 offseason while playing for the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League.<ref name="Kats"/>
==Pro football career== ===NFL=== After the 2001 NFL draft, Herron signed as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions on April 27, 2001 and was released on September 2 following the preseason.<ref name="Falcons"/> On September 4, Herron signed with the Green Bay Packers. He was released on October 5 but re-signed with the Packers practice squad two weeks later on October 19.<ref name="Falcons"/> The Lions signed Herron to its active roster off the Packers practice squad on November 27.<ref name="Falcons"/> Herron made his NFL debut coming off the bench during the Lions' 2001 season finale, a 15–10 win over the Dallas Cowboys on January 6, 2002 that also marked the last NFL game played at the Pontiac Silverdome.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HerrAn21/gamelog/|title=Anthony Herron Career Game Log|publisher=Pro Football Reference|accessdate=September 27, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Falcons"/> That game would be Herron's only career game in the NFL.<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406104114/http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/236948|archivedate=April 6, 2005|title=Anthony Herron|publisher=NFL|url=https://www.nfl.com/players/anthony-herron/|accessdate=September 27, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Due to a foot injury, Herron was on the Lions' physically unable to perform list throughout the 2002 season. The Lions released Herron on August 26, 2003.<ref name="Falcons"/> In 2004, Herron signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 9 but was cut on August 27. Later that year, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons practice squad on November 10. He was released on December 14 but re-signed with the practice squad on January 5, 2005.<ref name="Falcons"/> Following the 2005 preseason, Herron was waived during final roster cuts on September 3.<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051130054258/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/article.jsp?id=8119|archivedate=November 30, 2005|title=Falcons make 21 moves to reach 53-man roster limit|url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/article.jsp?id=8119|date=September 3, 2005|publisher=Atlanta Falcons|accessdate=September 27, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Arena Football League=== In 2004, Herron played in eight games for the Indiana Firebirds of the Arena Football League, recording 10 tackles, defending one pass, and making eight quarterback hurries.<ref name="ArenaFan"/><ref name="Kats">{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624160321/http://www.katsonline.com/team/players/name.php?PRKey=19|archivedate=June 24, 2007|title=Anthony Herron|url=http://www.katsonline.com/team/players/name.php?PRKey=19|publisher=Nashville Kats|accessdate=September 27, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> From 2006 to 2007, Herron played at both offensive and defensive line for the Nashville Kats, wearing jersey #99. Starting 11 games in 2006 and playing four games off the bench in 2007, Herron had 20.5 total tackles and four sacks in two seasons.<ref name="ArenaFan">{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/Anthony_Herron-4360/|title=Anthony Herron|publisher=ArenaFan|accessdate=September 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Anthony Herron Game Logs for the 2007 Season |url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=4360&pageview=gamelogs |publisher=ArenaFan |accessdate=September 27, 2020}}</ref> He had one seven-yard touchdown reception in 2006.<ref name="ArenaFan"/>
==Coaching career== In 2008 and 2009, Herron was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Valley Vipers of the Arena Football League's minor league af2.<ref name="wings">{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.com/2009/08/20/former-hawkeye-herron-stretching-his-wings|title=Former Hawkeye Herron stretching his wings|last=Hlas|first=Mike|work=The Gazette|place=Cedar Rapids, Iowa|date=August 20, 2009|accessdate=September 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817041815/http://blog.al.com/mccarter/2009/07/vipers_vs_green_bay_two_footba.html|archivedate=August 17, 2009|title=Vipers vs. Green Bay: Two football traditions|last=McCarter|first=Mark|work=McCarter's Musings|publisher=AL.com|date=July 30, 2009|url=https://www.al.com/mccarter/2009/07/vipers_vs_green_bay_two_footba.html|accessdate=September 27, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> He helped the Vipers win the ArenaCup IX title.<ref name="Football U">{{cite web|url=https://footballuniversity.org/coach/anthony-herron/|title=Anthony Herron|publisher=Football University|accessdate=September 27, 2020}}</ref>
==Broadcasting career== Herron has worked for the Big Ten Network as a game and studio analyst, NFL Network as an analyst for Arena Football, and NBC Sports as a college football analyst.<ref name="Football U"/> Since 2013, he has been a college football analyst for the Pac-12 Network.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mast|first=Allison|url=https://pac-12.com/news/2015/9/5/veteran-analyst-anthony-herron-shines-rookie-debut-studio-host.aspx|title=Veteran analyst Anthony Herron shines in rookie debut as studio host|publisher=Pac-12 Network|date=September 5, 2015|access-date=September 27, 2020}}</ref> Herron is a college football commentator for Chicago sports radio station WSCR "670 the Score" and Chicago Bears commentator for Chicago TV station WFLD.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radio.com/670thescore/anthony-herron-iowa-hawkeyes-chris-doyle-racism-allegations-kirk-ferentz-knew-some-culture|title=Herron: I Accept Ferentz Missed Extent Of Allegations|publisher=670 the Score|accessdate=September 27, 2020|date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> In addition, he is also a host for the Sirius XM Big Ten Radio channel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmbigtenradio|title = SiriusXM Big Ten Radio}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 2003, Herron married Katherine Druley in East Falmouth, Massachusetts.<ref name="marriage">{{cite web|url=https://www.capecodtimes.com/article/20030914/LIFE0901/309149951|title=Herron-Druley|work=Cape Cod Times|date=September 14, 2003|accessdate=September 27, 2020}}</ref> He lived in Dearborn, Michigan while playing for the Lions.<ref name="marriage"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Twitter|BigAntHerron}} * {{Facebook|BigAntHerron}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herron, Anthony}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:American football defensive linemen Category:Arena football announcers Category:College football announcers Category:Detroit Lions players Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football players Category:People from Bolingbrook, Illinois Category:Players of American football from Will County, Illinois Category:ArenaBowl broadcasters Category:Indiana Firebirds players Category:Nashville Kats players Category:Tennessee State University alumni Category:Alabama Vipers coaches Category:Players of American football from DuPage County, Illinois