{{Short description|American football player (born c. 1963)}} {{About|the quarterback|the theatrical literary agent|Tom Erhardt|the athlete specializing in decathlon and pole vault|Tim Ehrhardt}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Tom Ehrhardt | image = | alt = | caption = | number = 12 | position = Quarterback | birth_date = {{Circa|{{Birth year and age|1963}}}} | birth_place = Queens, New York, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lbs =206 | high_school = Holy Cross<br/>(Flushing, Queens) | college = C. W. Post (1981–1982)<br/>Rhode Island (1983–1985) | undraftedyear = 1986 | pastteams = * New York Jets ({{NFL Year|1986}})* * Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|1987}})* | highlights = * ECAC Hall of Fame (2016) * Rhode Island Hall of Fame (1996) * Yankee Conference Player of the Year (1984, 1985) * First-team All-American (1984, 1985) * First-team All-New England (1984, 1985) * First-team All-Yankee Conference (1984, 1985) * ECAC Division II Rookie of the Year (1981) * Rhode Island Rams No. 12 retired }} '''Thomas E. Ehrhardt''' (born {{Circa|1963}}) is an American former football quarterback. He played college football for the C. W. Post Pioneers and Rhode Island Rams. After going undrafted in the 1986 NFL draft, he signed with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals. His number twelve jersey is retired by the Rhode Island Rams.

== Early life == Ehrhardt was born in Queens, New York, and attended Holy Cross High School in Flushing, Queens.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Valenti |first=John |date=September 22, 1985 |title=Ehrhardt: A Special Kind of Guy |pages=502 |work=Newsday (Nassau Edition) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-ehrhardt-a-spe/127924263/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> He played high school football in Flushing as a quarterback. He was a one-year starter for the school and lead them to the Catholic High School Football League championship game and was also named as a ''New York Newsday'' All-Queens selection in 1980.<ref name=":0" />

==College career==

=== C. W. Post === Ehrhardt began his college football career at C. W. Post. As a true freshman in 1981, he threw for 2,179 yards and twenty touchdowns.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2015-03-20 |title=Former Pioneer To Be Inducted Into ECAC Hall of Fame |url=https://post.liuathletics.com/news/2015/3/20/FB_0320155039.aspx?path=football&mobile=skip |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=LIU Post Athletics |language=en}}</ref> In his last game for the Pioneers, he threw for 432 yards and six touchdowns against Merchant Marine.<ref name=":1" /> He led the team to a 7–4 record.<ref name=":0" /> After the season he was named as the ECAC Rookie of the Year.<ref name=":0" />

Ehrhardt's sophomore season in 1982 was less impressive as he led the team to a 3–7 record along with getting sacked 26 times.<ref name=":0" /> After C. W. Post announced that it was dropping down to Division III, he decided to transfer.

=== Rhode Island === In September 1983, Ehrhardt transferred to Rhode Island and had to take a redshirt season due to NCAA transfer rules.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Haskell |first=Bob |date=November 20, 1984 |title=Rhody's Ehrhardt tops All-YanCon choices |pages=7 |work=The Bangor Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bangor-daily-news-rhodys-ehrhardt-t/127927002/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref>

In 1984, Ehrhardt led the Rams to a 10–3 record and were named co-conference champions of the Yankee Conference.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 1, 1984 |title=Rams host Richmond |pages=13 |work=Record-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/record-journal-rams-host-richmond/127927683/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> During his junior season, he earned the nickname '''Ehr Force''' due to how much the team threw the ball.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yawitz |first=Michael |date=December 6, 1984 |title=URI's Griffin puts the burden on the defenses |pages=12 |work=Bozeman Daily Chronicle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bozeman-daily-chronicle-uris-griffin-pu/127928037/ |url-status= |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> He threw for 3,180 yards and thirty touchdowns during the regular season, which were all Yankee Conference single season records.<ref name=":2" /> He finished the season with 3,870 yards and 36 touchdowns.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=MacMullan |first=Jackie |date=August 23, 1985 |title=Rhode Island is graduated to top of its '85 class |pages=74 |work=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-rhode-island-is-graduat/127928767/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> Following the season, he was named as the conference's Offensive Player of the Year.<ref name=":2" />

After being chosen to finish last in the conference last season, the Rams began the season poised to win the conference.<ref name=":3" /> Ehrhardt was injured during the first game and missed the second game of the 1985 season.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hardesty |first=Abe |date=December 6, 1985 |title=Ehr Force and company on the way |pages=57 |work=The Greenville News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-greenville-news-ehr-force-and-compan/127928371/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> In the first half against New Hampshire on November 2, he partially collapsed his lung in the first half.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Szostak |first=Mike |date=December 5, 1985 |title=College's best won't win Heisman |pages=28 |work=The Herald-News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news-colleges-best-wont-win/127926381/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> Despite his injury, he still threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns.<ref name=":4" /> Against Connecticut, Ehrhardt threw for eight touchdown passes which is a school record.<ref name=":4" /> In the first round of the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs he completed 43 of his seventy pass attempts for 472 yards and five touchdowns in the team's 35–26 victory over No. 10 Akron.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=December 1, 1985 |title=What Makes Him Happy? |pages=46 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-what-makes-him/127926093/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> During that game he set the New England passing record for touchdown passes in a season with forty and most attempts and completions in a game.<ref name=":5" />

===Statistics=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="8"| Passing |- ! GP !! Record !! Comp !! Att !! Pct !! Yards !! Avg !! TD !! Int !! Rate |- ! 1981 !! C. W. Post | 11|| 7–4 || 166|| 295|| 56.3|| 2,179|| '''7.4'''|| 20|| 16|| 129.8 |- ! 1982 !! C. W. Post | 10|| 3–7 || 141|| 278|| 50.7|| 1,424|| 5.1|| 7|| 16|| 90.5 |- ! 1983 !! Rhode Island | colspan="11" | {{abbr|DNP|Did not play}} |- ! 1984 !! Rhode Island | '''13'''|| '''10–3'''|| 308|| 536|| '''57.5'''|| 3,870|| 7.2|| 36|| 19|| '''133.2''' |- ! 1985 !! Rhode Island | 12|| 9–3 || '''365'''|| '''645'''|| 56.6|| '''4,508'''|| 7.0|| '''42'''|| '''27'''|| 128.4 |- ! colspan="2"|[https://gorhody.com/documents/2022/4/12/Record_Book.pdf Career]!! 46!! 29−17 !! 980!! 1,754!! 55.9!! 11,981!! 6.8!! 105!! 78!! 124.1 |}

==Professional career== On May 3, 1986, after going undrafted in the 1986 NFL draft, Ehrhardt signed with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL).<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 4, 1986 |title=Deals |pages=25 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-deals/127929728/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 4, 1986 |title=Ehrhardt signs on with NY Jets |pages=64 |work=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-ehrhardt-signs-on-with/127929826/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> He appeared in one preseason game before being released.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Groeschen |first=Tom |date=July 22, 1987 |title=Bengals give Ehrhardt a look |pages=26 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-bengals-give-ehr/127929406/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref>

On February 7, 1987, Ehrhardt signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 7, 1987 |title=Bengals sign Ehrhardt |pages=8 |work=Troy Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/troy-daily-news-bengals-sign-ehrhardt/127929935/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref> He was waived on September 9, 1987<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 9, 1987 |title=Transactions |pages=144 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-transactions/127929611/ |access-date=July 9, 2023}}</ref>

== Personal life == Ehrhardt has three brothers and three sisters. His brother, Bobby, was also a quarterback for Rhode Island.<ref name=":0" /> Their father died in 1969.<ref name=":0" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://gorhody.com/honors/hall-of-fame/thomas-e-ehrhardt-86-/121 Rhode Island Hall of Fame bio] * [https://ecacsports.com/hof.aspx?hof=28 ECAC Hall of Fame bio]

{{Rhode Island Rams quarterback navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ehrhardt, Tom}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth uncertain Category:1960s births Category:American football quarterbacks Category:Cincinnati Bengals players Category:Holy Cross High School (Flushing) alumni Category:LIU Post Pioneers football players Category:New York Jets players Category:Rhode Island Rams football players Category:Players of American football from Queens, New York