The ‘Peanut Punch’ is one of the most iconic plays in the history of the NFL.
Simple, but effective. Just look to the guy who came up with it.
Tillman was able to make a name for himself in large part because of his infamous ‘peanut punch’Joe Robbins/Getty Images
When asked how it came about, Charles ‘Peanut’ Tillman, shrugged his shoulders and smiled.
“Essentially, I was just thinking outside the box, trying to do something a little bit different,” Tillman said in an exclusive interview with talkSPORT at a Chicago Bears community event in London.
“Seeing how guys were carrying the ball without any responsibility, very loose. And I just said, ‘Oh man, I think I can punch that out.’
“Literally, it was just like that, and one of my coaches told me about it too.
“So I was like, alright, I think if I punch here, it’ll come out. And 44 punches later, it just kept coming out…it just kept coming out.”
44 punches later, Tillman solidified his place in Chicago Bears history.
Tillman played 13 seasons in the league, 12 for the Bears.
He was an All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler during his time in the Windy City, helping lead a fiery Chicago defense all the way to Super Bowl XLI.
Ultimately they came up short to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, losing 29-17, but Tillman was well on his way to making a name for himself in the league.
Not only does Tillman have the most career forced fumbles by a defensive back with 44, the next closest being Hall of Famers Brian Dawkins and Charles Woodson with 28, but he also has the record for most forced fumbles in a season with 10.
ScreenshotINSTAGRAM @PEANUTTILLMAN
Tied with long-time defensive lineman, and New York Giant, Osi Umenyiora.
Tillman changed the way that the defensive back position was played.
If a ball-carrier was coming at him, he knew exactly how to square them up and punch at the ball at the perfect angle.
No one else was doing what Tillman was doing.
Forcing a fumble may look like an accidental lucky play, but not to Tillman.
You don’t come away with 44 robberies and point to luck.
Tillman is now hoping his Bears can have a couple of their own ‘peanut punches’ when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Tillman took part in a Chicago Bears community event, Mini Monsters, for UK children at Duke’s Aldridge Academy in TottenhamJack Savage
Tillman took the kids through all kinds of drills, including hitting the tackling bags and running through laddersX @BearsOutreach
The Bears chose their iconic player to represent them across the pond and help introduce the game to a new generation of young athletes, an honor that means a whole lot to Tillman.
“It really is an honor for them to choose me to come out here and just talk shop, talk a little sports with these kids, and really introduce them to American football,” Tillman said.
“I messed up and said football, and they’re like, no, no, no, no, no, football is football. We say soccer, so I had the whole spiel on that.
“But it’s cool to come out here and introduce these kids to American football and teach them and try to get them to play it and learn the rules. And we just having some fun, man. This is some old school fun.”
Tillman is no stranger to playing in London, having played once in his career, in a 24-18 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now he is hoping this season’s Bears – with a similarly sparky defense – can do the same and come away with a victory on Sunday, even offering up a prediction.
“Bears win 24-17,” Tillman proudly shouted.
talkSPORT is your home of NFL on the radio in the UK – join us on talkSPORT2 from 1pm on Sunday for live coverage of the Chicago Bears against the Jacksonville Jaguars
