Mike Connell
Mike Connell is one of the elite few Mercer County athletes to play in the National Football League.
His football career got off to a stellar start when he was national runner-up in the Punt, Pass & Kick competition as a 13-year-old, competing at halftime at Cleveland Stadium, the Cotton Bowl and the Orange Bowl. On Feb. 5, 1970 the City of Sharon named it "Mike Connell Day" for the honor he brought to the Shenango Valley.
At Sharon High, he was a three-year lettermen and tri-captain in 1973. As quarterback, he averaged 14.2 yards per completion. He averaged 43.3 yards per punt and kicked 20 of 22 extra points. He made 8 of 14 field goal attempts, the longest of 47 yards. He accounted for 44 points in three years kicking.
Mike set a Midwestern Athletic Conference record with three field goals in one game against Butler in 1972.
In baseball at Sharon, he helped the team to back-to-back league championships in 1973 and 1974. He pitched 10-straight league victories, a record, including a no-hitter against Hickory. He struck out 22 batters in a 12-inning, 5-3 victory over New Castle.
He was a four-year letterman in football at the University of Cincinnati, the first two years for the legendary Tony Mason. At one time he held seven different punting records. He still holds records for career average (43.1 yards per punt) and longest punt (78 yards). He was named first-team All-Century punter for Cincinnati.
He was selected in the 10th round of the 1978 draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He played two years for San Francisco, then signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins in 1980 under Jack Pardee. He then played for Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs in his first year as head coach in 1981.
In four seasons as a punter in the NFL, Mike had 254 punts for 9,937 yards (38.7 average). He only had one punt blocked in his career, while having a long of 59 yards. He put 38 punts inside the 20-yard-line.