Troy Benson

> Another Look: Troy Benson
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Former University of Pittsburgh linebacker Troy Benson played four seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets under Joe Walton, the current Robert Morris University coach.
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"I didn't get to know him that well when I played with the Jets, but later on we became good friends," Benson said of Walton, the Beaver Falls native who will enter his 14th year as Robert Morris' coach.
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Benson played at Pitt from 1981-84 and for the Jets from 1986-89 and led New York in tackles in three of his four seasons.He was inducted into the western chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in May.

"It was pretty humbling, yet exciting to be in the company of those people inducted," said Benson, 43.

A graduate of Altoona High School, Benson and his wife, Jeryl, make their home in Gibsonia.They have sons, Thadeus, 9, Seth, 7, and Mathias, 5.Daughter Faith is 3.

"I own a promotional company where we sell logo items," Benson said.

A four-year letterman at Pitt, Benson received first-team All-East honors and was honorable mention All-American.

Benson played as a freshman under Jackie Sherrill and his final three seasons under Coraopolis native Foge Fazio.
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"Out of high school, I went to the best program in the country," Benson said.
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Benson wasn't satisfied with that season by any means."That was our most underachieving team," he said."We didn't play to the best of our abilities."

Pitt started that '82 season ranked first in the nation.Benson said it was difficult with the transition from one head coach to another.

"There's no doubt we should have gone undefeated, and if Jackie (Sherrill) had stayed, I think we would have won the national championship," Benson said.
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Benson was on injured reserve after being drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL draft.He became a starter for four years beginning in 1986 as New York reached the AFC playoffs with a 10-6 record.The Jets defeated Kansas City in the first round, 35-15, before losing to Cleveland in overtime, 23-20.

After slipping to 6-9 in 1987, Benson and the Jets rebounded somewhat the following year.He said 1988 was his most satisfying season.

"I was one of the team captains in what was supposed to be a lousy year because we lost a lot of veterans," Benson said."We ended up 8-7-1 and barely missed the playoffs."

A pinched nerve in his neck forced Benson to retire after the following season.

"I felt I had a lot of good years left," he said.

Troy Benson Linebacker

Inductees are Blackhawk football coach Joe Hamilton, former Michigan State coach and Steelers assistant George Perles, former Pitt and New York Jets linebacker Troy Benson, late Pitt and NFL player Richie McCabe, former Notre Dame and NFL player Jim Mutscheller, senior triathlete Roger Brockenbrough, former boxer Joe LaQuatra, former wrestler John Withrow, Dallas Cowboys director of public relations Rich Dalrymple, former WPIAL executive director Larry Hanley, and former Quaker Valley and current Riverhounds soccer coach Gene Klein.

Another Look: Troy BensonBeaver County Times, PA - Jul 3, 2007Former University of Pittsburgh linebacker Troy Benson played four seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets under Joe Walton, the current Robert Morris ...

Other celebrities who support the shoot include Jerry Sandusky, long-term Penn State defense coordinator; Mickey Shuler, NLF tight end 1978-'91 (New York Jets 12 years, Philadelphia Eagles 2 years), Ralph Baker, three-year letterman at Penn State University as a center and inside linebacker, who spent his entire professional career as a linebacker with the New York Jets (1964-'74); and Troy Benson, a native of Altoona, a four-year letterman at the University of Pittsburgh 1981-'84, and played his entire professional football career as a linebacker for the Jets.