Daniel Anthony Turk (June 25, 1962 – December 23, 2000) was an American football center in the National Football League from 1985 to 1999 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins.
Turk, the older brother of punter Matt Turk, is best remembered for a botched snap on what would have been a 51-yard field goal attempt by Brett Conway in Turk's last NFL game, a playoff game for the Redskins against his former club, the Buccaneers.
Turk died from testicular cancer at age 38.
He was a graduate of James Madison High School, Milwaukee.
Ex-NFL player Turk dies
Washington - Dan Turk, a Milwaukee native and former National Football League center, has died of cancer at 38.
Turk died Saturday night at home in Ashburn, Va.
His death was announced to reporters by Washington coach Terry Robiskie after the Redskins' game against Arizona on Sunday. "We had a moment of silence in the locker room before the game," Robiskie said.
Turk played 15 seasons in the National Football League and was half of the first brother-to-brother, long snapper-to-punter combination in league history.
He and punter Matt Turk played for the Redskins from 1997 through 1999. Dan Turk also played for Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders.
Dan Turk, one of six brothers, was a three-sport star at Milwaukee Madison High School, competing in football, wrestling and track and field. He played two years at Drake University before transferring to the University of Wisconsin. He played for the Badgers during the 1983 and '84 seasons and was an all-Big Ten center as a senior. Turk played under coach Dave McClain and was part of the Badgers' Hall of Fame Bowl team in '84.
He was selected in the fourth round of the '85 NFL draft by the Steelers, and after two seasons in Pittsburgh was acquired in a trade by Tampa Bay. Turk joined the Raiders as a free agent in 1989, and he played in the AFC Championship Game in 1990. In 1995, he started all 16 games at center for the Raiders and was the captain of the special teams.
Turk signed with the Redskins in 1997 and also negotiated the contract of his brother, Matt, who played at UW-Whitewater before becoming a Pro Bowl punter. Dan Turk's last NFL snap was a one-hopper that caused a field goal attempt to go awry in Washington's 14-13 playoff loss in January at Tampa Bay. Dan Turk was also his brother's agent, and the Turks operated the "Dog Depot" hot dog stands in the Redskins Park area.
The Associated Press December 2000
December 27, 2000, The Washington Times
Even in death, D. Turk provides plenty of inspiration
They came seeking comfort in Dan Turk's memory at the Church of Christ in Great Falls yesterday.
He was too young to go, too full of life, just 11 months removed from his last game in the NFL, and the fragility of it all, of life, was tugging on them in a hard way.
He was a husband and father, and he had so much to do in the years ahead, so much promise to fulfill, a new life to build until a cruel companion, cancer, joined him in April.
Turk, the older brother of punter Matt Turk, is best remembered for a botched snap on what would have been a 51-yard field goal attempt by Brett Conway in Turk's last NFL game, a playoff game for the Redskins against his former club, the Buccaneers.
Turk died from testicular cancer at age 38.
He was a graduate of James Madison High School, Milwaukee.
Ex-NFL player Turk dies
Washington - Dan Turk, a Milwaukee native and former National Football League center, has died of cancer at 38.
Turk died Saturday night at home in Ashburn, Va.
His death was announced to reporters by Washington coach Terry Robiskie after the Redskins' game against Arizona on Sunday. "We had a moment of silence in the locker room before the game," Robiskie said.
Turk played 15 seasons in the National Football League and was half of the first brother-to-brother, long snapper-to-punter combination in league history.
He and punter Matt Turk played for the Redskins from 1997 through 1999. Dan Turk also played for Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders.
Dan Turk, one of six brothers, was a three-sport star at Milwaukee Madison High School, competing in football, wrestling and track and field. He played two years at Drake University before transferring to the University of Wisconsin. He played for the Badgers during the 1983 and '84 seasons and was an all-Big Ten center as a senior. Turk played under coach Dave McClain and was part of the Badgers' Hall of Fame Bowl team in '84.
He was selected in the fourth round of the '85 NFL draft by the Steelers, and after two seasons in Pittsburgh was acquired in a trade by Tampa Bay. Turk joined the Raiders as a free agent in 1989, and he played in the AFC Championship Game in 1990. In 1995, he started all 16 games at center for the Raiders and was the captain of the special teams.
Turk signed with the Redskins in 1997 and also negotiated the contract of his brother, Matt, who played at UW-Whitewater before becoming a Pro Bowl punter. Dan Turk's last NFL snap was a one-hopper that caused a field goal attempt to go awry in Washington's 14-13 playoff loss in January at Tampa Bay. Dan Turk was also his brother's agent, and the Turks operated the "Dog Depot" hot dog stands in the Redskins Park area.
The Associated Press December 2000
December 27, 2000, The Washington Times
Even in death, D. Turk provides plenty of inspiration
They came seeking comfort in Dan Turk's memory at the Church of Christ in Great Falls yesterday.
He was too young to go, too full of life, just 11 months removed from his last game in the NFL, and the fragility of it all, of life, was tugging on them in a hard way.
He was a husband and father, and he had so much to do in the years ahead, so much promise to fulfill, a new life to build until a cruel companion, cancer, joined him in April.
Daniel Anthony Turk (June 25, 1962 – December 23, 2000) was an American football center in the National Football League from 1985 to 1999 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins.
Turk, the older brother of punter Matt Turk, is best remembered for a botched snap on what would have been a 51-yard field goal attempt by Brett Conway in Turk's last NFL game, a playoff game for the Redskins against his former club, the Buccaneers.
Turk died from testicular cancer at age 38.
He was a graduate of James Madison High School, Milwaukee.
Ex-NFL player Turk dies
Washington - Dan Turk, a Milwaukee native and former National Football League center, has died of cancer at 38.
Turk died Saturday night at home in Ashburn, Va.
His death was announced to reporters by Washington coach Terry Robiskie after the Redskins' game against Arizona on Sunday. "We had a moment of silence in the locker room before the game," Robiskie said.
Turk played 15 seasons in the National Football League and was half of the first brother-to-brother, long snapper-to-punter combination in league history.
He and punter Matt Turk played for the Redskins from 1997 through 1999. Dan Turk also played for Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders.
Dan Turk, one of six brothers, was a three-sport star at Milwaukee Madison High School, competing in football, wrestling and track and field. He played two years at Drake University before transferring to the University of Wisconsin. He played for the Badgers during the 1983 and '84 seasons and was an all-Big Ten center as a senior. Turk played under coach Dave McClain and was part of the Badgers' Hall of Fame Bowl team in '84.
He was selected in the fourth round of the '85 NFL draft by the Steelers, and after two seasons in Pittsburgh was acquired in a trade by Tampa Bay. Turk joined the Raiders as a free agent in 1989, and he played in the AFC Championship Game in 1990. In 1995, he started all 16 games at center for the Raiders and was the captain of the special teams.
Turk signed with the Redskins in 1997 and also negotiated the contract of his brother, Matt, who played at UW-Whitewater before becoming a Pro Bowl punter. Dan Turk's last NFL snap was a one-hopper that caused a field goal attempt to go awry in Washington's 14-13 playoff loss in January at Tampa Bay. Dan Turk was also his brother's agent, and the Turks operated the "Dog Depot" hot dog stands in the Redskins Park area.
The Associated Press December 2000
December 27, 2000, The Washington Times
Even in death, D. Turk provides plenty of inspiration
They came seeking comfort in Dan Turk's memory at the Church of Christ in Great Falls yesterday.
He was too young to go, too full of life, just 11 months removed from his last game in the NFL, and the fragility of it all, of life, was tugging on them in a hard way.
He was a husband and father, and he had so much to do in the years ahead, so much promise to fulfill, a new life to build until a cruel companion, cancer, joined him in April.
Turk, the older brother of punter Matt Turk, is best remembered for a botched snap on what would have been a 51-yard field goal attempt by Brett Conway in Turk's last NFL game, a playoff game for the Redskins against his former club, the Buccaneers.
Turk died from testicular cancer at age 38.
He was a graduate of James Madison High School, Milwaukee.
Ex-NFL player Turk dies
Washington - Dan Turk, a Milwaukee native and former National Football League center, has died of cancer at 38.
Turk died Saturday night at home in Ashburn, Va.
His death was announced to reporters by Washington coach Terry Robiskie after the Redskins' game against Arizona on Sunday. "We had a moment of silence in the locker room before the game," Robiskie said.
Turk played 15 seasons in the National Football League and was half of the first brother-to-brother, long snapper-to-punter combination in league history.
He and punter Matt Turk played for the Redskins from 1997 through 1999. Dan Turk also played for Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders.
Dan Turk, one of six brothers, was a three-sport star at Milwaukee Madison High School, competing in football, wrestling and track and field. He played two years at Drake University before transferring to the University of Wisconsin. He played for the Badgers during the 1983 and '84 seasons and was an all-Big Ten center as a senior. Turk played under coach Dave McClain and was part of the Badgers' Hall of Fame Bowl team in '84.
He was selected in the fourth round of the '85 NFL draft by the Steelers, and after two seasons in Pittsburgh was acquired in a trade by Tampa Bay. Turk joined the Raiders as a free agent in 1989, and he played in the AFC Championship Game in 1990. In 1995, he started all 16 games at center for the Raiders and was the captain of the special teams.
Turk signed with the Redskins in 1997 and also negotiated the contract of his brother, Matt, who played at UW-Whitewater before becoming a Pro Bowl punter. Dan Turk's last NFL snap was a one-hopper that caused a field goal attempt to go awry in Washington's 14-13 playoff loss in January at Tampa Bay. Dan Turk was also his brother's agent, and the Turks operated the "Dog Depot" hot dog stands in the Redskins Park area.
The Associated Press December 2000
December 27, 2000, The Washington Times
Even in death, D. Turk provides plenty of inspiration
They came seeking comfort in Dan Turk's memory at the Church of Christ in Great Falls yesterday.
He was too young to go, too full of life, just 11 months removed from his last game in the NFL, and the fragility of it all, of life, was tugging on them in a hard way.
He was a husband and father, and he had so much to do in the years ahead, so much promise to fulfill, a new life to build until a cruel companion, cancer, joined him in April.
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