Andre Tippett
A fearsome Patriots linebacker whose pass-rushing dominance in the 1980s laid the defensive foundation for the franchise's future dynasty.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American football player·Birthday: December 27·Baby Boomers
Biography
Long before the Patriots became a perennial powerhouse, Andre Tippett was the reason opponents feared playing in Foxborough. In an era when the team often struggled, Tippett emerged as a singular force of destruction from his outside linebacker position. With a blend of explosive speed, refined technique, and raw power, he terrorized quarterbacks, compiling sack totals that rivaled and sometimes surpassed those of his contemporary, Lawrence Taylor. His 1984-85 seasons were historically brilliant, as he racked up 35 sacks in just 28 games, a pace of dominance that forced the entire league to take notice. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Tippett didn't just make plays; he defined the identity of the Patriots' defense, providing a standard of excellence during lean years. His Hall of Fame induction in 2008 was a rightful acknowledgment of his individual greatness, and his subsequent role as the team's executive director of community affairs has allowed him to shape the franchise's character off the field for a new generation.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Andre was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andre Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Andre's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
- Recorded a career-high 18.5 sacks in the 1984 season.
- Selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1984 to 1988.
- Named NFL AFC Defensive Player of the Year by the NFLPA in 1985.
Did You Know?
He is a accomplished martial artist, holding a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the same year they drafted future Hall of Fame offensive lineman John Hannah.
He served in the U.S. Army Reserve during his early NFL off-seasons.
His number 56 is one of only ten numbers officially retired by the Patriots.
“My job was simple: find the quarterback and introduce myself.”
