Tavon Austin
A human joystick on the football field, his electrifying speed and versatility redefined the modern offensive weapon.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American football player·Birthday: March 15·Millennials
Biography
Tavon Austin entered the NFL as a first-round pick carrying the weight of a specific promise: game-breaking speed. At West Virginia University, he wasn't just a receiver; he was an event, amassing all-purpose yards at a historic rate and earning All-American honors. The St. Louis Rams envisioned him as a transformative figure, a player who could line up anywhere and turn a short catch or a jet sweep into a touchdown from any distance on the field. While his NFL career didn't consistently reach the stratospheric heights some predicted, his peak moments were pure electricity—punt returns that left defenders grasping at air and offensive plays that showcased a rare, stop-start agility. Austin's career journey through multiple teams underscored the league's perpetual search for a player with his specific, terrifying brand of open-field dynamism.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Tavon was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tavon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Tavon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned first-team All-American honors twice as a wide receiver and return specialist at West Virginia University.
- Selected eighth overall by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
- Set a West Virginia school record with 7,286 all-purpose yards during his collegiate career.
Did You Know?
In a single game against Oklahoma in 2012, he accumulated 572 all-purpose yards, an FBS record at the time.
He was also a standout high school basketball player in Baltimore.
Austin scored touchdowns four different ways in the NFL: receiving, rushing, punt return, and kick return.
“They drafted me to be a weapon, not just a receiver.”
