Sharing the Love of the Game

ALIQUIPPA — Decades after sharing a locker room at Pitt and continuing their careers in the NFL, Anthony Dorsett and Tom Tumulty unexpectedly found themselves together on another football sideline Friday night.

This time, Tumulty was coaching Mars and Dorsett—son of Pitt and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett—was working as a member of the chain crew during the Fightin’ Planets’ game against Aliquippa.

Dorsett had not told his longtime friend that he would be there.

“It was a good surprise to see him,” Dorsett said. “Any time I get a chance to be around some of my Pitt brothers, it’s always a good day.”

For Tumulty, the reunion carried even greater emotional weight.

“It warmed my soul,” he said. “It made my year.”

Dorsett and Tumulty first met at a freshman picnic shortly after arriving at Pitt. Both had been recruited by legendary Panthers coach Johnny Majors, and they lived on the same floor as freshmen.

Their relationship grew through the practices, games and challenges that come with playing major college football.

Tumulty became Pitt’s starting middle linebacker. Dorsett played cornerback for the Panthers before playing both cornerback and safety professionally.

Both were selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Tumulty joined the Cincinnati Bengals, while Dorsett began his professional career with the Houston Oilers.

They even had an opportunity to play against each other in the NFL.

“We both got drafted in the sixth round,” Dorsett said. “We went right after each other also. It’s crazy.”

Their professional careers eventually ended, but their friendship did not.

Dorsett said the two have remained in contact through the years and had spoken only about a week before the Mars-Aliquippa game. They also belong to a group chat with other former Pitt players who try to remain connected throughout the year.

“When you go to school, and especially when you play football or any sport, those guys become not just your teammates—they become your brothers,” Dorsett said. “We’ve got a lifelong love for each other that goes beyond just this field.

“We respect each other as men. It’s just been one of those good friendships that I’ve had.”

Tumulty offered a similar description of the relationships forged inside a football program.

“The locker room to me is very precious,” he said. “When you go through a lot of difficult things together, you really share a brotherhood.”

Tumulty said the Panthers did not always enjoy the success they wanted during their playing years, but the experience produced enduring relationships, pride and affection among the players.

He described Dorsett as an exceptional athlete who was strong, fast, capable of playing several positions and unafraid of contact. More importantly, Tumulty remembered him as a humble and hardworking teammate despite carrying one of the most recognizable names in Pitt football history.

“When you’re the son of one of the greatest that’s ever played the game, you think maybe he would have an attitude,” Tumulty said. “But he was raised really well. He was always hardworking, always polite, always funny and just very humble.”

Tumulty said Dorsett is the kind of person who improves any group he joins.

“He’s the type of guy who makes the room better, the team better, the family better,” Tumulty said. “He’s just a wonderful guy with a great heart.”

Friday’s game placed the former teammates in unfamiliar roles. Tumulty was helping coach the Fightin’ Planets, while Dorsett was working the chains for the first time.

For someone who had experienced football as both a player and coach, joining the chain crew provided Dorsett with another view of the sport.

“It’s a cool experience,” he said. “It’s a different perspective of the game. Now I can say I’ve pretty much done everything. I’ve coached, I’ve played and I’ve worked the chains, too.”

Although they were associated with opposing teams Friday, their football instincts quickly resurfaced. Dorsett complimented several Mars players, while Tumulty shared his impressions of Aliquippa’s talent.

They also found time for a few sideline exchanges during the game. On one close play near the boundary, Tumulty asked Dorsett whether an Aliquippa player had remained in bounds.

Dorsett said he had, and Tumulty accepted the word of his former teammate—even if some Mars players were not convinced.

“I trust that dude with my life,” Tumulty said. “He’s not going to lie to me.”

It was a small moment rooted in a bond formed long before either man reached the NFL—and long before they returned to a high school sideline in Western Pennsylvania.

“I love him deeply, and I know he loves me back,” Tumulty said. “That’s a true brotherhood. I’d do anything for him.”