Back to the Pittsburgh Steelers Newsfeed

Longtime Pitttsburgh Steelers lineman, broadcaster Tunch Ilkin fighting ALS

PITTSBURGH -- Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman and radio broadcaster Tunch Ilkin has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The 63-year-old Ilkin, a two-time Pro Bowler who played 13 of his 14 NFL seasons in Pittsburgh during a career that ran from 1980-93, has served as an analyst on the team's radio broadcasts since 1998. He made the announcement in a video posted on Friday.

ALS is a "progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord," according to the Mayo Clinic.

Ilkin, who was born in Turkey before his parents moved to the U.