Steve Taneyhill, the former South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback known for his iconic long mullet and signature homerun-style celebration after touchdown passes, has died at age 52.
The South Carolina athletic department confirmed Monday, via a close friend of Taneyhill’s, that he passed away in his sleep overnight. No cause of death was disclosed.
Taneyhill, a native of Altoona, Pennsylvania, made history at South Carolina by leading the Gamecocks to their first-ever bowl victory as a junior in 1994, defeating West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl. Over his collegiate career, he set school records with 753 completions and 62 passing touchdowns, ranking second in career passing yards with 8,782 and seventh in completion percentage at 60.5. He was inducted into the South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.
During his four seasons, Taneyhill recorded eight 300-yard passing games, including six in his senior season, and posted three of the top four single-game passing yardage performances in school history: 471 yards against Mississippi State in 1995, 451 yards versus East Carolina in 1994, and 405 yards versus Georgia in 1995.
After college, Taneyhill signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 1997 but was released during the preseason and never played in the NFL. He later turned to coaching, leading Chesterfield High School to three consecutive South Carolina state football championships from 2007 to 2009.