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Tim Stratton still chuckles when telling the story of when he lost his helmet. It has become part of Purdue football lore.

It was during the 2000 season, when the program was making a march to the Rose Bowl. Purdue was rolling in early October, gaining momentum with a wild 32-31 last-second win in Ross-Ade Stadium vs. Michigan. A crazy post-game scene unfolded on the field. That’s when it happened.

“I got stuck in the north end zone after trying to sing with the band,” said Stratton. “There were fans everywhere. I saw a guy from my history class and asked him to hold my helmet as I got up on the goal post. Well, turns out, he set my helmet down to help give me a boost. That’s when my helmet got swiped.”

Stratton chuckles again. He ended up getting the helmet back (more on that later). Along the way, he ended up having one of the greatest careers of any Boilermaker. Former Purdue tight ends Dave Young (1977-80) and Dustin Keller (2004-07) may have been better athletes and NFL prospects than Stratton, but no tight end has been as productive as Stratton.

After redshirting in 1997 after being part of Joe Tiller’s first recruiting class, Stratton went on to catch 204 passes for 2,088 yards with 15 touchdowns. He left campus as the program leader in catches and No. 3 in Big Ten annals, helping Purdue play in four bowls: Alamo, Outback, Rose and Sun.

The 6-4, 250-pound Stratton earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 1998, then was first-team All-Big Ten his final three seasons. Only three other Purdue players ever have been first-team all-league three times. As a junior in 2000, Stratton won the inaugural John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. It was the first time a Purdue player ever had won an individual trophy.

GoldandBlack.com visited with the 40-year-old Stratton, a native of Oak Brook, Ill., who played at York Community High in Elmhurst, Ill., to reminisce about the past and to see what he’s doing today.

GoldandBlack.com: How did you end up at Purdue?

Stratton: The Purdue coaches liked the fact I was pretty good at volleyball. They liked the hand-eye coordination, being able to move and contort your body when you play volleyball. I was offered for volleyball by a few schools, Ball State and Lewis University where my dad played football and basketball. I was offered by some MAC schools for basketball. Illinois, Indiana, Purdue offered me for football. A lot of MAC schools. Iowa State, BYU. But when I found out they didn’t let you drink Coca-Cola at BYU, I canceled my visit.

I had Coach Tiller and eight of his coaches in my dining room, which was impressive. I liked the proximity to my home. My parents could come to my games. The academics were good. And I liked the fact Coach Tiller was bringing his staff from Wyoming with him. They already knew each other. The potential was better. And Wyoming had a tight end who the year before caught like 80 balls.

GoldandBlack.com: So, some schools wanted you as a receiver?

Stratton: Yes. But Purdue wanted me as a tight end. I was 195 pounds in high school and they thought I had the frame to bulk up. I was 205 when I got to Purdue. I benched 205, because I never lifted a weight in high school which is why I probably wasn’t the greatest blocker. Nor did I care about blocking.

GoldandBlack.com: When did you first meet Drew Brees, who was in your recruiting class?

Stratton: I met him the first day of camp. He and (Matt) Mitrione were walking down the hallway in the Union when we were checking in. I didn’t know who (Brees) was. Mitrione was wearing a shirt with the sleeves cut off. He saw me and said: “What’s up, Big Daddy?” I was like: “Who is this guy?" Drew was quiet. But I was in awe looking at Mitrione: “What am I looking at?” I thought.

Drew and I hit it off from the get-go. We both were ultra competitive, playing darts, pool, basketball, you name it. We would have throwing competitions after practice: Who could hit the garbage can from 40 yards out? I never knew what he would become.

GoldandBlack.com: What was your relationship with Joe Tiller like?

Stratton: We had a love-hate relationship. He loved to hate me and I loved to piss him off. But I really did enjoy him. I always gave him grief for Drew being the “Wonder Boy.” That was just my personality. I was immature. When things went down on the team, I always got called into the office. Tlller would say: “Everyone is telling me to ask you what happened.” I would say: “I wasn’t even there.”

On my recruiting visit, I didn’t make it back to my hotel and missed my meeting the next morning with Coach Tiller. That was kinda the start of my relationship with him.

GoldandBlack.com: You were famous for playing catch with fans before games. How did that start?

Stratton: It began when I had to go out for pregame early to get warmed up as a long-snapper. I hated going out early. I was like, “screw it.” Fans would say: “Hey, throw me the ball!” It would start with a kid and I would end up throwing with students. Coach Tiller didn’t like it. But this helped me relax before a game.

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GoldandBlack.com: How did you end up getting your helmet back after the 2000 Michigan game?

Stratton: I was writing a blog for ABC Sports that season and I mentioned in it I would give a Michigan game ball to anyone who could get my helmet back. We got lots of calls at my apartment that week with people with tips, but none panned out. Thursday came, and I still didn’t have my helmet.

Tiller said I wouldn’t play the next game at Northwestern unless I got my helmet back. And I really wanted to play because it was like a homecoming for me. I told Tiller that was BS. I said “Wonder Boy,” my nickname for Drew, lost his helmet two years ago and no one said a word about it. He said he didn’t know about it. I said: “BS. Everyone on campus knew, but not you? BS!” And I walked away. Not one of my prouder moments.

That night, my roommate Alex Tone got a call at 2:30 a.m. The caller ID said “Purdue lab.” The caller said to tell me that my helmet was on the ground under the north end zone goal post where I had left it. He called 15 minutes later to confirm the message. He also left a message with the Purdue football office. Our managers went and got it. I still have the helmet in my office.

GoldandBlack.com: What was it like to win the Mackey?

Stratton: It was odd. None of my coaches knew I was out there (New York) for the ceremony. Purdue flew my mom out there. I got in the limo, and Todd Heap had everyone with him, coach, AD, sister, parents. Alge Crumpler is there with just his mom, too. Super cool guy. We got along. We both thought we wouldn’t win, that Todd would. I was shocked to win. I got back to Purdue and Coach (Jim) Chaney said: “Where were you?” I said I had just won the Mackey Award. He said: “Wait, what?”

GoldandBlack.com: Were you disappointed to not get drafted?

Stratton: Yes. I was at the Combine in February of 2002. I had medical exams, X-Rays, MRIs. A doctor from the Steelers said they liked me, but he was concerned about my neck after an X-Ray. He asked if I ever had hurt my neck. I said I had. He said I had a big gap in my vertebrae. He said if I got hit the wrong way, I wouldn’t walk again and I got red-flagged. I still thought I’d get a chance. I went to a mini-camp with the Bears, a non-contact camp. It was fun.

GoldandBlack.com: What do you do now?

Stratton: I live in Evergreen Park on the south side (Chicago suburbs). I sell software for a company called Flexera. The worldwide headquarters are in Itasca, Illinois. I sell to companies, governments, municipalities up in Canada.

I am married and have two daughters: one who will be in seventh grade (12-year-old Ava) and one going into fourth grade (9-year-old Maeve). Both are tall girls. They love volleyball, and I love it. I also have a daughter (Hayden) who will be a sophomore at Iowa who was born when I was at Purdue in August 2000.

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