Tai Streets

Tai Streets (born April 20, 1977) is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected with the second pick of the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Detroit Lions in 2004. He was the leading receiver for the national champion 1997 Michigan Wolverines football team. Over the course of his career he was notable for fourth quarter performances in various bowl games and NFL playoff games. As a professional athlete, he was known for his modesty. As an amateur athlete, he was known as the best high school athlete in the city of Chicago.

In high school, he was an All-American in football and as a senior led his team to a 9–0 regular season before losing in the playoffs. In basketball, he was an All-State selection by numerous publications and led his team past Kevin Garnett's high school team to reach the finals of the state championship playoff tournament. Despite losing in the finals, he was the highest votegetter on the All-tournament team. In track, he was a state long jump champion as a junior and runner-up as a senior when he also helped his school's 4 x 400 metres relay team finish third in the state. In 1995, he was widely regarded as the best high school athlete in the Chicago metropolitan area, winning athlete of the year awards from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Illinois High School Association. He is considered to be one of the greatest three-sport athletes in the history of Illinois.

Streets led the Michigan Wolverines football team in receiving yards each season from 1996–1998. He had two touchdown receptions in the 1998 Rose Bowl, which clinched a share of the national championship. During his years as the primary receiver, there were quarterback controversies each year with battles among Brian Griese, Scott Dreisbach, Tom Brady and Drew Henson. As a senior, he was voted football team MVP and All-Big Ten Conference second-team wide receiver. That season, he posted five 100-yard games and totaled over one thousand yards. He played in the Senior Bowl and was selected for the Hula Bowl. He was injured right before the 1999 draft causing him to slip from a projected second-round selection to a sixth-round choice. As a sophomore, he played part of the season for the 1996–97 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team, which won the 1997 National Invitation Tournament, but has since vacated the championship due to the University of Michigan basketball scandal.

Streets had modest success as a professional in five seasons with the 49ers. He began as a fourth wide receiver on a team with perennial Pro Bowl receivers Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens, but he eventually became a starter before moving on to play his final season with the Lions. His career was highlighted by playoff performances in which he caught at least four receptions for at least 50 yards in all three playoff games. He recorded two fourth quarter playoff touchdowns one of which was the game-winner in a 24-point comeback victory and the other of which was a game-tying touchdown in a losing effort.