A dual-threat quarterback with incredible athleticism and speed, Tyler Donovan was named the 2002 Associated Press High School Player of the Year his senior year. In addition, he received the AHS Senior Athlete of the Year, First-Team All-State QB, First-Team All-Area, Preps Plus Student Athlete Award, Prep Star HS Football All-American Team, and Classic 8 Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Tyler also received numerous accolades as a junior, including All-State Honorable Mention, First Team All-Area, and a NIKE Football Elite Training Camp invite.
Tyler helped lead the Warhawks to two State Championship Runner-up trophies in 2000/2002, and two Classic 8 Football Conference championships in 2001/2002.
In addition to football, Tyler played basketball and baseball during his freshman, sophomore and junior years, and also ran track his freshman year. Unfortunately, he was limited to football as a senior due to a late season ACL injury prior to the State Championship game at Camp Randall.
While many colleges recruited Tyler, it was always his goal to be a quarterback at UW-Madison. As a proud Badger QB, Tyler was a 4-year letterman at Wisconsin. He earned Scout Player of the Year as a freshman, and as a junior, earned UW Player of the Week after making his first start with a win at Iowa, snapping a four-game losing streak to the Hawkeyes. As a senior, Tyler led the 2007 Badgers to nine wins and a January Outback Bowl. He was named the 2007 Offensive MVP, and won the distinguished Wisconsin Alumni Association’s Lloyd Larsen Award for Outstanding Badger Football Player. His other honors included All Big Ten Honorable Mention, Big Ten Player of the Week (vs. Washington State), and the Top-Rated Big Ten Senior QB with a Passer Efficiency of 133.96. Tyler and his 2007 senior teammates were all honored to have the winningest record ever (80%), and a record that stood until 2016.
Shortly after graduating (Communications) in 2008, Tyler traveled to Canada to play for the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL. He later played for the Milwaukee Iron in their 2009 inaugural season in the Arena Football League, but decided not to pursue another season.
Tyler’s post-football career took him to Chicago, Illinois where he continues to work for International Capital Investment Company in real estate assets and portfolio management. This last summer, Tyler married his best friend, Megan, and they are expecting their first son in April.