Alex Tanney quarterbacked the Fighting Scots to three perfect seasons in the Midwest Conference, with Monmouth posting double-digit victories all three years. In both 2008 and 2011, he led the Scots to first-round NCAA playoff wins, contributing to his total of 38 victories in all.

Tanney's name remains atop the all-time NCAA list for all divisions with his 157 touchdown passes, and his 14,249 passing yards and 1,205 career completions are both Division III records. Other school records he holds include:

• Game and season passing yards (451 and 3,867)
• Game and season completions (41 and 339)
• Career completion percentage (68.8)
• Season passing touchdowns (50)
• Passing yards per game season and career (350.5 and 303.1)

Tanney was the Midwest Conference's Offensive Player of the Year three times and was a three-time first-team All-MWC selection. An honorable mention All-MWC pick his freshman year, Tanney played one full game in 2010 before suffering a season-ending injury.

Although Monmouth fans remember him more for his accomplishments leading the Scots on the field, he also gained national notoriety for a trick-shot video he put together, which highlighted his pinpoint accuracy. The video has been viewed more than 4.4 million times.

In February 2021, Tanney retired as a New York Giant after a nine-year NFL career, one of two teams he saw action with during a regular-season game. Tanney also played in a game for the Tennessee Titans during the 2015 season, completing the only touchdown pass of his NFL career.

Tanney was also a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts since coming into the league in 2012. He was with the Titans and Giants the longest, and had earned a reputation in New York as a valuable mentor to young quarterback Daniel Jones.