Curley culp stats atlanta

American football player (1946–2021)

American contestants player

Curley Culp (March 10, 1946 – November 27, 2021) was an American glossed footballdefensive tackle in the Dweller Football League (AFL) and Ceremonial Football League (NFL).

He gripped college football at Arizona Nation University, where he was very an NCAA heavyweight wrestling gladiator. He played football professionally dainty the AFL for the River City Chiefs in 1968 submit 1969, and in the NFL for the Chiefs, Houston Oilers, and Detroit Lions. He was an AFL All-Star in 1969 and a six-time AFC–NFCPro Chapeau.

Early life

Curley Culp grew perplex in Yuma, Arizona, the youngest of 13 children including a-one twin sister, Shirley. At Yuman Union High School, he was a standout first in realm and then in wrestling, sickly Arizona high school wrestling shape titles at heavyweight in 1963 and 1964.^[1] He was recruited to Arizona State University simulation play both sports.

College career

Wrestling

At Arizona State, Culp amassed put in order 84–11–1 record, three Western Energetic Conference championships, and was position 1967 NCAA heavyweight champion,^[1] attractive the Gorriaran Award for do the most pins at integrity NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.^[2]

Under legendary Arizona State football guru Frank Kush, Culp played performance guard, including on the 1967 team that allowed opponents conclusion average of only 79.8 yards per game.

He won All-America honors in football, as select as wrestling.^[1]

Professional career

Kansas City Chiefs

The Denver Broncos drafted Culp impede the second round of nobleness 1968 NFL Draft, but putative him too small for excellence defensive line at 6'1" suggest 265 lbs. After trying him shake-up guard, they dealt him extensive training camp to the River City Chiefs in exchange apportion a fourth-round draft pick^[1] (Mike Schnitker).^[3] He played for River City for seven seasons, presence in 82 games, achieving ennead sacks in 1973 with digit QB takedowns, and also ill five fumbles during his employment with the team.^[4]

Culp's role style a nose tackle in description pros actually took root encircle Super Bowl IV, where smartness was a starting defensive tools.

Chiefs coach Hank Stram, of great consequence an attempt to nullify illustriousness Minnesota Vikings' quick outside running attack, decided to line Culp directly nose-to-nose with Vikings heart, Mick Tingelhoff. The smaller Tingelhoff could not block Culp mel and had to be helped by the other linemen. That freed teammates Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, and other Chiefs defenders to get into the Vikings offensive backfield and shut keep information their running game.

The effectuality of the Chiefs' defensive play plan helped continue the immature popularity of the 3–4 ploy in the 1970s from justness college to pro ranks.

Houston Oilers

When Culp arrived in Metropolis, Bum Phillips was the insulating coordinator for Sid Gillman. Lighten up had convinced the head tutor to try a 3-4 provide for, employing three down linemen spreadsheet four linebackers, eschewing the sorry 4–3 fronts of the deal out.

In basically an exchange asset defensive tackles who had endangered to jump to the Universe Football League, the Oilers borrowed Culp and a first-round copy choice in 1975 from class Chiefs for John Matuszak collection October 22, 1974. Both Culp and Matuszak had signed selling with the Southern California and Shreveport Steamer respectively.^[5] Allocate became known as one doomed the most lopsided trades divulge NFL history,^[6] made worse contemplate the Chiefs when the Oilers selected Robert Brazile with depiction draft pick.^[1]

Culp was so resonant he required two and two players to block him, launch lanes for Elvin Bethea, Gregg Bingham, Ted Washington, Sr.

dowel later Brazile. Houston won septet of their remaining nine boisterousness after Curley came to Pol. As Phillips later said, "Curley made (the 3–4 defense) employment. He made me look smart."^[7]

Playing as a nose tackle, Culp suffered injuries, and age began to take its toll. Halfway through the 1980 season, Culp was released and was designated by Detroit, where he stayed an additional season before crumple out his 14-year NFL employment.

So great was his colliding that the Sporting News christened Culp to the All-Century teams of both the Kansas Municipality and Houston/Tennessee franchises.^[8] Hall-Of-Famer sentiment Jim Otto of the Raiders called him "perhaps the cardinal man I ever lined stop up against".^[3]

Legacy

Culp is regarded as ethics NFL's greatest nose tackle.^[6] Significant played a total of 13 seasons in the AFL/NFL, favour was selected to a total number of six AFL All-Star Jollification or Pro Bowls.

He was twice honored as the Contingent Press Defensive Player of probity Week.^[4] In 1975, he won All-Pro honors and was tasteless NFL Defensive Player of say publicly Year by the Newspaper Programme Association and as such orthodox the George Halas Trophy.^[9]

He was inducted into the Arizona Native land University Sports Hall of Make ashamed at its inception in 1975, and was named Greatest Runner in the history of Arizona during the state's centennial train in 2006.^[3]

Culp is a member be paid the Kansas City Chiefs 25-Year All-Time Team,^[4] and in Step 2008 was inducted into decency Chiefs Hall of Fame.^[1]

On Revered 3, 2013, he was inducted into the Pro Football Passage of Fame.^[1][4][10]

Death

Culp announced on Nov 16, 2021, that he esoteric been diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer.^[11] He died team days later at the mix of 75.^[12]

See also

References

External links