Curley Culp
Encyclopedia
Curley Culp is a former professional American football
player. An offensive and defensive lineman, he played college football
at Arizona State University
, was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion while at ASU, and played professionally in the American Football League
for the Kansas City Chiefs
in 1968 and 1969, and for the National Football League
Chiefs, Houston Oilers
, and the Detroit Lions
. He was an AFL All-Star
in 1969 and a six-time AFC
-NFC
Pro Bowl
er.
. He moved from Denver to Kansas City in search of a team that could properly utilize his unique talents. Culp's play as a nose tackle actually took root in Super Bowl IV
. Chiefs coach, Hank Stram
, in an attempt to nullify the Minnesota Vikings
' quick outside rushing attack, decided to line Culp directly nose-to-nose with Vikings center
, Mick Tingelhoff
. The smaller Tingelhoff could not block Culp one-on-one and had to be helped by the other linemen. This freed teammates, Buck Buchanan
, Willie Lanier
, and other Chiefs defenders to get into the Vikings offensive backfield and shut down their running game. This game is often credited as the advent of the 3-4 defense.
“Curly Culp was a tremendous athlete,” Pro Football Hall of Fame
QB
, Len Dawson
, said. “He had such strength and quickness. I remember Jack Rudnay
used to say that every center in the league should have to go against Curly in order to know what it’s like to go against the very best.”
Culp helped anchor the Kansas City defensive line during one of the greatest eras of Chiefs football. Heralded as one of the quickest defensive linemen in the league, Culp spent seven seasons in Kansas City (1968–1974). He was a starting defensive tackle on the Chiefs Super Bowl IV
squad and appeared in 82 games with Kansas City. A member of the Chiefs 25-Year All-Time Team, Culp played in the 1969 AFL All-Star Game and the 1971 Pro Bowl
. He was twice honored as the Associated Press
Defensive Player of the Week and claimed the Chiefs unofficial sack
crown in 1973 with nine QB takedowns. Culp also registered five fumble
recoveries in his Kansas City career.
was the defensive coordinator
for Sid Gillman
at the time. He had convinced the head coach
to try a 3-4 defense, employing three down linemen and four linebackers, eschewing the standard 4-3 fronts of the day. The Oilers acquired Culp midway through the 1974 season for troubled DT John Matuszak
. Culp had signed to play in the rival World Football League
for 1975, so the Chiefs thought they were unloading a problem of their own. Culp outlived the new league and then some. It turned out to be one of the best trades in Oiler history.
Culp was so strong he required two and three players to block
him, opening lanes for Elvin Bethea
, Gregg Bingham
and Ted Washington, Sr.
(and soon Robert Brazile
, the player Houston drafted with the first-round pick that came with Culp). Houston won seven of their remaining nine games after Curley came to Houston. As Phillips later said, "Curley made (the 3-4 defense) work. He made me look smart."
Culp's finest season came in 1975. He notched 11½ sacks, an unheard of total for a defensive tackle. He won All-Pro
honors and was chosen NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Newspaper Enterprise Association and as such received the George S. Halas Trophy.
The nose tackle position would become notorious for shortening careers. As linemen attacked Curley from every angle, injuries and age began to take their toll. Midway through the 1980 season
, Culp was released and was claimed by Detroit, where he stayed an additional season, before closing out his 14-year NFL career.
So great was his impact that the Sporting News named Culp to the All-Century teams of both the Kansas City and Houston/Tennessee franchises. Or more to the point, as voiced by Hall-Of-Famer center, Jim Otto
of the Raiders, "Curley Culp was perhaps the strongest man I ever lined up against."
Houston Highlight: In a September 1975 game against the San Diego Chargers
, Culp scooped up a Charger fumble and rumbled 38 yards. Even though teammate Elvin Bethea yelled that Curley was going the wrong way, he managed to find the correct end zone
for the only points of his NFL career. The score helped Houston beat San Diego, 33-17, and secured the Oilers' first 2-0 start since 1966. Houston finished the 1975 season with a 10-4 record.
's All-Time 3-4 defensive team along with Harry Carson
, Lawrence Taylor
, Randy Gradishar
, Howie Long
, Lee Roy Selmon
, and Andre Tippett
.
In March 2008 Kansas City Chiefs Chairman, Clark Hunt
, decided that former DT Curley Culp would be the 2008 inductee into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. The 38th member of this prestigious group, Culp was enshrined into the Chiefs Hall of Fame at halftime of the Chiefs Alumni Game that fall. Culp played a total of 13 seasons in the AFL/NFL with Kansas City, Houston, and Detroit, and was selected to a total of six AFL All-Star Games or Pro Bowls.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. An offensive and defensive lineman, he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion while at ASU, and played professionally in the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in 1968 and 1969, and for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Chiefs, Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, and the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He was an AFL All-Star
American Football League All-Star games
-All-League Teams:The Sporting News published American Football League All-League Teams for each season played by the American Football League, 1960 through 1969...
in 1969 and a six-time AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
-NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er.
Kansas City Chiefs
At 6'1" and 265 lbs, Culp was considered a bit too short for the defensive line and a bit too slow to play linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He moved from Denver to Kansas City in search of a team that could properly utilize his unique talents. Culp's play as a nose tackle actually took root in Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV was the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, and the second one to officially bear the name "Super Bowl"...
. Chiefs coach, Hank Stram
Hank Stram
Henry Louis "Hank" Stram was an American football coach. He is best known for his 15-year tenure with the American Football League's Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs and the Chiefs of the NFL. Stram won three AFL Championships and Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs...
, in an attempt to nullify the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
' quick outside rushing attack, decided to line Culp directly nose-to-nose with Vikings center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
, Mick Tingelhoff
Mick Tingelhoff
Henry Michael "Mick" Tingelhoff is a former football center who played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1962-1978.-College career:...
. The smaller Tingelhoff could not block Culp one-on-one and had to be helped by the other linemen. This freed teammates, Buck Buchanan
Buck Buchanan
Junious "Buck" Buchanan was an American collegiate and professional Football defensive tackle. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs in the American Football League and in the National Football League ....
, Willie Lanier
Willie Lanier
Willie Edward Lanier is a former American football middle-linebacker who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1967 through 1977. He won postseason honors for eight consecutive years, making the American Football League All-Star team in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl from...
, and other Chiefs defenders to get into the Vikings offensive backfield and shut down their running game. This game is often credited as the advent of the 3-4 defense.
“Curly Culp was a tremendous athlete,” Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
QB
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Len Dawson
Len Dawson
Leonard Ray "Len" "Lenny" Dawson is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who attended Purdue University and went on to play for three professional teams, most notably the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs...
, said. “He had such strength and quickness. I remember Jack Rudnay
Jack Rudnay
John Carl "Jack" Rudnay is a former professional American football center in the National Football League...
used to say that every center in the league should have to go against Curly in order to know what it’s like to go against the very best.”
Culp helped anchor the Kansas City defensive line during one of the greatest eras of Chiefs football. Heralded as one of the quickest defensive linemen in the league, Culp spent seven seasons in Kansas City (1968–1974). He was a starting defensive tackle on the Chiefs Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV was the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, and the second one to officially bear the name "Super Bowl"...
squad and appeared in 82 games with Kansas City. A member of the Chiefs 25-Year All-Time Team, Culp played in the 1969 AFL All-Star Game and the 1971 Pro Bowl
1971 Pro Bowl
The 1971 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 24, 1971 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The final Score was NFC 27, AFC 6. Fred Carr of the Green Bay Packers was the game's offensive MVP and Mel Renfro of the Dallas Cowboys was the game's defensive MVP. The referee was...
. He was twice honored as the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Defensive Player of the Week and claimed the Chiefs unofficial sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
crown in 1973 with nine QB takedowns. Culp also registered five fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries in his Kansas City career.
Houston Oilers and Detroit Lions
When Culp got to Houston, Bum PhillipsBum Phillips
Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips is a retired American football coach and the father of Wade Phillips, the Defensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans...
was the defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...
at the time. He had convinced the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
to try a 3-4 defense, employing three down linemen and four linebackers, eschewing the standard 4-3 fronts of the day. The Oilers acquired Culp midway through the 1974 season for troubled DT John Matuszak
John Matuszak
John Daniel "Tooz" Matuszak was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League who later became an actor. He was the first draft pick of 1973 and played most of his career with the Oakland Raiders until he retired after winning his second Super Bowl in 1981...
. Culp had signed to play in the rival World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
for 1975, so the Chiefs thought they were unloading a problem of their own. Culp outlived the new league and then some. It turned out to be one of the best trades in Oiler history.
Culp was so strong he required two and three players to block
Blocking (American football)
In American football, blocking is a legal move occurring when one player obstructs another player's path with his body. The purpose of blocking is to prevent defensive players tackling the ball carrier, or to protect the quarterback while attempting to pass or hand-off the ball...
him, opening lanes for Elvin Bethea
Elvin Bethea
Elvin Lamont Bethea is a former American football defensive end who played his entire career with the Houston Oilers...
, Gregg Bingham
Gregg Bingham
Gregg Bingham was a National Football League linebacker from 1973 through 1985 for the Houston Oilers.He played for Gordon Tech high school where is was a tight end and linebacker and was the teams leading tackler....
and Ted Washington, Sr.
Ted Washington, Sr.
Theodore Bernard Washington is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He spent eleven seasons, one with the Kansas City Chiefs and the remaining with the Houston Oilers, playing outside linebacker. He attended George S...
(and soon Robert Brazile
Robert Brazile
Robert Lorenzo Brazile, Jr. is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. Nicknamed "Dr. Doom", Brazile played from 1975-1984 for the Houston Oilers.-Professional career:...
, the player Houston drafted with the first-round pick that came with Culp). Houston won seven of their remaining nine games after Curley came to Houston. As Phillips later said, "Curley made (the 3-4 defense) work. He made me look smart."
Culp's finest season came in 1975. He notched 11½ sacks, an unheard of total for a defensive tackle. He won All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
honors and was chosen NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Newspaper Enterprise Association and as such received the George S. Halas Trophy.
The nose tackle position would become notorious for shortening careers. As linemen attacked Curley from every angle, injuries and age began to take their toll. Midway through the 1980 season
1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
, Culp was released and was claimed by Detroit, where he stayed an additional season, before closing out his 14-year NFL career.
So great was his impact that the Sporting News named Culp to the All-Century teams of both the Kansas City and Houston/Tennessee franchises. Or more to the point, as voiced by Hall-Of-Famer center, Jim Otto
Jim Otto
James Edwin Otto is a former Professional Football center for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League.-Wausau High School and University of Miami:...
of the Raiders, "Curley Culp was perhaps the strongest man I ever lined up against."
Houston Highlight: In a September 1975 game against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Culp scooped up a Charger fumble and rumbled 38 yards. Even though teammate Elvin Bethea yelled that Curley was going the wrong way, he managed to find the correct end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
for the only points of his NFL career. The score helped Houston beat San Diego, 33-17, and secured the Oilers' first 2-0 start since 1966. Houston finished the 1975 season with a 10-4 record.
Legacy
In January 2008 he was voted by a panel of former NFL players and coaches to Pro Football WeeklyPro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
's All-Time 3-4 defensive team along with Harry Carson
Harry Carson
Harold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
, Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
, Randy Gradishar
Randy Gradishar
Randy Charles Gradishar is a former college and professional American football linebacker who played in the 1970s and 1980s. Randy Gradishar is currently the Director of Corporate Communications for the Phil Long Dealerships in Colorado...
, Howie Long
Howie Long
Howard "Howie" Matthew Moses Long is an American former National Football League defensive end and actor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000...
, Lee Roy Selmon
Lee Roy Selmon
Lee Roy Selmon was a Hall of Fame NFL football defensive lineman.-Early life:Selmon was the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma...
, and Andre Tippett
Andre Tippett
Andre Bernard Tippett is a former American football linebacker who played for the New England Patriots of the NFL. Currently, he is the Patriots' Executive Director of Community Affairs. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.-Personal life:Tippett was born in Birmingham,...
.
In March 2008 Kansas City Chiefs Chairman, Clark Hunt
Clark Hunt
Clark Knobel Hunt is Chairman and CEO of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs and a founding investor-owner in Major League Soccer. Hunt also serves as Chairman of Hunt Sports Group, where he oversees the operations of FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew of MLS He is the son of Lamar Hunt...
, decided that former DT Curley Culp would be the 2008 inductee into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. The 38th member of this prestigious group, Culp was enshrined into the Chiefs Hall of Fame at halftime of the Chiefs Alumni Game that fall. Culp played a total of 13 seasons in the AFL/NFL with Kansas City, Houston, and Detroit, and was selected to a total of six AFL All-Star Games or Pro Bowls.