Danny Kepley
Encyclopedia
Daniel "Danny" Kepley, is a former star linebacker
with the Edmonton Eskimos
of the Canadian Football League
.
Kepley played his college football at East Carolina University
. He tried out with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys
, but ended up coming to Canada
, where he had a 10 year career with the Eskimos (1975 to 1984.)
He was an intense player and hard tackler. Teamed with fellow linebackers Dale Potter
and Tom Towns
for 8 seasons, this trio formed the backbone of a defence that would play in 7 Grey Cup
games, winning six championships. Kepley would win 3 CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Awards and be an All Star 5 times.
Kepley had some difficulty adjusting after his playing career. He has publicly admitted his alcoholism
. In 2000, he spent time in jail for impaired driving, his fifth such offence. Additionally, his ability to mis-speak was in evidence in the CFL Traditions documentary series, where he said some insulting things about Hall of Fame kicker Dave Cutler
.
Following retirement, Kepley spent the 1985 season as an assistant coach with the Eskimos. He began a real estate career, worked as a football analyst on both radio (CFRN
) and television (CBC
, ESPN
), and from 2002 to 2010 was an assistant coach with the Eskimos.
Kepley was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in 1996, and in November, 2006 was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players
(#11) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network The Sports Network
/TSN.
Linebacker
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...
with the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
Kepley played his college football at East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. He tried out with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, but ended up coming to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where he had a 10 year career with the Eskimos (1975 to 1984.)
He was an intense player and hard tackler. Teamed with fellow linebackers Dale Potter
Dale Potter
Dale Potter was a star linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.Potter played his university football with the University of Ottawa Gee Gees, of whom he was made captain in 1972 and for whom he was named 1971 most valuable player. He began a 12 year career with the...
and Tom Towns
Tom Towns
Tom Towns was a star linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.Towns played his university football with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. In 1972 he was on the starting lineup in the Vanier Cup Championship team. In 1973 he played on offense and defense for the...
for 8 seasons, this trio formed the backbone of a defence that would play in 7 Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
games, winning six championships. Kepley would win 3 CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Awards and be an All Star 5 times.
Kepley had some difficulty adjusting after his playing career. He has publicly admitted his alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. In 2000, he spent time in jail for impaired driving, his fifth such offence. Additionally, his ability to mis-speak was in evidence in the CFL Traditions documentary series, where he said some insulting things about Hall of Fame kicker Dave Cutler
Dave Cutler (football player)
Dave Cutler is a former all-star place kicker with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Cutler is considered by many to be one of the best field goal kickers in CFL history.-CFL:...
.
Following retirement, Kepley spent the 1985 season as an assistant coach with the Eskimos. He began a real estate career, worked as a football analyst on both radio (CFRN
CFRN (AM)
CFRN is a Canadian clear-channel radio station in Edmonton, Alberta. Owned by Astral Media and broadcasting at 1260 kHz on the AM radio dial, the station airs an all-sports format, branded as The Team 1260...
) and television (CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
), and from 2002 to 2010 was an assistant coach with the Eskimos.
Kepley was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
in 1996, and in November, 2006 was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players
TSN Top 50 CFL Players
The TSN Top 50 CFL Players was a list of the greatest fifty Canadian Football League players, as selected by a panel of sixty former CFL players, then-current and former coaches, executives, and media members in 2006. The panel was assembled by sports television network TSN in partnership with the...
(#11) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network The Sports Network
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
/TSN.
