R-Kal Truluck
Encyclopedia
R-Kal K-Quan Truluck (ˈɑrkæl ˈtruːlʌk ar-kal true-luck; born September 30, 1974 in Brooklyn
, New York
) is a retired American professional football
player. His full name translates to "ruler of the lake" in Swahili
.
, where he lettered
in football
three times and was an all-state and all-County linebacker
in his senior
year. He spent his high school years growing up at the Lakeside Family & Children’s Center in Rockland County, New York
, a group foster home that he still visits in the offseason.
, where he played in 35 career games with 27 starts
. He recorded 238 tackles
, 121 solo tackles, 21 sacks
, two forced fumble
s, two fumble recoveries and seven passes defensed
.
As sophomore, Truluck recorded 64 tackles, six sacks, seven tackles-for-losses and two blocked field goal
attempts in 10 games as a defensive end
. As a junior, he started 10 games at outside linebacker
and recorded 105 tackles, 6.5 sacks, five tackles-for-losses and two blocked field goal attempts. He was a Division III All-America
second-team selection and named an ECAC
Upstate New York All-Star. As a senior, he recorded 64 tackles, nine sacks, three tackles for loss and four blocked field goal attempts while earning second-team All-East honors. He was also was named an ECAC Upstate New York All-Star in addition to being named team MVP
by his teammates and coaches. Truluck graduated with a degree in health sciences.
of the National Football League
. He signed on to the team's practice squad
but was released in October 1997. In April 1998, he signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
of the Canadian Football League
, where he played from 1998 until 2000. In his rookie year there, Truluck recorded nine tackles and three sacks, winning the Defensive Player of the Week award for his debut. His season was cut short after four games due to post-concussion syndrome
Truluck signed with the AFL's Detroit Fury
, where he played from 2001
- 2002
. He was named rookie of the year in 2001 and lineman of the year in 2002.
Truluck returned to the NFL to play with the Kansas City Chiefs
2002
-2004
. In fourteen games of the 2003
season, Truluck recorded 17 tackles and six sacks. He was traded to the Green Bay Packers
for a fifth and a sixth round draft choice during the 2004
preseason. Over the course of the season, he played in 10 games, recording 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He was released by the Packers and signed with the Arizona Cardinals
before the 2005
season. In 10 games with the Cardinals, he recorded three tackles before returning to the CFL for the 2006
season, which he spent with the Montreal Alouettes
.
Truluck was selected in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2007 AFL dispersal draft
by the Georgia Force
. He was then signed on November 28, 2007. In 2008
Truluck recorded 20 tackles, seven tackles-for-losses, 5.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. On October 3, 2008, he was released by the Force.
Currently Truluck hosts "Inside The Trenches" his television and radio show broadcasting from Phoenix, Arizona.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) is a retired American professional football
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. His full name translates to "ruler of the lake" in Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
.
Early life
Truluck attended Spring Valley High SchoolSpring Valley High School (New York)
Spring Valley High School , formerly known as Spring Valley Senior High School, is a high school located in Spring Valley, New York within Rockland County, New York, educating students in grades 9 through 12. Spring Valley is one of two high schools in the East Ramapo Central School District...
, where he lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
three times and was an all-state and all-County linebacker
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...
in his senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
year. He spent his high school years growing up at the Lakeside Family & Children’s Center in Rockland County, New York
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
, a group foster home that he still visits in the offseason.
College career
Truluck attended SUNY-CortlandState University of New York at Cortland
The State University of New York College at Cortland, also officially called SUNY Cortland or informally known as Cortland State, is a coeducational university located in Cortland, New York...
, where he played in 35 career games with 27 starts
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
. He recorded 238 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, 121 solo tackles, 21 sacks
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...
, two forced 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...
s, two fumble recoveries and seven passes defensed
Pass deflected
In American football a pass deflected, also known as a pass defended, a pass defensed, a pass knock down, or a pass break up, is an incomplete pass that is caused by a defensive player...
.
As sophomore, Truluck recorded 64 tackles, six sacks, seven tackles-for-losses and two blocked field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
attempts in 10 games as a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
. As a junior, he started 10 games at outside linebacker
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...
and recorded 105 tackles, 6.5 sacks, five tackles-for-losses and two blocked field goal attempts. He was a Division III All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
second-team selection and named an ECAC
Eastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
Upstate New York All-Star. As a senior, he recorded 64 tackles, nine sacks, three tackles for loss and four blocked field goal attempts while earning second-team All-East honors. He was also was named an ECAC Upstate New York All-Star in addition to being named team MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
by his teammates and coaches. Truluck graduated with a degree in health sciences.
Professional career
After playing at Division III SUNY-Cortland, Truluck was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
of 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...
. He signed on to the team's practice squad
Scout team
In sports, the scout team, also referred to as a practice team, taxi squad, practice squad or practice roster, is a group of players on a team whose task is to emulate future opponents for the featured players. Frequently used in American or Canadian Football, these teams consist of less...
but was released in October 1997. In April 1998, he signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
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....
, where he played from 1998 until 2000. In his rookie year there, Truluck recorded nine tackles and three sacks, winning the Defensive Player of the Week award for his debut. His season was cut short after four games due to post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome, also known as postconcussive syndrome or PCS, and historically called shell shock, is a set of symptoms that a person may experience for weeks, months, or occasionally up to a year or more after a concussion – a mild form of traumatic brain injury . PCS may also...
Truluck signed with the AFL's Detroit Fury
Detroit Fury
The Detroit Fury were an Arena Football League team. The team began play in 2001 and was based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, at The Palace of Auburn Hills, also the home of the NBA's Detroit Pistons. The team was co-owned by William Davidson, who owned the Pistons, along with...
, where he played from 2001
2001 Arena Football League season
The 2001 Arena Football League season was the 15th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Grand Rapids Rampage, who defeated the Nashville Kats in ArenaBowl XV.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
- 2002
2002 Arena Football League season
The 2002 Arena Football League season was the 16th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the San Jose SaberCats, who defeated the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XVI...
. He was named rookie of the year in 2001 and lineman of the year in 2002.
Truluck returned to the NFL to play with 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...
2002
2002 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2002 Kansas City Chiefs season marked the franchise's 40th season in Kansas City, Missouri and ended with an 8–8 record and a tie for third place in the AFC West....
-2004
2004 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2004 Kansas City Chiefs season proved not to be as successful as the team's previous season. Though the Chiefs finished the regular season with the most yards and the second highest amount of points, they also had a losing record of 7–9 and no playoff appearance.-Schedule:-Standings:...
. In fourteen games of the 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
season, Truluck recorded 17 tackles and six sacks. He was traded to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
for a fifth and a sixth round draft choice during the 2004
2004 Green Bay Packers season
The 2004 Green Bay Packers season started with the Packers losing four of their first five games, then winning their next six games, and finally ending in a Wild Card playoff loss to the Minnesota Vikings. They finished with an overall record of 10-7....
preseason. Over the course of the season, he played in 10 games, recording 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He was released by the Packers and signed with the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
before the 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
season. In 10 games with the Cardinals, he recorded three tackles before returning to the CFL for the 2006
2006 CFL season
-2006 Rogers CFL Awards:* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Geroy Simon , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions...
season, which he spent with the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
.
Truluck was selected in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2007 AFL dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
by the Georgia Force
Georgia Force
The Georgia Force are an Arena Football League team based in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States that plays in the South Division of the American Conference. The team is owned by Doug MacGregor and Donn Jennings...
. He was then signed on November 28, 2007. In 2008
2008 Georgia Force season
The 2008 Georgia Force season is the seventh season for the franchise. Starting the season 3-5, the Force finished the regular season with 7 wins in their last 8 games, ending with a 10-6 record, and winning their second consecutive Southern Division title, allowing them to enter the playoffs as...
Truluck recorded 20 tackles, seven tackles-for-losses, 5.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. On October 3, 2008, he was released by the Force.
Currently Truluck hosts "Inside The Trenches" his television and radio show broadcasting from Phoenix, Arizona.