Kyle Turley

Kyle John Turley (born September 24, 1975) is a former American football offensive tackle who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL).

He played defensive end during his only season of football as a senior in 1992, earning first-team all-league honors and attracting athletic scholarship offers from several universities seeking to recruit him.

Turley also played baseball and was recognized with all-state honors as a wrestler.

Turley played college football at San Diego State University, redshirting his first year in 1993.

During his time on the scout team he practiced on both the offensive and defensive line, and was given the choice afterwards of where he wanted to play.

Turley chose offensive line as it allowed him the opportunity to work with O-line coach Ed White, a 17-year veteran of the NFL who played in four Super Bowls.

Turley's most notable achievements came his final season in 1997, earning first-team All-American honors and being named a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy.

He was also twice named All-Western Athletic Conference first-team during his time at SDSU.

Selected 7th overall in the 1998 NFL draft, Turley played five seasons for the New Orleans Saints and a year with the St. Louis Rams before a serious back injury sidelined him for the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

Turley was selected in the first round with the seventh overall pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 1998 NFL Draft.

Initially not projected as a high first round pick, Turley's draft stock rose dramatically after turning in a stellar 4.93 seconds for the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.

Turley's performance caught the eye of then-Saints coach Mike Ditka, and the team subsequently made him the first offensive linemen selected in the 1998 draft.

He signed a six-year contract on July 24, 1998.

Turley played a total of five seasons for the Saints, making an immediate impact by starting 15 games his rookie season and earning all-rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly, Football News, and Football Digest.

A durable presence on the Saints offensive line, Turley missed only one game due to ankle injury during his five years in New Orleans.

Turley's high level of play earned him All-Pro honors for the 2000 season and a Pro Bowl invite following the 2001 season.

His strong play earned him first-team All-Pro honors following the 2000 season and an invitation to the Pro Bowl as a substitute following the 2001 season.

He would turn down the Pro Bowl invite to serve as grand marshall of the Endymion Parade during Mardi Gras, however.

During his time in New Orleans, Turley became a fan favorite for his spirited style of play and colorful personality.

His career is best remembered by many for a 2001 incident in which he ripped off an opposing player's helmet and tossed it downfield, playing a key factor in his team losing the game but also earning the respect of many Saints fans for his defense of the quarterback.

Turley played college football at San Diego State.

Following his retirement from football, Turley set out on a music career that included the release of several albums and the launch of his own record label.

His popularity especially took off after the helmet tossing incident of 2001, with many Saints fans lining up to buy his jersey afterwards.

Turley's football career is best remembered by many for an on-field altercation that occurred in a game against the New York Jets on November 4, 2001.

Trailing 16–9 in the final minute of the game, the Saints were driving deep into opposition territory with the ball at the 6-yard line on second-and-3.

After quarterback Aaron Brooks was tackled on a scramble to the 5-yard line, Jets safety Damien Robinson grabbed him by the facemask and bent his body backwards while twisting his head to the side.

Turley stepped in and separated the two, then picked up Robinson by the facemask and threw him to the ground as referees and players from both teams tried to break up the scrum.

Turley would prove to be a versatile player as well, starting mostly at left guard his rookie season, then moving to right tackle the next three seasons, and over to left tackle in 2002.

Turley's antics were less well-received among team management however, particularly leading up to his March 2003 trade when Turley engaged in a public dispute with general manager Mickey Loomis.

Amongst players in the league, Turley came to be known by some as a dirty player due to his frequent use of cut blocks and ambushing of unsuspecting defenders.

Turley defended his use of the cut block, noting that it is a legal maneuver and that he is simply doing his job within the rules of the game.

He returned to football in 2006 as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent the last two years of his career before announcing his retirement in December 2007.

Playing his "power country" style of music, Turley opened for a number of well-known musical acts, including in 2010 when he went on tour with Hank Williams III.

Turley has also been outspoken and involved in a number of player health issues post-retirement, particularly in regards to the neurological problems resulting from his football career (early onset Alzheimer's, CTE symptomatic, seizures, vertigo) and his use of cannabis as treatment.

Turley is a board member and active supporter of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, an organization providing medical care and other forms of assistance to retired NFL players in dire need.

Turley was born in Provo, Utah.

He lived in Utah as well as the state of Washington before moving to southern California at the age of 10.

Growing up Turley enjoyed surfing and skateboarding, and took an interest in music.

Turley attended Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, California.

Turley was inducted into the Aztec Hall of Fame in 2011.