Who is Curley Culp? NFL Hall of Famer dies at 75
Some terribly sad NFL news was announced over the weekend as Hall of Famer Curley Culp has died at the age of 75. The legendary defensive tackle spent much of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Oilers, and was a Super Bowl champion.
Culp retired in 1981 and received his long-deserved Hall of Fame enshrinement in 2013. The wait was too long, but it is great to know he got to enjoy the honor for nearly a decade before his passing.
This is a five-time All-Pro player who also made six Pro Bowls throughout his career. Culp is a legend of the game and his death is sad news for the entire NFL world.
How did Curley Culp die?
Sadly, Culp died after complications with pancreatic cancer. He posted the news of his diagnosis to Twitter less than two weeks ago.
To my followers, family and friends I have stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Do donate to your local cancer organizations so this dreaded disease is eradicated. Love life, family and friends. 🙏 pray to God for all physical and spiritual healing. Love, Curley Culp HOF#13.
Each and every cancer diagnosis is tragic and this one is no different. Culp leaves behind a legacy on the field for NFL fans, and off the field for his friends, family, and loved ones.
Let's focus on his legacy on the field. We have already mentioned his Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.
The tricky thing for Culp was that he was a nose tackle, which means traditional counting stats are hard to rack up. That likely explains why his Hall of Fame induction took so long to come to fruition.
Yet Culp did still finish his career with 68.5 sacks. Certain modern-day defensive stats and analytics were not kept during his career, so there is limited information to use in evaluation.
But those who watched Culp knew he was great and the awards he received proved that. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1975 and is in the Chiefs Hall of Fame.
Hall of Famer Curley Culp passed away today at the age of 75. Enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 2013, Culp played 14 seasons of professional football w/ the @Chiefs (1968-1974), the Houston Oilers (1974-1980) and the @Lions (1980-81).
📰 : bit.ly/HOFCulpObit21
#HOFForever https://t.co/KqoNr1wBMQ
Curley Culp helped to redefine the position of defensive tackle
Culp's Kansas City career began after the Denver Broncos drafted him, only to trade him to the Chiefs. A future Hall of Famer escaped in the process.
One fascinating note about Culp is that he stood only 6-foot-1 and was just over 260 pounds. He played nose tackle at this size and found great success as well.
Perhaps being leaner at the position served to his advantage, but fans must also remember offensive linemen were smaller in stature than they are today.
Culp is a legend of the game and his impact on the NFL will always be remembered. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family at this incredibly difficult time.