Ken Kelley (American football)

This article is about the linebacker. For the journalist and publisher, see Ken Kelley (journalist).

Ken Kelley
No. 56
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1960-06-20) June 20, 1960 (age 64)
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:226 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school:Somerdale (NJ) Sterling
College:Penn State
Undrafted:1983
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career USFL statistics
Sacks:6.5
Interceptions:3

Ken Kelley (born June 20, 1960) is a former American football linebacker who played two seasons in the United States Football League (USFL) with the Philadelphia Stars, Chicago Blitz and Birmingham Stallions. He was selected by the Philadelphia Stars in the 1983 USFL Territorial Draft. He played college football at Penn State University and attended Sterling High School in Somerdale, New Jersey.[1]

Early life

Raised in Stratford, New Jersey,[2] Kelley played high school football for the Sterling High School Silver Knights. He was a safety and linebacker for the Silver Knights before converting to quarterback his junior year.[3] The team was 11-0 his senior season and garnered a number one ranking in New Jersey.[4] In his four years playing for the Silver Knights, they won four Colonial Conference titles and reached the first four South Jersey Group 3 championship games, winning three of them. He was inducted into the Camden County Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.[5]

College career

Kelley played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He converted to linebacker for the Lions and was captain of the 1982 national championship team.[3][4] He redshirted his freshman year.[5]

Professional career

Kelley was selected by the Philadelphia Stars in the 1983 USFL Territorial Draft.[6] He played for the Stars during the 1984 season.[7]

Kelley played for the Chicago Blitz in 1984.[7]

Kelley played for the Birmingham Stallions in 1985.[7]

References

  1. ^ Anastasia, Phil (September 25, 2010). "Jim Combs, 82, was a South Jersey football coaching legend". philly.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  2. ^ "Getting a Grip", The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 12, 1983. Accessed September 22, 2019. "'We have a lot of Penn State players going Ito the Stars, and it would be nice to play close to home,' said Kelley, whose family lives in Stratford, N.J."
  3. ^ a b Moran, Malcolm (December 30, 1982). "PLAYERS; LINEBACKER SHOWS RESPECT". New York Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "13 LOCAL SPORTS LEGENDS INDUCTED INTO CAMDEN COUNTY HALL OF FAME". camdencounty.com. October 28, 2013. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Anastasia, Phil (October 14, 2013). "Former Sterling star awaiting Hall induction". philly.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  6. ^ "1982 Draft". oursportscentral.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c "Ken Kelley". justsportsstats.com/. Retrieved May 3, 2015.