Kansas City Chiefs: Throw Back Thursday, Kelly Gregg
Kelly Gregg. Defensive Lineman #77 Kansas City Chiefs College: Oklahoma Hometown: Norman, OK Draft: 1999 – 6th Round (173rd overall). Kelly became one of …
Hash tag TBT (throw back Thursday) has become an internet phenomenon over the past few years and we here at KC Kingdom are going to start partaking in the popular tradition via the Kansas City Chiefs. Each week, we’ll throw you back to a different Chiefs player, coach, or event that deserves a trip down memory lane.
For our second post, I chose defensive tackle, Kelly Gregg, a stop-gap defensive lineman the Chiefs signed in 2011. Gregg only spent one season in Kansas City, recording just 39 tackles and one sack (stats via NFL.com). Though he didn’t flash too much in terms of production, he still made enough of an impact to become a quick fan favorite.
Gregg started his career in Cincinnati, where the Bengals took him in the 6th round of the 1999 NFL draft. He then spent some time with Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles the next season before finding his way on the Baltimore Ravens roster. Kelly Gregg earned a ring by winning Super Bowl XXXV with Baltimore and spent 10 seasons with the Ravens, cementing himself as one of the toughest nose tackles in the NFL.
After the 2010 season, the Ravens decided to move on from Gregg and Kansas City was in desperate need of a block eating nose tackle. Scott Pioli signed him from free agency and Gregg would make an immediate impact, especially for middle linebacker, Derrick Johnson. DJ recorded a career high, 131 tackles with Gregg eating up the blocks, something he did for Ray Lewis for almost a decade.
I remember Kelly Gregg for his ridiculously low stance at the line of scrimmage and his lateral movement up and down the line of scrimmage against the run. He would sink his hips and butt so low that he looked like a frog who was ready to jump to the next Lilly pad. But hey, it’s like they say, the lower man always wins in the trenches.
He combined that low technique with raw strength and good feet to shed blockers and meet runners in the holes. He was fun to watch, and you could certainly tell Gregg was a great player earlier in his career.
Kelly Gregg was fan favorite because he was the closest thing that we had to a decent nose tackle, especially after the Chiefs had swung and missed on so many defensive lineman in the past. The defensive line immediately improved upon his arrival and he was the perfect stop gap before the Chiefs drafting Dontari Poe in 2012.
Kelly Gregg is this weeks #tbt. What do you remember about Kelly Gregg and the 2011 season? Make sure to comment below, I’m always interested to hear your guys thoughts! You can enjoy some of his college high lights below, showing his size and athleticism that helped him have a successful career in the NFL.
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