Kellen Winslow II

Kellen Winslow
No. 80, 82, 81
Position: Tight end
Personal information
Date of birth: (1983-07-21) July 21, 1983
Place of birth: San Diego, California
Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight: 240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school: San Diego (CA) Scripps Ranch
College: Miami (FL)
NFL draft: 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 469
Receiving yards: 5,236
Receiving TDs: 25
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Kellen Boswell Winslow II (born July 21, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at the University of Miami, where he earned unanimous All-American honors and was recognized as the top college tight end. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the sixth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots and New York Jets.

Early years

Winslow was born in San Diego, California, the son of San Diego Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He attended Patrick Henry High School, in San Diego, for his freshmen and sophomore years of high school and Scripps Ranch High School for his junior and senior years of high school.

College career

Winslow enrolled at the University of Miami, where he played for coach Larry Coker's Miami Hurricanes football team from 2001 to 2003.

Freshman Season

During his freshman season, he backed up All-American tight end Jeremy Shockey and played largely on special teams, and was one of four true freshmen to play during the Hurricanes' 2001 run to the BCS National Championship, the others being future NFL stars Frank Gore, Vince Wilfork, and Sean Taylor.

Sophomore Season

After Shockey's departure for the 2002 NFL Draft, Winslow became the starter at Tight End and was named a finalist for the Mackey Award and named a first-team All-American by CNNSI.com, setting Miami records for a Tight End with 57 receptions for 726 yards and 8 touchdowns. His best game came during the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, which was the site of the BCS National Championship game that year, in which Winslow caught 11 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown. The Hurricanes fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes, 31-24.

Junior Season

Despite a slight drop in production during his junior season, in which Winslow caught 60 passes for 605 yards and 1 touchdown, he won the John Mackey Award as the nation's best collegiate tight end, and he was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American, after receiving first-team honors from the Associated Press and other national selector organizations. After the season, Winslow decided to forgo his senior season and declared himself eligible for the 2004 NFL Draft.[1]

"I'm a Soldier" Controversy

Winslow received national attention following a 2003 University of Miami match with the Tennessee Volunteers. During a sweep play for Miami wide receiver/cornerback Devin Hester, Winslow blocked two Volunteers, effectively taking both defenders out of the play. When questioned during the media session following the game, Winslow referred to himself as a "fucking soldier." He later apologized for the remarks that garnered national attention.[2]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Ht Wt 40-yd dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert Broad BP
6 ft 4 in 243 lb 4.62 s 4.10 s 6.71 s 33 in 10 ft 1 in 24 reps
Values were taken at Miami Pro Day.[3][4]

Cleveland Browns

Winslow was drafted by the Browns out of the University of Miami with the sixth pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft.[5] Cleveland head coach Butch Davis was also the coach who recruited Winslow to the University of Miami before leaving for the NFL prior to ever coaching Winslow in college.

Winslow would eventually choose sports agents Carl and Kevin Poston of Professional Sports Planning Inc. (PSP) to represent him at the negotiating table. The Poston brothers - whose clients at the time also included Orlando Pace and Charles Woodson - seemed an odd choice. Although respected in many circles for their ability to secure hefty contracts for their clients, the pair had developed difficult working relationships with several teams, league executives and the NFL Players' Association. In March 2006, Carl Poston was suspended for two years by the NFLPA disciplinary committee after admitting that he had not read the contract of Washington Redskins' linebacker LaVar Arrington, which did not include an agreed upon $6.5 million bonus. Eventually, the Postons secured a six-year $40 million deal for Winslow, including a $16.5 million signing bonus.

2004 leg injury

Winslow was expected to give the Cleveland offense an immediate boost. Two games into his rookie season, however, he suffered a broken right fibula, which cost him $5.3 million in incentive bonuses. The injury kept him on the sidelines for the remainder of the year after having only recorded five catches for 50 yards. After two operations on the injured leg, Winslow made a full and complete recovery.

2005 motorcycle accident

On May 1, 2005, Winslow suffered another leg injury when he was thrown from his Suzuki GSX-R750 motorcycle while riding in the Cleveland suburb of Westlake. Winslow sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and was placed on the "Physically Unable-to-Perform (Non Football Injury)" list for the 2005 season. Winslow would later fight off a six-week staph infection that resulted from the injury.

2006 season

Winslow attended the Browns' 2006 training camp and pronounced himself ready to play. The Associated Press reported in August 2006 that Winslow said that, even at 90 percent, he was superior to every other NFL tight end. "I hate to be brash", Winslow said. "But I think my 90 percent is still better than every tight end out there."

In the opening game of the 2006 NFL season against the New Orleans Saints, Winslow recorded his first NFL touchdown, scoring on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Charlie Frye. Winslow emerged as a reliable target for Cleveland, finishing the year with 89 receptions, the most at his position on the season, which also tied Ozzie Newsome's all-time franchise record for receptions in a season.[6] Winslow underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee January 31, 2007 at the Cleveland Clinic in an attempt to further repair cartilage damage sustained in the motorcycle accident in 2005.

2007 season

He had a successful season and finished with 82 receptions for 1,106 yards and five touchdowns. On December 18, Winslow was named as a first alternate for the 2008 Pro Bowl[7] On February 4, Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers announced he would not be attending the Pro Bowl due to injury. This paved the way for Winslow to make his first trip to the Pro Bowl.[8] Winslow was one of 6 Browns selected that season.

The Browns also had their most successful season in recent memory. For the first time since 1994, Cleveland eclipsed double-digit wins with a 10-6 record. The Browns narrowly missed 2007-08 NFL playoffs and were the only 9+ win team not to qualify for the NFL's postseason tournament.

2008 season

During the 2008 season, Winslow was hospitalized with a staph infection. Winslow then openly criticized former GM Phil Savage about not fixing the infection problem (the Browns have had seven cases of staph infection in the last few years), and trying to hide the injury. Savage responded by suspending him for a week; owner Randy Lerner later apologized to Winslow and rescinded the suspension.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Winslow was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on February 27, 2009 for their 2nd round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and their 5th round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.[9] He received the biggest contract for a tight end in NFL history with a 6-year, $36 million deal.[10]

2009 Season

Winslow went on to a record-breaking season with the Buccaneers in his first year with the team, including single-season franchise records for a tight end in receptions (77) and receiving yards (884). His 77 catches led the team that season.

2010 Season

In his second year with the Buccaneers, he led the team in receptions with 66, for 730 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. The Bucs finished 10-6 in a rugged NFC South that included the Atlanta Falcons, who finished 13-3, and the New Orleans Saints, who finished 11-5. The division was the only in the NFL to have three teams post double-digit wins in 2010. However, the Bucs narrowly missed the 2010-11 NFL playoffs. The Green Bay Packers, who had an identical 10-6 record, went on to win the Super Bowl that year.

2011 Season

Kellen Winslow during his time with the Seattle Seahawks.

Once again Winslow led the team in receptions in his third season with the Buccaneers, recording 75 receptions for 763 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns.

Despite a strong outing in 2010 and a strong start in 2011, the Bucs finished 4-12.

On May 21, 2012, Winslow announced that the Buccaneers had informed him that he would either be traded or released.[11][12] It was also reported that Winslow had been directed not to attend organized team activities ('OTAs') while a trade was pursued, contradicting earlier reports that Winslow refused to participate in OTAs.[13]

Seattle Seahawks

2012 Season

Winslow was traded to the Seattle Seahawks on May 22, 2012.

Winslow was waived by the Seahawks on September 1, 2012. He declined to reduce his salary so the Seahawks released him.[14]

New England Patriots

Winslow signed with the New England Patriots on September 18, 2012. He then asked for his release and was granted it on September 27, 2012, after only playing in one game.[15]

New York Jets

Winslow was invited to attend the New York Jets' mini-camp for a three-day tryout.[16] Winslow subsequently signed a one-year contract on June 14, 2013 after general manager John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan praised Winslow's performance.[16] On October 11, 2013, Winslow was suspended for four games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.[17]

Career statistics

Pro Career Receiving Statistics
Year Team G Rec Yards YAC TD
2004 Cleveland 2 5 50 10.0 0
2005 Cleveland 0 0 0 - 0
2006 Cleveland 16 89 875 9.8 3
2007 Cleveland 16 82 1,106 13.5 5
2008 Cleveland 10 43 428 10.0 3
2009 Tampa Bay 16 77 884 11.5 5
2010 Tampa Bay 16 66 730 11.1 5
2011 Tampa Bay 16 75 763 10.2 2
2012 New England 1 1 12 12.0 0
2013 New York 5 17 169 9.9 2
Total 98 455 5,017 11.0 25

Personal life

He was married on June 15, 2006 to wife Janelle. The couple welcomed their first son Jalen Maximus Winslow in February 2011, and daughter Juliana Arielle Winslow August 2013. On October 17, 2006, Kellen's half brother Justin Winslow died with no cause of death reported. He was 23 years of age and was found unconscious by his mother. Kellen II and Justin are the only sons of Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow.[18]

Winslow is also known to be an avid music fan, and DJs when he has the time.

Winslow was charged with drug possession in January 2014[19] and received a conditional discharge without a guilty finding in the synthetic marijuana case.[20]

Winslow is also an avid cyclist, and rides his bicycles around San Diego county.

References

  1. ↑ Miami's Winslow To Enter Draft New York Times, January 2, 2004
  2. ↑ Winslow 'regrets' making comments ESPN, November 10, 2003
  3. ↑ "Kellen Winslow, Jr.". NFL Draft Scout. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Kellen Winslow II Prospect Profile". NFL. Archived from the original on June 16, 2004.
  5. ↑ Hurricanes set record with six first-round picks NBC Sports, April 26, 2004
  6. ↑ Cleveland Browns | Winslow ties team record
  7. ↑ Jackson, Zac (2007-12-18). "Edwards, Cribbs headed to Hawaii". clevelandbrowns.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  8. ↑ Despite possible surgery, Winslow welcomes playing in Pro Bowl ESPN, February 6, 2008
  9. ↑ Winslow traded to Bucs for draft picks ESPN, February 27, 2009
  10. ↑ Winslow signs largest TE deal in history ESPN, April 6, 2009
  11. ↑ "Kellen Winslow says he’s done in Tampa, Bucs trying to trade him | ProFootballTalk". Profootballtalk.nbcsports.com. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  12. ↑ Pat Yasinskas (2012-05-21). "Kellen Winslow likely on way out with Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Dallas Clark in? - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  13. ↑ "Bucs tell Winslow not to come to OTAs | ProFootballTalk". Profootballtalk.nbcsports.com. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  14. ↑ "Kellen Winslow released by Seattle Seahawks". NFL.com. 2012-09-01. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  15. ↑ "Kellen Winslow released by New England Patriots". NFL.com. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  16. 1 2 Lange, Randy (14 June 2013). "Winslow: ‘Feels Great to Be a Jet!’". New York Jets. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  17. ↑ "NFL suspends TE Winslow 4 games for PEDs". Rotoworld. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
  18. ↑ Justin Winslow, Brother and Son of NFL Tight Ends, Dies AOL News, October 17, 2006
  19. ↑ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1926875-updates-on-kellen-winslows-bizarre-drug-possession-arrest?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial&hpt=hp_t2
  20. ↑ http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/05/kellen_winslow_argues_theres_no_law_against_synthetic_marijuana.html

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