CURLEY CULP AUTOGRAPH HOUSTON OILERS BLUE FOOTBALL JERSEY, JSA

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THIS IS FOR A CUSTOM MADE HOUSTON OILERS FOOTBALL JERSEY SIGNED BY CURLEY CULP THIS MINI HELMET COMES WITH A COA FROM JAMES SPENCE, JSA THIS JERSEY IS A SIZE XLARGE, EVERYTHING ON THIS JERSEY IS STICHED AND SEWN ON THIS IS THE PERFECT GIFT THE NFL OR NCAA FOOTBALL FAN. Curley Culp (born March 10, 1946, in Yuma, Arizona ) is a former professional American football player and a hall of famer. An offensive and defensive lineman , he played college football at Arizona State University , was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion while at ASU, and played professionally in the American Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1968 and 1969, and for the National Football League Chiefs, Houston Oilers , and the Detroit Lions . He was an AFL All-Star in 1969 and a six-time AFC -NFC Pro Bowler . On February 2, 2013, Culp was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame At 6'1" and 265 lbs, Culp was considered a bit too short for the defensive line and a bit too slow to play linebacker . He moved from Denver to Kansas City in search of a team that could properly utilize his unique talents. Culp's play as a nose tackle actually took root in Super Bowl IV . Chiefs coach, Hank Stram , in an attempt to nullify the Minnesota Vikings ' quick outside rushing attack, decided to line Culp directly nose-to-nose with Vikings center , Mick Tingelhoff . The smaller Tingelhoff could not block Culp one-on-one and had to be helped by the other linemen. This freed teammates, Buck Buchanan , Willie Lanier , and other Chiefs defenders to get into the Vikings offensive backfield and shut down their running game. This game is often credited as the advent of the 3-4 defense. “Curley Culp was a tremendous athlete,” Pro Football Hall of Fame QB , Len Dawson , said. “He had such strength and quickness. I remember Jack Rudnay used to say that every center in the league should have to go against Curley in order to know what it’s like to go against the very best.” Culp helped anchor the Kansas City defensive line during one of the greatest eras of Chiefs football. Heralded as one of the quickest defensive linemen in the league, Culp spent seven seasons in Kansas City (1968–1974). He was a starting defensive tackle on the Chiefs Super Bowl IV squad and appeared in 82 games with Kansas City. A member of the Chiefs 25-Year All-Time Team, Culp played in the 1969 AFL All-Star Game and the 1971 Pro Bowl . He was twice honored as the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Week and claimed the Chiefs unofficial sack crown in 1973 with nine QB takedowns. Culp also registered five fumble recoveries in his Kansas City career. When Culp got to Houston, Bum Phillips was the defensive coordinator for Sid Gillman at the time. He had convinced the head coach to try a 3-4 defense, employing three down linemen and four linebackers, eschewing the standard 4-3 fronts of the day. The Oilers acquired Culp midway through the 1974 season for troubled DT John Matuszak . Culp had signed to play in the rival World Football League for 1975, so the Chiefs thought they were unloading a problem of their own. Culp outlived the new league and then some. It turned out to be one of the best trades in Oiler history. Culp was so strong he required two and three players to block him, opening lanes for Elvin Bethea , Gregg Bingham and Ted Washington, Sr. (and soon Robert Brazile , the player Houston drafted with the first-round pick that came with Culp). Houston won seven of their remaining nine games after Curley came to Houston. As Phillips later said, "Curley made (the 3-4 defense) work. He made me look smart." Culp's finest season came in 1975. He notched 11½ sacks, an unheard of total for a defensive tackle. He won All-Pro honors and was chosen NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Newspaper Enterprise Association and as such received the George S. Halas Trophy . The nose tackle position would become notorious for shortening careers. As linemen attacked Curley from every angle, injuri... read more

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