Todd Kalis
Encyclopedia
Todd Alexander Kalis is a former American football
player in the National Football League
(NFL). He was an offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings
(1988–1993), the Pittsburgh Steelers
(1994) and the Cincinnati Bengals
(1995).
After starting his final (36) with Arizona State University
which included three Bowl Game
appearances (Holiday
, Rose
and Freedom
), Kalis was the 17th offensive lineman (the fifth guard) in the fourth-round (108th pick) of the Minnesota Vikings in the 1988 NFL Draft
.
. He spent his early childhood there before moving with his father, mother and two sisters to Hudson, Wisconsin
. Shortly thereafter he moved again to Phoenix, Arizona
where he attended Thunderbird High School
and lettered in football
, tennis
and track and field.
Darryl Rogers
to play at Arizona State University. Kalis preferred to stay in his hometown which allowed his parents the opportunity to attend his home games on Saturday nights in Tempe, Arizona
.
Kalis redshirted
his freshman season in 1983 with the Sun Devils playing defensive end
.
In 1984 Kalis met with head coach Darryl Rogers prior to the start of spring practice. Kalis was told by Rogers he would be moved to the offensive line following the conclusion of spring practice if he didn’t secure either a first or second string position. Kalis contemplated the conversation and returned the next day to tell head coach Darryl Rogers to move him to the offense immediately. Kalis believed Rogers had already made up his mind to move him to the offensive line so Kalis decided not to wait to get a head start
on the new position. Kalis participated in the 1984 spring practice sessions as an offensive tackle.
In 1985 Arizona State University hired head coach John Cooper. Prior to the spring practice sessions Kalis was asked by offensive line coach
Tom Freeman to move to the right guard
position. Kalis competed and won the first string right guard position and started every game for the Sun Devils in 1985. The Sun Devils completed the season with a 8-3 record and an invitation to play in the 1985 Holiday Bowl against the Arkansas Razorbacks
at Jack Murphy Stadium. On December 22, 1985 Arizona State lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks 18-17.
The 1986 Arizona State University football season proved to be a very historic year for the Sun Devils. Arizona State finished the regular season with a record of 9-1-1 and won the Pac-10 Conference title and received an invitation to play the Michigan Wolverines
in the 1987 Rose Bowl. On January 1, 1987 in front of a crowd of 103,168 the Sun Devils defeated Michigan 22-15. ASU finished the season ranked 4th by the Associated Press
and 5th by United Press International
. Kalis was a starting member of the Sun Devil offensive line that averaged 208 yards per game.
In 1987 ASU football team finished the season with a 7-4-1 record and an invitation to play Air Force
in the 1987 Freedom Bowl. The Sun Devils defeated Air Force 33-28 on December 30, 1987 in Anaheim Stadium
and finished the season ranked 20th by the Associated Press. Kalis finished his four year letterman career at ASU with (36) consecutive starts, 33 regular season and 3 bowl games.
assigned Kalis the responsibility of providing back-up assistance to both starting right tackle Tim Irwin
(14 year NFL veteran) and left tackle Gary Zimmerman
(Hall of Fame
2008). The Vikings finished the regular season 11-5 and reached the NFL playoffs as a NFC
Wild Card
team and beat the Los Angeles Rams
28-17 on December 26, 1988. The following week the Vikings met the San Francisco 49ers
in the NFC Division Playoffs on January 1, 1989 at Candlestick Park and lost the game 34-9. The San Francisco 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XXIII
. The Minnesoa Vikings finished the season 2nd in the NFC Central Division.
In 1989 Kalis was given the opportunity to compete for the starting right guard position on the offensive line. He was successful and started every 1989 regular season game as well as the 1990 playoff game versus the San Francisco 49ers. Kalis joined fellow starting offensive lineman Tim Irwin (right tackle), Kirk Lowdermilk
(center
), Randall McDaniel (left guard/Hall of Fame 2009) and Gary Zimmerman (left tackle/Hall of Fame 2008). On January 6, 1990 the Vikings met the San Francisco 49ers in the 1989 NFC Divisional Playoffs at Candlestick Park and lost 41-13. The San Francisco 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XXIV
. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season with a record of 10-6 and 1st in the NFC Central Division.
The 1990 football season proved to be a disappointing year for the Minnesota Vikings. Kalis started all (16) regular season games but the team failed to reach the NFL Playoffs. The Vikings finished the season 6-10 despite having a five game winning streak in November and early December. The team went on to finish the season with a four game losing streak which included the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Raiders and San Francisco 49ers. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season 2nd in the NFC Central Division.
The 1991 football season record improved to 8-8 but would be Jerry Burns last as head coach. Kalis shared the starting responsibilies at the right guard position throughout the season with Brian Habib. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season 3rd in the NFC Central Division.
1992 Kalis suffered a potentially career ending knee injury during a pre-season game versus the Washington Redskins
. Kalis rehabilitated the injury throughout the 1992 season and did not return to action. Under the leadership of new head coach Dennis Green
the Vikings went on to earn a playoff spot in the NFC Wild Card game versus the Washington Redskins. On January 2, 1993 the Vikings played the Washington Redskins at the Metrodome
in Minnesota and even though the Vikings had the home field advantage, they lost the game 24-7. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season with a record of 11-5 and 1st in the NFC Central Division.
The 1993 season was a year of recovery for Kalis. Following an extensive rehabilitation regimen due to the knee injury from the previous year, Kalis battled and recaptured the starting right guard position. As the season progressed so did his play and the Vikings returned to the NFC playoffs for the fourth time during his six-year tenure as a Viking. The team finished 9-7 and secured a Wild Card Playoff berth. On January 9, 1994 the Vikings played against the New York Giants
at Giants Stadium
with Jim McMahon
as their starting quarterback
. The Vikings lost the game 17-10 and Kalis played his last game as a Minnesota Viking. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season 2nd in the NFC Central Division.
. He competed and won the right guard position and joined fellow starting offensive lineman Leon Searcy
(right tackle), Dermontti Dawson
(center/Hall of Fame nominee), Duval Love
(left guard), John Jackson (left tackle). On November 20, 1994 the Steelers faced the Miami Dolphins
in week (12) of the regular season. The Steelers lost the game in overtime
16-13 and also lost Kalis for the rest of the season due to a broken ankle suffered in overtime while completing a downfield block
for running back
Barry Foster.
The Steelers finished the season 12-4-0, won the AFC Central Division title and defeated the Cleveland Browns
29-9 on January 7, 1995 in the AFC Division Playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium. On January 15, 1995 the Steelers faced the San Diego Chargers
in the AFC Conference Championship Game. Late in the fourth quarter the Steelers marched from their own 17-yard line to the San Diego 3 to put themselves in position for a potential winning touchdown. However on fourth down, Chargers linebacker
Dennis Gibson
sealed the victory by tipping away Neil O'Donnell
's pass intended for running back Barry Foster. The San Diego Chargers won the game 17-13 and went on to lose 49-26 to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX
. The Pittsburgh Steelers finished 1st in the AFC Central Division.
with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was returning from a season ending ankle surgery and was also surprised to find himself being asked to play the left guard position during the pre-season. He started all (4) pre-season games at left guard due to an illness that Tom Newberry
had battled throughout training camp. On the last day of training camp Kalis was released by the Steelers. Two days later he was in Cincinnati signing a new contract with the Bengals. Kalis saw limited action early in the season at both left and right guard. Kalis replaced Bruce Kozerski as the starting right guard when Kozerski suffered a season/career ending ankle injury.
Kalis was also the starting right guard for the Cincinnati Bengals for the last game ever played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium
on December 17, 1995. At the time it was believed to be the last Cleveland Browns
game to ever be played in Cleveland. Kalis was on the field when the a time out was called by the officials to allow the Bengals to relocate to the other end of the field to create more distance between and the Bengals players and the fans who had already begun to tear seats our of the stadium and throw them onto the field. Kalis started his final NFL football game on December 24, 1995 beating the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio
. The Cincinnati Bengals finished the season with a record of 7-9 and 2nd in the AFC Central Division.
, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization after being voted President of the Pittsburgh Chapter in June 2000. In 2002 he became a member of the Board of Directors, in 2003 he was voted Chairman the Board of Chapter Presidents and in 2004 assumed the role of Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Pittsburgh Chapter of the NFL Alumni currently hosts the #1 Charity Golf Classic Series event in the country as well as the #1 Klays for Kids Sporting Clays Team Challenge. The Pittsburgh Chapter has raised more than 2.2 million dollars for numerous Western Pennsylvania charitable organizations since June 2000. These events as well as many others conducted around the country every year by the NFL Alumni provide the support required to maintain the organizations motto of “Caring for Kids”.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He was an offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
(1988–1993), the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
(1994) and the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
(1995).
After starting his final (36) with Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
which included three Bowl Game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
appearances (Holiday
1985 Holiday Bowl
The 1985 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 22, 1985 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the 14th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks, and the unranked Arizona State Sun Devils....
, Rose
1987 Rose Bowl
The 1987 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was the 73rd Rose Bowl Game. The Arizona State Sun Devils, champions of the Pacific-10 Conference, defeated the Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, 22-15....
and Freedom
Freedom Bowl
The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved...
), Kalis was the 17th offensive lineman (the fifth guard) in the fourth-round (108th pick) of the Minnesota Vikings in the 1988 NFL Draft
1988 NFL Draft
The 1988 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24–25, 1988. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
.
Early life
Kalis was born in Stillwater, MinnesotaStillwater, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...
. He spent his early childhood there before moving with his father, mother and two sisters to Hudson, Wisconsin
Hudson, Wisconsin
Hudson is a city in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 18,937, making it the principal and largest city of the Minneapolis - St. Paul metropolitan area . The Hudson area however had a population of 39,713...
. Shortly thereafter he moved again to Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
where he attended Thunderbird High School
Thunderbird High School
Thunderbird High School is a public high school located in northwestern Phoenix, Arizona. The school is a part of the Glendale Union High School District.-Feeder schools:...
and lettered in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and track and field.
Playing career
Kalis was heavily recruited out of high school for football and tennis. He accepted an offer from head coachHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Darryl Rogers
Darryl Rogers
Darryl Dale Rogers is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at California State University, Fresno , San Jose State University , Michigan State University , and Arizona State University , compiling a career college football record of 126–77–7...
to play at Arizona State University. Kalis preferred to stay in his hometown which allowed his parents the opportunity to attend his home games on Saturday nights in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
.
Kalis redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his freshman season in 1983 with the Sun Devils playing defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
.
In 1984 Kalis met with head coach Darryl Rogers prior to the start of spring practice. Kalis was told by Rogers he would be moved to the offensive line following the conclusion of spring practice if he didn’t secure either a first or second string position. Kalis contemplated the conversation and returned the next day to tell head coach Darryl Rogers to move him to the offense immediately. Kalis believed Rogers had already made up his mind to move him to the offensive line so Kalis decided not to wait to get a head start
Head start (positioning)
In positioning, a head start is a start in advance of the starting position of others in competition, or simply toward the finish line or desired outcome...
on the new position. Kalis participated in the 1984 spring practice sessions as an offensive tackle.
In 1985 Arizona State University hired head coach John Cooper. Prior to the spring practice sessions Kalis was asked by offensive line coach
Offensive line coach
The offensive line coach is a coaching position in gridiron football that is in charge of the offensive line. This role is very common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The offensive line coach serves the offense, which is led by the offensive coordinator....
Tom Freeman to move to the right guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
position. Kalis competed and won the first string right guard position and started every game for the Sun Devils in 1985. The Sun Devils completed the season with a 8-3 record and an invitation to play in the 1985 Holiday Bowl against the Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
at Jack Murphy Stadium. On December 22, 1985 Arizona State lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks 18-17.
The 1986 Arizona State University football season proved to be a very historic year for the Sun Devils. Arizona State finished the regular season with a record of 9-1-1 and won the Pac-10 Conference title and received an invitation to play the Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
in the 1987 Rose Bowl. On January 1, 1987 in front of a crowd of 103,168 the Sun Devils defeated Michigan 22-15. ASU finished the season ranked 4th by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and 5th by United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
. Kalis was a starting member of the Sun Devil offensive line that averaged 208 yards per game.
In 1987 ASU football team finished the season with a 7-4-1 record and an invitation to play Air Force
1987 Air Force Falcons football team
The 1987 Air Force Falcons football team represented the United States Air Force Academy in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Falcons offense scored 405 points while the defense allowed 269 points. At season’s end, the Falcons appeared in the 1987 Freedom Bowl. In the Ram-Falcon...
in the 1987 Freedom Bowl. The Sun Devils defeated Air Force 33-28 on December 30, 1987 in Anaheim Stadium
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. It is the home ballpark to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League, and was previously home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams...
and finished the season ranked 20th by the Associated Press. Kalis finished his four year letterman career at ASU with (36) consecutive starts, 33 regular season and 3 bowl games.
Minnesota Vikings 1988-1993
During his rookie season in 1988, head coach Jerry BurnsJerry Burns
Jerome Monahan "Jerry" Burns is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Iowa, from 1961 to 1965, compiling record of 16–27–2, and for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL from 1986 to 1991, tallying a mark of...
assigned Kalis the responsibility of providing back-up assistance to both starting right tackle Tim Irwin
Tim Irwin
Timothy Edward Irwin was an offensive tackle for the Tennessee Volunteers in college and played in the NFL for 14 years. Most of his professional career was with the Minnesota Vikings....
(14 year NFL veteran) and left tackle Gary Zimmerman
Gary Zimmerman
Gary Wayne Zimmerman is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. Zimmerman played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1986-1992 and for the Denver Broncos from 1993-1997. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 7 times and was an All-Pro selection 8 times...
(Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
2008). The Vikings finished the regular season 11-5 and reached the NFL playoffs as a NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
Wild Card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
team and beat the Los Angeles Rams
History of the St. Louis Rams
The following is a detailed history of the St. Louis Rams a professional American football team and member of the National Football League .-AFL Cleveland Rams :...
28-17 on December 26, 1988. The following week the Vikings met the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the NFC Division Playoffs on January 1, 1989 at Candlestick Park and lost the game 34-9. The San Francisco 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
. The Minnesoa Vikings finished the season 2nd in the NFC Central Division.
In 1989 Kalis was given the opportunity to compete for the starting right guard position on the offensive line. He was successful and started every 1989 regular season game as well as the 1990 playoff game versus the San Francisco 49ers. Kalis joined fellow starting offensive lineman Tim Irwin (right tackle), Kirk Lowdermilk
Kirk Lowdermilk
Robert Kirk Lowdermilk played for the Ohio State University and is a former American football center who played twelve seasons in the National Football League, mainly with the Minnesota Vikings....
(center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
), Randall McDaniel (left guard/Hall of Fame 2009) and Gary Zimmerman (left tackle/Hall of Fame 2008). On January 6, 1990 the Vikings met the San Francisco 49ers in the 1989 NFC Divisional Playoffs at Candlestick Park and lost 41-13. The San Francisco 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season...
. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season with a record of 10-6 and 1st in the NFC Central Division.
The 1990 football season proved to be a disappointing year for the Minnesota Vikings. Kalis started all (16) regular season games but the team failed to reach the NFL Playoffs. The Vikings finished the season 6-10 despite having a five game winning streak in November and early December. The team went on to finish the season with a four game losing streak which included the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Raiders and San Francisco 49ers. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season 2nd in the NFC Central Division.
The 1991 football season record improved to 8-8 but would be Jerry Burns last as head coach. Kalis shared the starting responsibilies at the right guard position throughout the season with Brian Habib. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season 3rd in the NFC Central Division.
1992 Kalis suffered a potentially career ending knee injury during a pre-season game versus the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. Kalis rehabilitated the injury throughout the 1992 season and did not return to action. Under the leadership of new head coach Dennis Green
Dennis Green
Dennis "Denny" Green is an American football head coach for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League...
the Vikings went on to earn a playoff spot in the NFC Wild Card game versus the Washington Redskins. On January 2, 1993 the Vikings played the Washington Redskins at the Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
in Minnesota and even though the Vikings had the home field advantage, they lost the game 24-7. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season with a record of 11-5 and 1st in the NFC Central Division.
The 1993 season was a year of recovery for Kalis. Following an extensive rehabilitation regimen due to the knee injury from the previous year, Kalis battled and recaptured the starting right guard position. As the season progressed so did his play and the Vikings returned to the NFC playoffs for the fourth time during his six-year tenure as a Viking. The team finished 9-7 and secured a Wild Card Playoff berth. On January 9, 1994 the Vikings played against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
with Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
as their starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. The Vikings lost the game 17-10 and Kalis played his last game as a Minnesota Viking. The Minnesota Vikings finished the season 2nd in the NFC Central Division.
Pittsburgh Steelers 1994
During the off season prior to the 1994 regular season Kalis worked with his agent G. Bruce Allen to find a new NFL home. On May 20, 1994 he signed a new three year contract and began his career with the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. He competed and won the right guard position and joined fellow starting offensive lineman Leon Searcy
Leon Searcy
Leon Searcy is an American football coach and former player.Searcy is a former NFL offensive lineman, who played primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars in an 11-year career spanning between 1992 and 2002...
(right tackle), Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Dawson
Dermontti Farra Dawson is a former American football center in the National Football League. He played his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers....
(center/Hall of Fame nominee), Duval Love
Duval Love
Duval Love , is a former American football tackle who played twelve seasons in the National Football League.-References:...
(left guard), John Jackson (left tackle). On November 20, 1994 the Steelers faced the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week (12) of the regular season. The Steelers lost the game in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
16-13 and also lost Kalis for the rest of the season due to a broken ankle suffered in overtime while completing a downfield block
Blocking (American football)
In American football, blocking is a legal move occurring when one player obstructs another player's path with his body. The purpose of blocking is to prevent defensive players tackling the ball carrier, or to protect the quarterback while attempting to pass or hand-off the ball...
for running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Barry Foster.
The Steelers finished the season 12-4-0, won the AFC Central Division title and defeated the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
29-9 on January 7, 1995 in the AFC Division Playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium. On January 15, 1995 the Steelers faced the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the AFC Conference Championship Game. Late in the fourth quarter the Steelers marched from their own 17-yard line to the San Diego 3 to put themselves in position for a potential winning touchdown. However on fourth down, Chargers linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Dennis Gibson
Dennis Gibson
Dennis Michael Gibson is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League from 1987-1995 for the Detroit Lions and the San Diego Chargers...
sealed the victory by tipping away Neil O'Donnell
Neil O'Donnell
Neil Kennedy O'Donnell is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 14 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tennessee Titans...
's pass intended for running back Barry Foster. The San Diego Chargers won the game 17-13 and went on to lose 49-26 to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
. The Pittsburgh Steelers finished 1st in the AFC Central Division.
Cincinnati Bengals 1995
Kalis began the 1995 season by attending training camp in Latrobe, PennsylvaniaLatrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was returning from a season ending ankle surgery and was also surprised to find himself being asked to play the left guard position during the pre-season. He started all (4) pre-season games at left guard due to an illness that Tom Newberry
Tom Newberry
Thomas J. "Tom" Newberry is a former American football guard who played ten seasons in the National Football League with the Los Angeles Rams for 9 years and the Pittsburgh Steelers for 1 year. He was a starter for the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. He was a 2 time Pro Bowl and NFL All-Pro offensive...
had battled throughout training camp. On the last day of training camp Kalis was released by the Steelers. Two days later he was in Cincinnati signing a new contract with the Bengals. Kalis saw limited action early in the season at both left and right guard. Kalis replaced Bruce Kozerski as the starting right guard when Kozerski suffered a season/career ending ankle injury.
Kalis was also the starting right guard for the Cincinnati Bengals for the last game ever played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Cleveland Stadium
Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football...
on December 17, 1995. At the time it was believed to be the last Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
game to ever be played in Cleveland. Kalis was on the field when the a time out was called by the officials to allow the Bengals to relocate to the other end of the field to create more distance between and the Bengals players and the fans who had already begun to tear seats our of the stadium and throw them onto the field. Kalis started his final NFL football game on December 24, 1995 beating the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. The Cincinnati Bengals finished the season with a record of 7-9 and 2nd in the AFC Central Division.
NFL Alumni
Kalis began his work with the NFL AlumniNational Football League Alumni
The NFL Alumni is a 501 charity that is composed of former NFL players and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of "youth through sports and sports through youth." The NFL Alumni advances its motto...
, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization after being voted President of the Pittsburgh Chapter in June 2000. In 2002 he became a member of the Board of Directors, in 2003 he was voted Chairman the Board of Chapter Presidents and in 2004 assumed the role of Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Pittsburgh Chapter of the NFL Alumni currently hosts the #1 Charity Golf Classic Series event in the country as well as the #1 Klays for Kids Sporting Clays Team Challenge. The Pittsburgh Chapter has raised more than 2.2 million dollars for numerous Western Pennsylvania charitable organizations since June 2000. These events as well as many others conducted around the country every year by the NFL Alumni provide the support required to maintain the organizations motto of “Caring for Kids”.