Kellen Winslow
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Kellen Boswell Winslow Sr. (born November 5, 1957) is an American former professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
who played in the
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(NFL). A member of the
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(1995), he is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the league's history. Winslow played his entire NFL career (1979–1987) with the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
after being selected in the first round of the
1979 NFL draft The 1979 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 May 3–4, 1979, at the Waldorf Astoria ...
. He played
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
Missouri Tigers The Missouri Tigers intercollegiate athletics programs represent the University of Missouri, located in Columbia. The name comes from a band of armed Union Home Guards called the "Fighting Tigers of Columbia" who, in 1864, protected Columbia ...
, earning consensus
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
honors in 1978. He was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
in 2002. Winslow had a late start to his football career, not playing until his senior year of high school. Noted for his unusual combination of size and speed, he was recruited by the Missouri Tigers, where he played from 1975 to 1978, ranking among the team's reception leaders during his last two seasons. He was named All-American as a senior, entering the
NFL draft The NFL draft, officially known as the Annual Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the most common source of player recruitment in the National Football League. Each team is given a position in the drafting order in reve ...
as one of the highest-regarded prospects for the league. San Diego traded up to draft Winslow with the 13th overall pick in the draft. Over the next nine seasons, he was named a first-team
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
three times and a
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
er five times. After a promising rookie season (1979) was ended by injury, Winslow became a key figure in head coach
Don Coryell Donald David Coryell ( ; October 17, 1924 – July 1, 2010) was an American American football, football coach. He coached in high school, college, and the professional ranks; his most notable NCAA post was with the San Diego State Aztecs footba ...
's offense from 1980 to 1983, twice leading the league in receptions. His success in the passing game had long-term effects on the usage of tight ends, who had previously been perceived as good blockers who would catch occasionally. Highlights for Winslow included a five-
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
performance against the
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and a starring role in the 1981 playoff game known as the Epic in Miami. Winslow was progressing at a record-breaking pace in 1984 when a serious knee injury knocked him out of the game for a year. He recovered enough to play from 1985 to 1987, but generally failed to recapture his pre-injury form. Winslow planned to return for a tenth year in the league but after a single appearance in the 1988 preseason the condition of his knees forced him to retire.


Early life

Winslow was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, on November 5, 1957, the third of seven children. He attended East St. Louis Senior High School and did not play
high school football High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by High school (North America), high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular high school sports, interscholastic sports in both c ...
until his senior year. Until then, he was a self-described "nerd" who played
chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
. He tried football as a sophomore, but was discouraged by two-a-days and gave it up after within a week. As a junior, he had a job with
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(UPS) and had no time for the sport. He was convinced to try football again in his senior year by his coach, Cornelius Perry, who persuaded Winslow that it would fund his college education. In his solitary year with the East St. Louis Flyers, Winslow
caught Caught is a method of dismissing a batsman in cricket. A batsman is out caught if the batsman hits the ball, from a legitimate delivery, with the bat, and the ball is caught by the bowler or a fielder before it hits the ground. If the catch ...
17 passes and was voted to the 1974 All- Southwestern Conference first team as an end. The Flyers season ended with an overtime 19–13 defeat by Glenbrook North in the championship game; a tearful Winslow blamed himself after failing to make a difficult catch in the end zone on the game's penultimate play.


College career

The
University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Univers ...
recruited Winslow to play football for the Tigers; head coach Al Onofrio described him as "the best looking future prospect on the East side." Winslow theorized that he had been recruited chiefly because of his size, as his high school statistics had been unremarkable. He played primarily in the junior varsity team in his first year, then saw some action with the Tigers as a sophomore. Winslow had an increased impact as a junior, increasing his total receptions from 16 to 25. He was a consensus pick for
tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
in the 1977 All- Big Eight first team. Entering his senior year, an
associated press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
(AP) article described him as "probably the best player" awaiting new head coach
Warren Powers Warren Anthony Powers (February 19, 1941 – November 2, 2021) was an American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Washington State Cougars football, Washington State University in 1977, and the Missouri Tigers football, Un ...
; Powers said of Winslow, "his kind don't come along very often." He went on to catch 29 passes in
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
, being voted a consensus
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
and second team all-Big Eight. He finished his college career with 71 receptions for 1,089 yards and 10
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
s. In his final game as a Tiger, he added a further touchdown and Missouri defeated
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
20–15 in the 1978 Liberty Bowl. Winslow's college achievements subsequently brought him numerous honors—he has been inducted into the Halls of Fame of the Missouri Tigers, Missouri Sports and
College Football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
. The Tigers retired his No. 83 jersey.


College statistics


College honors

* First-team All-Big Eight (
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
) * Second team All-Big Eight (
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
) * Consensus first-team
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
(
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
) * Missouri Tigers Hall of Fame inductee (1990) * Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inductee (1994) * Missouri Tigers No. 83 retired (1995) *
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
inductee (2002)


Professional career


NFL draft

Winslow entered the
1979 NFL draft The 1979 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 May 3–4, 1979, at the Waldorf Astoria ...
rated as "unquestionably the best prospect at tight end" by analyst Don Heinrich.
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
general manager Jim Finks said, "Some people can play tight end with two of the three requirements. I hear Winslow has all three—size, speed and strength." Winslow was expected to be chosen early in the first round, with the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
(drafting No. 2 overall) and the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
(No. 3 overall) both likely destinations. In the event, Winslow was unexpectedly yet to be chosen by the time the draft reached the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
who had selection No. 13. At that point the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
, who were not scheduled to pick until No. 20, made a deal with Cleveland to move up seven places and select Winslow. The Chargers were delighted with the trade, as they had rated Winslow as the top player in the draft, and had twice unsuccessfully tried to trade up into the top seven picks to get him. Head coach
Don Coryell Donald David Coryell ( ; October 17, 1924 – July 1, 2010) was an American American football, football coach. He coached in high school, college, and the professional ranks; his most notable NCAA post was with the San Diego State Aztecs footba ...
explained that the Chargers had an area of need at tight end, as their current starters Bob Klein and Pat Curran were both in their 30's and likely to retire soon. Winslow himself had expected to go to Cincinnati but was pleased when the Chargers selected him as he liked to catch the ball and was aware of Coryell's affinity for the passing game.


1979 season

Less than three weeks after the draft, Winslow signed a series of one-year contracts to play for the Chargers. Coryell described him as "a big strong man who has great potential and ability," and suggested Winslow could play both tight end and wide receiver. When the season began, Winslow did serve in both roles, being both the second tight end behind Klein and a third wide receiver behind Charlie Joiner and John Jefferson depending on the formation. He caught his first career touchdown in week 2 of his rookie season on a 5-yard pass from
quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
Dan Fouts. When an injury to Klein forced Winslow into the starting line-up, he responded with a seven-catch performance that left him as the Chargers' leader in receptions. The following week, he lost a key fumble in a 7–0 defeat to the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
. A ''
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'' article described him as inconsistent, both as a blocker and a receiver, and "like a runaway locomotive without tracks" when carrying the ball. Winslow's season ended in a week 7 game against the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
due to a fractured left
fibula The fibula (: fibulae or fibulas) or calf bone is a leg bone on the lateral side of the tibia, to which it is connected above and below. It is the smaller of the two bones and, in proportion to its length, the most slender of all the long bones. ...
. While he was initially projected to be out for only six weeks, Winslow was still missing for the Chargers' season-ending playoff loss to the
Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston, Texas, from its founding in 1960 Houston Oilers season, 1960 to 1996 Houston Oilers season, 1996. The Houston Oilers began play as a charter member of the Ame ...
. Winslow finished with 25 catches, which had led the team at the point when he was injured, for 255 yards and two touchdowns. Winslow later believed that the injury had positive effects, saying in a 2006 interview, "My breaking my leg my rookie year turned out to be a blessing, because I got a chance to sit back and look at some things... from another angle and came back my second year and things really made sense."


1980 season

Winslow entered the 1980 season with a chance to claim the number one tight end position, as Klein retired during the offseason. Due to a series of minor injuries, Winslow was unable to win the place in
preseason In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of S ...
, with Greg McCrary beginning the regular season as the starter. In week 2, Winslow had a breakthrough performance against the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
with 9 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown in an overtime win. Coryell used Winslow in various positions and formations throughout the game, trying to force a mismatches where the 6 foot 5 Winslow would be covered by a smaller defender. As the season progressed, Winslow established himself as a key component of the
Air Coryell In American football, Air Coryell is the offensive scheme and philosophy developed by former San Diego Chargers coach Don Coryell. The offensive philosophy has been also called the "Coryell offense" or the "vertical offense". With Dan Fouts a ...
offense and eventually led the league with 89 catches, setting a new NFL record for tight ends by breaking the previous mark of 75 held by
Mike Ditka Michael Keller Ditka ( ; born Michael Dyczko; October 18, 1939) is an American former professional American football, football player, coach, and television commentator. During his playing career, he was UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year, UPI NFL R ...
. He became the first tight end to exceed 1,000 receiving yards since Jackie Smith in
1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
. Some sources credit Winslow's 1,290 yards as having set a new tight end record. He was instrumental in the Chargers' second consecutive
AFC West The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, ...
division title, and was voted both a
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
er and first-team AP
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
. Winslow caught only a single pass in San Diego's first playoff game, a 20–14 divisional playoffs victory over the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
. This was partially due to an injury to McCrary early in the game. The Chargers frequently used a two-tight end formation, with McCrary lining up as a regular tight end and Winslow appearing in variable positions, often going in
motion In physics, motion is when an object changes its position with respect to a reference point in a given time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed, and frame of reference to an o ...
. They had no backup to McCrary, so Winslow was forced to replace him as a conventional tight end, with far less scope to catch passes. McCrary attempted to play through the injury the following week, but Winslow still had only 3 catches for 42 yards, and San Diego lost the
AFC Championship game The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semifinal NFL playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football lea ...
34–27 to Oakland.


1981 season: Acclaimed performance in Miami

The 1981 season began slowly for Winslow, with only five catches in the first two games. He drew more double coverage after Jefferson was traded to the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
; Winslow also theorized that teams were more aware of the threat he posed following his performances the previous year. Aided by the midseason arrival of wide receiver Wes Chandler in place of Jefferson, Winslow saw more single coverage as the season went on and produced better numbers. A highlight was a 55–21 win in
Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...
when Winslow caught 13 passes for 144 yards and 5 touchdowns. The five receiving touchdowns tied an NFL single-game record that has not been surpassed , while the 13 receptions tied
Lance Alworth Lance Dwight Alworth (born August 3, 1940), nicknamed "Bambi", is an American former professional football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL), and the Dal ...
's franchise record. Winslow said of the performance, "I just happened to get my number called today. A lot of things were going our way and they just happened to go my way in particular." San Diego were struggling with a 6–5 record before Winslow's five-touchdown game, but recovered to finish 10–6 and win their third consecutive AFC West title. Winslow led the league in receptions for the second consecutive season, finishing with 88 catches for 1,075 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was again named to the Pro Bowl (where he won co-
MVP MVP most commonly refers to: * Most valuable player, an award, typically for the best performing player in a sport or competition * Minimum viable product, a concept for feature estimating used in business and engineering MVP may also refer to: ...
) and the AP All-Pro first team. Winslow excelled in the Chargers' divisional playoff game, a 41–38 overtime win over the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
played in draining humidity that became known as the Epic in Miami. He had 13 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown, and blocked a potential game-winning field goal at the end of regulation time. Winslow leaped in the middle of the line to block the kick, barely deflecting the ball with the outside of his right hand: he said, ""For all the receptions and all the yardage, I got more satisfaction out of blocking the field goal. It was something I'd never done before. It had always been a dream of mine." His 13 receptions set a new single-game playoff record, while his yardage total was a playoff record for tight ends. He achieved these statistics despite repeatedly having to leave the game with dehydration and severe cramps; he was also treated for a pinched nerve in his shoulder and received three stitches in his lower lip. After the game, a picture of Winslow being helped off the field by his teammates became an enduring image in NFL lore. Winslow's performance in the Miami game was greatly praised afterwards.
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
tight end
Mike Ditka Michael Keller Ditka ( ; born Michael Dyczko; October 18, 1939) is an American former professional American football, football player, coach, and television commentator. During his playing career, he was UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year, UPI NFL R ...
said, "Kellen Winslow portrayed in Miami what it takes to be great. The difference between great and good is a matter of heart. He gave a tremendous amount to help his team win one of the great games ever played." Dolphins' tackle Bob Kuechenberg said the game made Winslow's career in a 2017 interview, adding "I deeply resented the fact that they literally carried him off the field five times and he'd come back and do some other miracle." A 2012 ''
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'' article rated it the second-best single-game playoff performance in NFL history up to that point, while a 2014 ''
San Diego Union-Tribune ''The San Diego Union-Tribune'' is a metropolitan daily newspaper published in San Diego, California, that has run since 1868. Its name derives from a 1992 merger between the two major daily newspapers at the time, ''The San Diego Union'' and ...
'' article named it the joint-best playoff performance by a Charger. While Winslow scored again the following week, it was the Chargers' only touchdown in a 27–7 AFC Championship game loss at Cincinnati. The game became known as the
Freezer Bowl In National Football League (NFL) lore, the Freezer Bowl was the 1981 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was played on January 10, 1982, at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium, and televised ...
for the unusually frigid and windy conditions. Winslow commented afterwards, "I wouldn't send my dog out in that kind of weather."


1982 season

The 1982 season was interrupted by a 57-day NFL players strike which reduced the regular season to nine games. Winslow expressed impatience with the process, claiming that players' union director
Ed Garvey Edward Robert Garvey (April 18, 1940 – February 22, 2017) was an American lawyer, activist, and Democratic politician from Wisconsin. He was executive director of the National Football League Players Association (players' union) from 1971 to ...
and management negotiator Jack Donlan were both on "ego trips." While Garvey was seeking a wage scale for the players, Winslow believed that abolishing the
NFL draft The NFL draft, officially known as the Annual Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the most common source of player recruitment in the National Football League. Each team is given a position in the drafting order in reve ...
and encouraging the development of the rival
United States Football League The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...
(USFL) would do more to increase their salaries. On the field, his success continued—Winslow's 54 receptions were the most in the AFC, while his 721 yards were second to his teammate Chandler. For the third consecutive season, he was named both a Pro Bowler and AP first-team All-Pro. San Diego qualified for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, taking their place in an expanded 16-team Super Bowl tournament as the AFC's fifth seed and travelling to the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
for their first game. The Steelers led 28–17 in the final quarter, but two touchdowns by Winslow gave San Diego a 31–28 win; he had 7 catches for 102 yards and the two scores. A rematch with the Dolphins in Miami followed. Winslow was unable to repeat his performance of the previous year, playing with a twisted ankle for most of the game and finishing with only one catch for 18 yards as Miami won 34–13. Winslow said of the defeat, "You can say it either way: They had a great day, or we had an off day. But really it was both." It was the last playoff game of his career. An
National Football League Players Association The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the labor unions in the United States, labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by executive directo ...
(NFLPA) survey released after the season reported his annual salary as $210,000, joint third-most on the Chargers but behind 64 players league-wide, including some tight ends.


1983 season

The Chargers had a disappointing 1983 season and missed the playoffs for the first time in Winslow's career, although he himself had another statistically productive year. Winslow had 14 catches for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns in a win over the Chiefs, breaking the franchise single-game receptions record he'd previously shared with Alworth. He finished the year with 88 catches for 1,172 yards and 8 touchdowns, and was voted to another Pro Bowl, though this time as the AFC's reserve tight end behind Todd Christensen of Los Angeles. Winslow had caught more passes than any other player over the five-year period 1979–83.


1984 season: Holdout and career-threatening injury

Winslow entered the 1984 season seeking to renegotiate his contract. He had two years remaining on a five-year contract and a verbal agreement from Chargers ownership that he could negotiate a new deal in 1984. He requested an amount which the Chargers refused, with Winslow's agent Jim Steiner stating shortly before the regular season started that the two sides were far apart with their offers. Steiner declared Winslow's intention to play in week 1 at Minnesota, "out of respect for the team, Don Coryell and the coaching staff," then retire if no agreement was forthcoming. On September 2 he followed through on the threat, catching four passes in the game then travelling to East St. Louis instead of flying back to San Diego with his teammates. He criticized ownership for letting players such as Jefferson and Fred Dean leave in the past due to similar contract disputes, saying "I feel cheated... they've turned their back on me. I have nowhere else to go but home." Chargers general manager Johnny Sanders said that there would be no further negotiations with Winslow while he refused to report to camp. San Diego declined to place Winslow on the retirement list, which would have prevented him playing for the rest of the year. On September 5, Steiner suggested that Winslow could still be induced to return, but that they were investigating other means of income, including television work. The Chargers signed veteran tight end Al Dixon as a replacement on September 6. The Houston Gamblers of the USFL declared an interest in signing Winslow, staging a press conference with the player on September 8. Winslow stated at the conference that he would return to San Diego and play the remaining two years there; he was not permitted to sign for the Gamblers until his Chargers contract expired, but expressed an interest in joining them for the 1986 season. Winslow then returned to the Chargers, allowing negotiations to re-open. On September 12, Winslow agreed to a new five-year contract with San Diego. Winslow had missed one game due to his holdout, but returned in week 3 to face the Oilers at home. The Jack Murphy Stadium crowd booed him when he was announced at the start of the game, a 31–14 victory in which he had 10 catches for 146 yards. Three weeks later, he broke the Chargers single-game receptions record for the second time with 15 catches for 157 yards in a 34–28 win at Green Bay. Despite having missed a game, he was on course to break Charley Hennigan's league record of 101 catches in a season before being stopped by a serious knee injury. In week 8, late in a 44–37 loss to the Raiders, Winslow took a short pass over the middle for his 55th reception of the season. His knee twisted while being tackled by Los Angeles linebackers Jeff Barnes and Rod Martin. In the immediate wake of the injury, Winslow described himself as "flopping on the field like a
flounder Flounders are a group of flatfish species. They are demersal fish, found at the bottom of oceans around the world; some species will also enter estuary, estuaries. Taxonomy The name "flounder" is used for several only distantly related speci ...
out of water." Once medical staff reset his knee, Winslow smiled and exchanged jokes with the Raiders as he left the field, but learned in the treatment room that his injury would require season-ending surgery after the game. Team physician Gary Losse, who performed the surgery over the course of two hours, later said that Winslow's knee looked like "spaghetti... like a couple of mop ends." Losse also said, "The ligaments had almost an explosion-like appearance, it was a very, very severe knee injury." The severity was due in part to both the
medial collateral ligament The medial collateral ligament (MCL), also called the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) or tibial collateral ligament (TCL), is one of the major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial (inner) side of the knee joint and occurs in ...
(MCL) and
anterior cruciate ligament The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formation. In ...
(ACL) being damaged. Reflecting on his season the following week, Winslow was relieved that he had insisted on a guaranteed contract during negotiations, which ensured he would be paid in full for five years even if he was unable to play again.


1985 season

Interviewed during April 1985, Winslow reported that his recovery was proceeding ahead of schedule. He was optimistic of a midseason return in the coming season, and of again being the best tight end in the league. In August, he was placed on the physically unable to perform list. Winslow returned to action in week 7, two days short of a year after the injury happened. In a loss at the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
, he caught two passes, produced key blocks on a pair of touchdown runs, and described the game as "like old times." Two weeks later, he was used on only four plays in a win over Denver, all of which were running plays. He was visibly upset over his lack of usage, and failed to report for practice the next day, instead flying to Canada to promote a drink in which he had a financial stake. The following day, he returned to the team and apologised for his absence. Winslow was used primarily as a blocker or decoy throughout the season, and finished with only 25 catches for 318 yards and no touchdowns from his ten appearances. Compared with his play before the injury, Winslow struggled to break tackles and change directions sharply when running pass routes. He said, "I'll never be the Kellen Winslow of old. There will always be something missing because of the reconstruction."


1986 season

Winslow improved in 1986, catching 64 passes for 728 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 45 of his catches coming in the final nine games.
Offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator (OC) is a Coach (sport), coach responsible for a gridiron football team's offense (American football), offense. Generally, the offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator represent the second ...
Ernie Zampese described his movement as more fluid and his play as more confident. Winslow would later describe his own play as still being tentative and scared during the 1986 season.


1987 season

During the offseason Winslow underwent
arthroscopic Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the j ...
surgery on his knee to clear out scar tissue from his injury; he reported improved running ability afterwards. The 1987 season was shortened by a players strike, which saw one week cancelled and three more played primarily with replacement players. Winslow sat out the entire strike, which he described as frustrating. He taped over his jersey number during a training session in protest at his No. 80 being used by one of the replacement players. On the field, Winslow was pleased to find that he was that he was better at breaking tackles than the previous year. His play after the strike prompted his new head coach Al Saunders to say that he was once again playing at a league-leading standard. Winslow made his 500th career reception during the season, following Ozzie Newsome as the second tight end to pass the landmark. He finished with 53 catches from his twelve games, second-most among NFL tights ends, though his 9.8 yards per reception was the least of his career. His performances earned him his fifth Pro Bowl nomination (his first since the knee injury) and a place in the AP All-Pro second team, while his teammates named him their offensive player of the year. He said that during the year he had accomplished "the regaining of respect, both on this team and around the league... a resurgence to the level a lot of people wondered I could still play at."


1988 season: Suspension and retirement

Winslow expected to continue his career in 1988, though he hinted it might be his last season, reporting that the Chargers did not seem eager to extend his contract. Entering the season at 30 years old, he was the second-longest tenured Charger, behind only center Don Macek. He again had arthroscopic surgery during the offseason, and failed one physical before passing a second one and joining his teammates at training camp in August. He was unable to play in the Chargers' first two preseason games and featured briefly in the third. Subsequently, he had to leave training early on consecutive days, missed a third day entirely, and was ruled out of the final preseason game due to his knee. Saunders said, "It's just not coming around. It's concerning him and I know it's concerning us." On August 29, Winslow announced to journalists that he had been suspended without pay by the Chargers following a meeting with team officials. Describing his physical state during his preseason appearance as "total ineptness," Winslow said he had informed Saunders and director of football operations Steve Ortmayer that he was unable to continue his career. The Chargers maintained that he was fit to play having passed a physical, and had been suspended for refusing to do so. This caused a dispute as to whether Winslow should be paid his guaranteed salary of $795,000 for the coming season. He would forfeit the money if he officially retired; the Chargers offered him half the amount to retire, which Winslow refused. Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFLPA, supported Winslow—he said that the Chargers had suspended their player while citing an outdated
collective bargaining agreement A collective agreement, collective labour agreement (CLA) or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a written contract negotiated through collective bargaining for employees by one or more trade unions with the management of a company (or with an ...
, and that the NFLPA intended to file a lawsuit against the team. Winslow also threatened litigation, but instead decided to wait while Steiner negotiated with Ortmayer to find a compromise retirement settlement. On September 30, the two sides reached agreement and Winslow's retirement became official. The terms of the agreement were not revealed. Winslow was critical of the Chargers' handling of the situation, saying that they had stripped him of his dignity by imposing the suspension. Ortmayer responded that there no should be no negative connotations to being placed on the suspended players list, as the NFL required all players on the roster to be given one of the available designations. Interviewed the following year, Winslow described his career as "like a fairy tale," saying that he had been fortunate with his choice of high school and college, and with having a head coach in Coryell who could best exploit his abilities.


Legacy

Through his nine years in the NFL, Winslow caught 541 passes for 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns in the regular season. His receptions total ranked 14th in league history at the time of his retirement. Winslow played in five
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
s, and was named to three AP All-Pro first teams and one second team. Further honors followed his retirement, as he was voted into the NFL's All-1980s team, 75th anniversary team, and 100th anniversary team. In 1995, Winslow was inducted into both the
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
and the Chargers Hall of Fame; the Chargers retired his No. 80 jersey in 2023. Winslow is widely recognized as one of the best to play his position, and credited with revolutionizing the usage of tight ends in the NFL. Tight ends prior to Winslow were primarily blockers who lined up next to an offensive lineman and ran short to medium routes; Winslow said upon being drafted, "I can get just as deep as wide receivers and just as fast," and Coryell quickly identified him as someone who could line up as a wide receiver on some plays and a tight end on others. As his career progressed, the Chargers would use Winslow unpredictably in a number of positions over the course of a game, including flanker, split end,
slotback Slotback (SB), also called slot receiver, is an offensive position in gridiron football responsible for covering a ''slot,'' the playing area between the⁣⁣ offensive tackle and the wide receiver. A player who lines up between those two pl ...
, H-back, wingback or conventional tight end. He might start the play in a three point blocking stance or a two point receiver's stance, or be put in motion so he would not be jammed at the line. Winslow was credited with creating the H-back position by Joe Bugel, an
offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator (OC) is a Coach (sport), coach responsible for a gridiron football team's offense (American football), offense. Generally, the offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator represent the second ...
with the Washington teams who made use of H-backs to win multiple Super Bowls. He said, "It takes the complete athlete, a guy who can block an end or a linebacker or take a cornerback or strong safety deep." Saunders described Winslow as "a wide receiver in an offensive lineman's body," while Coryell said, "If we're asking Kellen to block a defensive end and not catch passes, I'm not a very good coach." Former head coach Jon Gruden called Winslow the first "joker" in the NFL. Head coach Bill Belichick noted that the pass-catching tight ends who get paid the most money are "all direct descendants of Kellen Winslow" and that there were fewer tight ends in the 21st century who could block on the line. Winslow himself credited Coryell and his coaching staff for
thinking outside the box Thinking outside the box (also thinking out of the box or thinking beyond the box and, especially in Australian English, Australia, thinking outside the square) is an idiom that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspecti ...
to utilize his abilities in new ways: "There were many athletes before me who could do the things that I did. You talk about Charlie Sanders... Could stand in there and hold his own. Could run good routes. Probably could split him out. But I came into a situation with the offensive system where I could do those things." He called the coin toss at the pregame ceremony at
Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion San Diego Chargers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champ ...
between the Chargers and the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
, which was done by then- Congressman
Steve Largent Stephen Michael Largent (born September 28, 1954) is an American former professional football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports) ...
on behalf of the surviving members of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
Class of 1995 (the other survivor was
Lee Roy Selmon Lee Roy Selmon (October 20, 1954 – September 4, 2011) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a defensive tackle ...
) and 75th Anniversary Team members
Otto Graham Otto Everett Graham Jr. (December 6, 1921 – December 17, 2003) was an American professional American football, football quarterback who played for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League ...
, Gale Sayers, Mean Joe Greene and Ray Nitschke (representing PBHOF Class of 1995 member Henry Jordan). Lists of the top 100 NFL players at any position frequently feature Winslow: In 1999, he was ranked No. 73 by ''
The Sporting News ''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
'', a 2010 ''
NFL Network NFL Network (occasionally abbreviated on-air as NFLN) is an American sports-oriented pay television network owned by the National Football League NTP and is part of NFL Media, which also includes NFL.com, NFL Films, NFL Mobile, NFL Now and N ...
'' series had him at No. 67, and a panel of ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' journalists placed him at No. 79 in 2019.


Professional statistics


Professional honors

* 3× First-team Associated Press
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
(
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
,
1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...
,
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
) * Second-team Associated Press All-Pro (
1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...
) * 5×
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
(
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
,
1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...
,
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
,
1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
,
1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...
) * 2x NFL receptions leader (
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
,
1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...
) *
San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team The San Diego Chargers (now Los Angeles) announced their 50th anniversary team in 2009 to honor the top players and coaches in the history of the National Football League team. The Chargers were founded in 1959 as part of the American Football Leag ...
*
Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL) based in the Los Angeles Area. The club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL), and spent its first sea ...
inductee (1995) * Los Angeles Chargers No. 80 retired (2023) * NFL team of the quarter-century, 1960–84 *
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team The NFL 1980s All-Decade Team was chosen by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team was composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the 1980s. The squad consists of first- and second-team offensive, defensive and ...
* NFL 75th anniversary team * NFL 100th anniversary team *
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
inductee (1995)


Records


NFL records

The ''2023 NFL Record & Fact Book'' credits Winslow with one league record. *Most touchdown receptions, game: 5 ( week 12, 1981; tied with
Bob Shaw Robert Shaw (31 December 1931 – 11 February 1996) was a science fiction writer and fan from Northern Ireland, noted for his originality and wit. He won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980. His short story " Light of Other Da ...
and Jerry Rice)


Los Angeles Chargers records

The ''Los Angeles Chargers 2023 Media Guide'' credits Winslow with six franchise records. *Most points, game: 30 ( week 12, 1981) *Most touchdowns, game: 5 ( week 12, 1981) *Most touchdown receptions, game: 5 ( week 12, 1981) *Most playoff touchdowns, career: 4 (tied with three others) *Most playoff receptions, game: 13 ( divisional playoffs, 1981) *Most playoff receiving touchdowns, career: 4 (tied with Charlie Joiner)


Personal life

In the immediate wake of his retirement, Winslow served as marketing vice president and major stockholder for a San Diego-based nutrition company. He earned a
Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...
degree from the
University of San Diego The University of San Diego (USD) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in San Diego, California, United States. Chartered in 1949 as the independent San Diego College for Women and San Diego University ...
in 1993 and spent some time as a
sports agent A sports agent is a legal representative (hence agent (law), agent) for professional sports figures such as athletes and coaches. They procure and negotiate employment and Testimonial, endorsement contracts for the principal (commercial law), at ...
, while doubling as a radio commentator for his
alma mater Alma mater (; : almae matres) is an allegorical Latin phrase meaning "nourishing mother". It personifies a school that a person has attended or graduated from. The term is related to ''alumnus'', literally meaning 'nursling', which describes a sc ...
the Missouri Tigers. Later, he worked as a college football announcer with
Fox Sports Net Fox Sports Networks (FSN), formerly known as Fox Sports Net, was the collective name for a group of regional sports channels in the United States. Formed in 1996 by News Corporation, the networks were acquired by the Walt Disney Company on Mar ...
. Winslow served in various sports administrator roles, having been
athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches a ...
at Central State University, vice president for athletics and wellness at Lakeland College, and director of athletics at
Florida A&M University Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), commonly known as Florida A&M, is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. ...
. Winslow has been married twice. He has two sons, Kellen II with his first wife and Justin Winslow with his then-girlfriend. Kellen II also played tight end in the NFL. Winslow has been a vocal proponent of
affirmative action Affirmative action (also sometimes called reservations, alternative access, positive discrimination or positive action in various countries' laws and policies) refers to a set of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking ...
, particularly in football—he dedicated a substantial section of his Hall of Fame induction speech to highlighting the lack of
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
s in non-playing roles. When his son announced his intention to sign with the
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...
, Winslow objected as the coaching staff featured no African Americans; Winslow II eventually signed with the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...
instead. Winslow described this as “a black father teaching his black son about the ways of the world.”


Footnotes


References


Bibliography

* * *


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Winslow, Kellen 1957 births Living people African-American college athletic directors in the United States All-American college football players American Conference Pro Bowl players American football tight ends Central State Marauders athletic directors College Football Hall of Fame inductees Florida A&M Rattlers and Lady Rattlers athletic directors Lakeland Muskies athletic directors Missouri Tigers football players Players of American football from St. Clair County, Illinois Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees San Diego Chargers players NFL players with retired numbers Players of American football from St. Louis 21st-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen