 Turley in 2010 | |||||||||
| No. 68, 74 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | September 24, 1975 Provo, Utah, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 309 lb (140 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Valley View (Moreno Valley, California) | ||||||||
| College: | San Diego State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1998 / round: 1 / pick: 7 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Kyle John Turley (born September 24, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs and was selected seventh overall in the 1998 NFL draft. Turley played five seasons for the New Orleans Saints and a year with the St. Louis Rams before a serious back injury sidelined him for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He returned to football in 2006 as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent the last two years of his career before announcing his retirement in December 2007. Turley's high level of play earned him All-Pro honors for the 2000 season and a Pro Bowl invite following the 2001 season. His career is best remembered by many for a 2001 incident in which he ripped off an opposing player's helmet and tossed it downfield, playing a key factor in his team losing the game but also earning the respect of many Saints fans for his defense of the quarterback.
Following his retirement from football, Turley set out on a music career that included the release of several albums and the launch of his own record label. Playing his "power country" style of music, Turley opened for a number of well-known musical acts, including in 2010 when he went on tour with Hank Williams III. Turley has also been outspoken and involved in a number of player health issues post-retirement, particularly in regards to the neurological problems resulting from his football career (early onset Alzheimer's, CTE symptomatic, seizures, vertigo) and his use of cannabis as treatment. Turley is a board member and active supporter of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, an organization providing medical care and other forms of assistance to retired NFL players in dire need.