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Ed Culpepper
Ed Culpepper
Ed Culpepper
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Ed Culpepper (born Robert Edward Culpepper;[1] January 21, 1934 – January 9, 2021) was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL).[2] He played two seasons with the Chicago Cardinals before moving with the team to St. Louis, Missouri before the 1960 NFL season. Culpepper was later selected in the 1961 NFL expansion draft by the Minnesota Vikings and would play for the team during the 1961 NFL season. He would play his final two professional seasons with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League.

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Ed Culpepper

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Ed Culpepper is an American former professional football defensive tackle known for his six-season career in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) from 1958 to 1963. Born Robert Edward Culpepper on January 21, 1934, in Bradenton, Florida, he attended Manatee High School and played college football at the University of Alabama before being selected by the Green Bay Packers in the ninth round (101st overall) of the 1955 NFL Draft. He did not play for the Packers but instead began his professional career with the Chicago Cardinals in 1958, continuing with the franchise after its relocation to St. Louis in 1960. Culpepper later played for the Minnesota Vikings in 1961 and concluded his career with the Houston Oilers of the AFL in 1962 and 1963, appearing in a total of 74 regular-season games. He participated in one postseason game during his time with the Oilers. Culpepper died on January 9, 2021, at the age of 86.

Early life and education

Early years and high school

Robert Edward Culpepper was born on January 21, 1934, in Bradenton, Florida. He attended Manatee High School in his hometown of Bradenton, where he played football and developed his skills as a defensive lineman. Culpepper's high school performance contributed to his recognition as a notable alumnus of Manatee High School's football program. He subsequently pursued college football at the University of Alabama.

College football at Alabama

Ed Culpepper played college football at the University of Alabama, where he developed into a standout tackle on the Crimson Tide's offensive and defensive lines. Recruited from Bradenton, Florida, he joined the team as a freshman in 1951, listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 230 pounds. By his junior year in 1953, he was a right tackle wearing number 77, measured at 6 feet 1 inch and 225 pounds, and had already accumulated experience from the 1951 and 1952 seasons. He was also listed on the 1954 roster, completing his collegiate eligibility with four football letters. Culpepper earned second-team All-SEC honors in both 1952 and 1953 for his performance as a lineman. In 1952, he was named to the Associated Press second-team All-SEC defense, and in 1953 he received the same recognition from United Press. Opponent coaches voted him the best SEC tackle after his sophomore year, and he appeared on preseason All-American teams during his time at Alabama. He participated in the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl as part of his bowl experience with the Crimson Tide. In the 1954 North-South All-Star Classic following his senior season, Culpepper was recognized as the best lineman for the South before an ankle injury sidelined him in the second quarter. His college performance and accolades positioned him for professional selection as he completed his eligibility at Alabama.

Professional football career

Draft and Chicago/St. Louis Cardinals (1958–1960)

Ed Culpepper was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the ninth round (101st overall) of the 1955 NFL draft following his college career at Alabama. He did not join the Packers' roster and instead signed with the Chicago Cardinals in 1958, where he began his professional career as a defensive tackle. Culpepper played for the Chicago Cardinals during the 1958 and 1959 seasons before the franchise relocated to St. Louis. In 1958, his rookie season, he appeared in games for the team and recovered three fumbles as part of the defensive unit. The Chicago Cardinals finished with a 2-9-1 record that year. In 1960, after the team's move to St. Louis, Culpepper continued as a defensive tackle for the newly named St. Louis Cardinals during his final season with the organization. His contributions during this period were primarily in the defensive line, with career defensive statistics including fumble recoveries and sacks accumulated across his NFL tenure, though specific per-season splits for 1958–1960 emphasize his role in supporting the Cardinals' defense amid challenging team performance.

Minnesota Vikings (1961)

Ed Culpepper was selected by the Minnesota Vikings from the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1961 NFL expansion draft, which the league conducted on January 26, 1961, to help stock the roster of the new expansion franchise. This selection brought him to Minnesota for their inaugural season in the NFL. As a defensive tackle, Culpepper played in all 14 games during the 1961 season and started every contest at right defensive tackle. He recorded 1.0 sack and recovered 2 fumbles for the Vikings defense that year. The Vikings finished their first season with a 3–11 record, placing seventh in the NFL West Division, while the team defense ranked last in the league by allowing 407 points and 5,593 total yards. Culpepper's contributions came as part of a unit that struggled significantly against both the run and pass throughout the campaign.

Houston Oilers (1962–1963)

After a trade from the Minnesota Vikings in May 1962, Ed Culpepper spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason and/or practice squad but did not appear in any regular-season games for the team. He subsequently joined the Houston Oilers of the American Football League, where he played as a defensive tackle during the 1962 and 1963 seasons. These two years marked the conclusion of Culpepper's professional playing career in the AFL, following his prior NFL experience. He appeared on the Oilers' roster in both seasons, contributing to the defensive line amid the league's competitive environment. Career defensive statistics for Culpepper across all his professional years total 6 fumble recoveries and 8.5 sacks, with limited individual metrics recorded for defensive tackles in that era due to inconsistent tracking practices. No specific standout performances or games from his Oilers tenure are prominently documented in available records.

Television appearances

Appearances as self in NFL and AFL broadcasts

Ed Culpepper appeared as himself in a limited number of NFL and AFL television broadcasts during his active professional playing career. While playing defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings in 1961, he was credited as Self - Minnesota Vikings Defensive Tackle in six episodes of The NFL on CBS. These appearances consisted of game footage and player introductions typical of era sports telecasts featuring active players. In 1962, during his tenure with the Houston Oilers, Culpepper appeared as Self - Houston Oilers Defensive Tackle in the 1962 AFL Championship Game television special. This credit similarly reflected his role as an active participant in the broadcast of the league's title game. These represent all of Culpepper's documented appearances as himself in televised sports events, exclusively archival footage from his playing years with the Vikings and Oilers; no other film or television credits exist, including no acting roles, production involvement, or post-retirement media appearances.

Death

He died on January 9, 2021, in Bartlett, Tennessee, at the age of 86, twelve days before what would have been his 87th birthday.
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