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Kellen Winslow  

NFL Hall of Fame Tight End Known for his Time with the San Diego Chargers

Kellen Winslow, a 6-5, 250-pound tight end played for the San Diego Chargers from 1979 to 1987. To get the draft rights to the All-America from the University of Missouri, the Chargers engineered a draft-day trade with the Cleveland Browns. The Chargers then made Winslow their first-round pick and the 13th player selected overall choice in the 1979 draft.

Winslow went on to play in five Pro Bowls and was the co-Player of the Game in the 1982 game. Kellen got off to a quick start as a rookie with 25 catches before being sidelined by a knee injury in the seventh game. He returned in 1980 with career-high 89 receptions for 1,290 yards. He had 88 catches both in 1981 and 1983 and 319 in a four-year period from 1980 to 1983.

A second-knee injury forced him to miss 17 games in 1984 and 1985. But he returned to his old form late in 1985 and 1986 and he earned his fifth Pro Bowl berth following the 1987 season after a four-year absence. A knee injury suffered in the 12th game in 1987 eventually forced his retirement.

Even though he was plagued by knee injuries much of his career, Kellen still amassed 541 receptions for 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns in just nine National Football League seasons. In 1984, he set a personal record with 15 receptions in a game against the Green Bay Packers. At the time of his retirement, Winslow ranked fifth among active receivers and 14th among all NFL pass-catchers.

A consensus All-Pro in 1980, 1981, 1982, Winslow's most memorable performance occurred in 1981, in the Chargers 41-38 overtime playoff victory over Miami, when he caught 13 passes for 166 yards and blocked a field goal with four seconds to play to send the game into overtime.

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