Chris Kuper
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1982)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Chris Kuper
| image = Chris Kuper.JPG
| caption = Kuper in 2009
| current_team = Minnesota Vikings
| position = Offensive line coach
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|12|19}}
| birth_place = Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 303
| high_school = Dimond (Anchorage)
| college = North Dakota
| draftyear = 2006
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 161
| pastteams = * Denver Broncos ({{nfly|2006}}–{{nfly|2013}})
| highlights =
| pastcoaching = * Columbine High School (2015)
Offensive line coach
- Miami Dolphins ({{nfly|2016}})
Offensive quality control coach - Miami Dolphins ({{nfly|2017}}–{{nfly|2018}})
Assistant offensive line coach - Denver Broncos ({{nfly|2019}}–{{nfly|2021}})
Assistant offensive line coach - Minnesota Vikings ({{nfly|2022}}–present)
Offensive line coach
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 90
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 79
| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue3 = 1
| pfr = KupeCh20
}}
Chris Kuper (born December 19, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive guard for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). The Broncos selected him in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. He is currently the offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
Early life
Kuper played high school football at A. J. Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska where he helped the Lynx win the 2001 ASAA Large Schools State Championship.
As a senior, Kuper finished just behind Matt Gittlein of Wasilla High School as the state's Lineman of the Year.
College career
He played college football for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. He was a three-year starter, awarded all-conference and All American honors since his junior campaign.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4 3/8
| weight = 301
| dash = 5.10
| ten split = 1.79
| twenty split = 2.93
| shuttle = 4.60
| cone drill = 7.59
| vertical = 30.0
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 1
| bench = 24
| arm span = 32 3/4
| hand span = 9 1/4
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/chris-kuper/32004b55-5033-0993-968e-cba53937962f |title=Chris Kuper Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=December 28, 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=55404&DraftYear=2006 |title=Chris Kuper College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=December 28, 2024}}
}}
Projected to go undrafted by Sports Illustrated, who criticized his lack of "balance, body control and ability in space,"{{Cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/players/47929.html |title=SI.com - 2006 NFL Draft - Chris Kuper |access-date=December 18, 2012 |archive-date=March 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312213015/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/players/47929.html |url-status=dead }} Kuper was ranked as the No. 28 offensive guard available in the 2006 NFL draft.{{Cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/breakdowns/by_position/og.html |title=SI.com - 2006 NFL Draft - Breakdown by Position - OG |access-date=December 18, 2012 |archive-date=November 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112150058/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2006/draft/breakdowns/by_position/og.html |url-status=dead }} Kuper was eventually selected in the fifth round, 161st overall, by the Denver Broncos.{{Cite web |title=2006 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2006/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He was the highest selected North Dakota lineman since Todd Thomas in 1981.
Kuper started 79-of-90 games played (68 at right guard) while playing his entire eight-year NFL career with the Broncos.
On June 4, 2010, the Broncos announced that they had signed Kuper to a five-year deal worth $25.5 million.[http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_15229990 Broncos sign OL Chris Kuper to five-year, $25.5 million extension] The new contract made him the second-highest-paid offensive lineman in Broncos' history, second only to former left tackle Matt Lepsis.
In 2010, the Denver Broncos announced that Kuper had been selected as co-captain of the Broncos offense, along with Kyle Orton and Daniel Graham.{{Cite web|url=http://blog.denverbroncos.com/denverbroncos/leading-the-way-2/|title = Denver Broncos}}
During the regular season finale in 2011 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Kuper suffered a gruesome broken ankle that ended his season. That season Chris Kuper made the Pro Bowl but withdrew due to the injury and needed surgery.{{Cite web|url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_22426823/broncos-guard-chris-kuper-needs-surgery-declines-pro|title=Broncos guard Chris Kuper needs surgery, declines Pro Bowl|date=January 22, 2013}}
A three-time captain, Kuper was recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in 2012 as voted on by his teammates.{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/kuper-receives-ed-block-courage-award-9312277|title = Kuper Receives ed Block Courage Award}}
Coaching career
During the 2015 high school football season, Kuper was an offensive line coach at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
On January 23, 2016, Kuper was hired by Miami Dolphins as offensive quality control coach.{{cite tweet|user=caplannfl|author=Adam Caplan|number=690892917729312769|date=January 23, 2016|title=Former #Broncos G Chris Kuper added to #Dolphins coaching staff as offensive quality control coach.}} He then spent two seasons (2017–18) as the assistant offensive line coach for Miami.
On January 22, 2019, the Denver Broncos hired Kuper as their assistant offensive line coach.{{cite tweet|user=Broncos|author=Denver Broncos|number=1087856269577388032|date=January 22, 2019|title=Official: We’ve named Chris Kuper as assistant offensive line coach.}}
With the firing of Vic Fangio from the Broncos Kuper was hired by Kevin O'Connell to be the offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.undsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=3630297 UND Football bio]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140117170226/http://www.denverbroncos.com/team/roster/Chris-Kuper/306c3339-32be-4d9f-a694-8930baa7bc7b Denver Broncos bio]
- [http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_10009041 Kuper not letting broken right hand block opportunity]
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{{2001 North Dakota Fighting Sioux football navbox}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuper, Chris}}
Category:Players of American football from Anchorage, Alaska
Category:American football offensive guards
Category:North Dakota Fighting Hawks football players
Category:Denver Broncos players
Category:Minnesota Vikings coaches
Category:Coaches of American football from Alaska
Category:High school football coaches in Colorado
Category:Miami Dolphins players