Keith Krepfle
{{Short description|American football player (born 1952)}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Keith Krepfle
| image = 1986 Jeno's Pizza - 06 - Harold Carmichael (Keith Krepfle crop).jpg
| caption = Krepfle playing for the Eagles in 1977
| number = 84, 88
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|2|4}}
| birth_place = Dubuque, Iowa, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 227
| high_school = Potosi
| college = Iowa State
| draftyear = 1974
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 115
| pastteams =
- Jacksonville Sharks (1974)
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1975}}–{{NFL Year|1981}})
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|1982}})
| highlights =
| statseason =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 152
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 2,425
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 19
| pfr = KrepKe00
}}
Keith Robert Krepfle (born February 4, 1952) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. He played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones.
College career
During his three-year career at Iowa State, Krepfle dominated the Big Eight. He hauled in 94 passes for 1,368 yards and 15 touchdowns in addition to playing in two bowl games.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cyclones.com/sports/2015/3/2/GEN_20140101164.aspx|title=Keith Krepfle - Hall of Fame Class of 2002|website=www.cyclones.com|language=en|access-date=January 4, 2018}} His inaugural Cyclone season Krepfle led the team to their first ever bowl game, the 1971 Sun Bowl.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sunbowl.org/the_sun_bowl_game/recap/38|title=LSU 33, Iowa State 15 {{!}} Recaps - Hyundai Sun Bowl {{!}} December 29, 2017 {{!}} El Paso, Texas|website=www.sunbowl.org|access-date=January 4, 2018}} The next season, Keith would again lead the Cyclones to a bowl berth with the 1972 Liberty Bowl.{{Cite news|url=https://247sports.com/college/iowa-state/Article/Iowa-State-2017-Liberty-Bowl-George-Amundson-remembers-Iowa-States-1972-Liberty-Bowl-two-point-conversion-against-Georgia-Tech-112871404|title=Iowa State 2017 Liberty Bowl: George Amundson remembers Iowa State's 1972 Liberty Bowl two-point conversion against Georgia Tech|access-date=January 4, 2018}} Krepfle's best collegiate game was against #3 Nebraska during the 1972 season in which he caught two touchdowns.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huskermax.com/games/1972/09iowastate.html|title=Nebraska vs. Iowa State 1972 -- HuskerMax™|website=www.huskermax.com|access-date=January 4, 2018}}
While at Iowa State, Keith was a member of the fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tke.org/about/distinguished-alumni|title=Distinguished Alumni {{!}} Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity|website=www.tke.org|language=en|access-date=January 4, 2018}}
In 2002 he was inducted into the Iowa State Cyclones Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cyclones.com/hof.aspx?hof=86|title=Iowa State Athletics|website=www.cyclones.com|language=en|access-date=January 4, 2018}}
Professional career
Despite being drafted in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles,{{Cite web|url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/positions/_/id/7/year/1974|title=1974 NFL Draft Results by Position - Tight Ends - ESPN|website=ESPN.com|access-date=January 4, 2018}} Krepfle chose to sign with the Jacksonville Sharks of the World Football League. All-pro tight end Charle Young was already entrenched with the Eagles{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-13-sp-hall13-story.html|title=USC's Young Goes Into the Hall Today|last=Klein|first=Gary|date=August 13, 2005|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=January 4, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}} and the Sharks offered Krepfle a guaranteed contract. Just 14 games into the season the Sharks went bankrupt and the team folded.{{Cite web|url=http://wfl.charlottehornetswfl.com/team_pages_1974/07.php|title=World Football League|website=wfl.charlottehornetswfl.com|language=en|access-date=January 4, 2018}} The following season Krepfle signed a contract with the Eagles to play in the NFL.
After limited playing time his first two seasons with the Eagles, Charle Young was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for QB Ron Jaworski prior to the 1977 season.{{Cite web|url=https://fs64sports.blogspot.com/2011/03/1977-eagles-trade-charle-young-to-rams.html|title=Today in Pro Football History: 1977: Eagles Trade Charle Young to Rams for Ron Jaworski|last=Yowell|first=Keith|date=March 9, 2011|website=Today in Pro Football History|access-date=January 4, 2018}} This created an opening for Krepfle to shine. As a full-time starter for the Eagles, Krepfle would have over 150 catches for nearly 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns. Keith became the first Eagle to ever catch a touch down in the Super Bowl during their appearance in Super Bowl XV.{{Cite news|url=http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Where-Are-They-Now-TE-Keith-Krepfle/adfbea75-a420-48e7-a347-472d14a607a5|title=Where Are They Now? TE Keith Krepfle|access-date=January 4, 2018}}
Following seven seasons with the Eagles, Krepfle played one additional season with the Atlanta Falcons.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/keithkrepfle/2518833/profile|title=Keith Krepfle|website=NFL.com|language=en|access-date=January 4, 2018}}
=Statistics=
;Regular season
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||
| rowspan="2"|Year | rowspan="2"|Team | rowspan="2"|G | rowspan="2"|GS | colspan="5" |Receiving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
| 1974 | SHA
| 14 || 14 || 6 || 80 || 13.3 || 30 || 0 | |||
| 1975 | PHI
| 14 || 0 || 1 || 16 || 16.0 || 16 || 0 | |||
| 1976 | PHI
| 10 || 1 || 6 || 80 || 13.3 || 30 || 1 | |||
| 1977 | PHI
| 14 || 14 || 27 || 530 || 19.6 || 55 || 3 | |||
| 1978 | PHI
| 10 || 10 || 26 || 374 || 14.4 || 34 || 3 | |||
| 1979 | PHI
| 16 || 16 || 41 || 760 || 18.5 || 45 || 3 | |||
| 1980 | PHI
| 13 || 11 || 30 || 450 || 15.0 || 27 || 4 | |||
| 1981 | PHI
| 16 || 16 || 20 || 210 || 10.5 || 26 || 5 | |||
| 1982 | ATL
| 4 || 0 || 1 || 5 || 5.0 || 5 || 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total || 111 || 82 || 158 || 2,505 || 15.8 || 55 || 19 | ||||
| colspan="9" style="font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"|Reference:{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KrepKe00.htm|title=Keith Krepfle Stats {{!}} Pro-Football-Reference.com|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=January 4, 2018}} |
;Playoffs season
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||
| rowspan="2"|Year | rowspan="2"|Team | rowspan="2"|G | rowspan="2"|GS | colspan="5" |Receiving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
| 1979 | PHI
| 2 || 2 || 3 || 23 || 7.7 || 12 || 0 | |||
| 1980 | PHI
| 3 || 3 || 6 || 65 || 10.8 || 20 || 1 | |||
| 1981 | PHI
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 18 || 18.0 || 18 || 0 | |||
| 1982 | ATL
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 18 || 18.0 || 18 || 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total || 7 || 7 || 11 || 124 || 11.3 || 20 || 1 | ||||
| colspan="9" style="font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"|Reference: |
Post-NFL career
After his NFL career, Krepfle embarked on a career in the health care industry, working for large pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb and Delta Pharma before starting his own company. Today he lives in the Poconos in Pennsylvania.
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Eagles1974DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Krepfle, Keith}}
Category:Players of American football from Dubuque, Iowa
Category:People from Potosi, Wisconsin
Category:Players of American football from Wisconsin
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Iowa State Cyclones football players
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players