Mike Kiselak
{{Short description|American football player (born 1967)}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Mike Kiselak
| image =
| caption =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 295
| number = 63, 71
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|3|9|mf=y}}
| birth_place = North Tarrytown, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| undraftedyear = 1990
| high_school = Pine Bush (NY)
| college = Maryland
| pastteams =
- Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1990}})*
- San Antonio Riders (1991)
- Houston Oilers ({{NFL Year|1991}})*
- San Antonio Riders (1992)
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1992}})*
- Sacramento Gold Miners ({{CFL Year|1993}}–{{CFL Year|1994}})
- San Antonio Texans ({{CFL Year|1995}})
- Toronto Argonauts ({{CFL Year|1996}}–{{CFL Year|1997}})
- Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|1998}}–{{NFL Year|1999}})
- San Francisco Demons (2001)
| highlights =
- CFL South All-Star ({{CFL Year|1995}})
- 3× CFL All-Star ({{CFL Year|1995}}, {{CFL Year|1996}}, {{CFL Year|1997}})
- 2× CFL East All-Star ({{CFL Year|1996}}, {{CFL Year|1997}})
- 2× CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award ({{CFL Year|1996}}, {{CFL Year|1997}})
- 2× Grey Cup champion (1996, 1997)
| statlabel1 = Games Played
| statvalue1 = 15
| statlabel2 =
| statvalue2 =
| pfr = TeagGe20
}}
Michael John Kiselak (born March 9, 1967) is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Sacramento Gold Miners, San Antonio Texans and Toronto Argonauts. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL), San Antonio Riders in the World League of American Football (WLAF) and San Francisco Demons in the XFL. He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins.
Early years
Kiselak attended Pine Bush High School, where he played as a two-way player (defensive and offensive tackle).{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1982&dat=19831029&id=9VpGAAAAIBAJ&pg=5504,3152195 | title=Bushmen manage tie with Ellenville | access-date=January 3, 2018}} He also practiced baseball.
He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Maryland, College Park, to play under head coach played for Bobby Ross. He began his college career playing on defense as a defensive tackle. As a sophomore, he registered 16 tackles, one interception and one quarterback sack at nose guard.{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1989/11/17/terrapins-leave-unfulfilled/c2047a1d-745f-4102-b9a6-4b4934d467ff/ | title=Terrapins Leave Unfulfilled | newspaper=Washington Post | date=November 17, 1989 | access-date=January 3, 2018}}
As a junior, he was converted into a guard to improve the offensive line depth and started the last seven games.{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1988/04/25/terrapins-finish-spring-hoping-to-plug-holes/5e4635aa-21f8-4f7e-b33d-9fba36746933/ | title=Terrapins Finish Spring Hoping To Plug Holes | newspaper=Washington Post | date=April 25, 1988 | access-date=January 3, 2018}} He was a regular starter as a senior and after his game against Wake Forest University, he was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2istAAAAIBAJ&pg=1933,8875110&dq=mike-kiselak | title=Tech Players Honored | publisher=The Rock Hill Herald | date=October 17, 1989 | access-date=January 3, 2018}}
Professional career
Kiselak was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs after the 1990 NFL draft on May 1,{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19900502&id=ET0yAAAAIBAJ&pg=5140,434214 | title=Chiefs sign eight players | access-date=January 3, 2018}} and was waived on August 27.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19900502&id=ET0yAAAAIBAJ&pg=5140,434214 | title=Transactions | access-date=January 3, 2018}}
In 1991, he was selected by the San Antonio Riders in the fourth round of the WLAF Draft, playing in the inaugural season of World League of American Football. He started as an offensive tackle protecting the future Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19910404&id=veFRAAAAIBAJ&pg=4514,1216323 | title='Dice graduate Sither happy to be a Rider | access-date=January 3, 2018}} On July 16, 1991, he signed with the Houston Oilers. He was released on August 19.{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/20/sports/transactions-893091.html | title=Transactions | website=The New York Times | access-date=January 3, 2018}}
In 1992, he signed with the Riders and was named the starter at offensive tackle. On June 2, 1992, he was signed by the New York Giants.{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/03/sports/sports-people-football-three-players-sign-on-with-the-giants.html | title=Three Players Sign On With the Giants | website=The New York Times | access-date=January 3, 2018}} He was cut on August 24.
On April 7, 1993, he signed with the Sacramento Gold Miners of the CFL, where he was converted into a center.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19930408&id=Ot0lAAAAIBAJ&pg=3230,828955 | title=Transactions | access-date=January 3, 2018}}{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2245&dat=19940707&id=iWYzAAAAIBAJ&pg=1768,834919 | title=Gold Miners to make history again in 2nd season| access-date=January 3, 2018}} After two years he signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Texans and played with them until the team folded. He was selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 1996 CFL Dispersal Draft. On April 4, 1996, he was traded before the season started to the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for offensive tackle John Terry.{{cite web| url=https://www.courant.com/1996/04/05/transactions-3506/ | title=Transactions | access-date=February 19, 2017}}
Kiselak played center for the Argonauts, where he protected Doug Flutie and helped the team win two Grey Cups. He was an All-Star and received the CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award in consecutive years.{{cite web| url=https://www.argonauts.ca/2012/04/09/former-argo-kiselak-keeping-busy-after-football/ | title=Former Argo Kiselak KEEPING Busy After Football | access-date=January 3, 2018}}
In 1998, he seized the opportunity and moved to the NFL to play for the Dallas Cowboys. He made the team as a 31-year-old rookie, after showing he could play three different positions. He passed Clay Shiver on the depth chart, starting the last 7 games at center. In 1999, he was placed on the injured reserve list, after suffering a career threatening left knee injury (tore his lateral meniscus, anterior cruciate, medial cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments) during the first full-team workout on July 30.{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19990731&id=yGdYAAAAIBAJ&pg=3615,7206878 | title=Injuries Mount For Cowboys | access-date=January 3, 2018}}
In 2001, he came back from his knee injury and was selected in the 14th round of the XFL supplemental draft by the San Francisco Demons.{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/01/sports/transactions-864595.html | title=Transactions | website=The New York Times | access-date=January 3, 2018}} He was a starter at center until the league folded.{{cite web| url=http://www.recordonline.com/article/20010311/news/303119978 | title=Man of God among Demons | access-date=January 3, 2018}}
Personal life
Since 2007, Kiselak has been one of the board of directors for Kids Matters International, a children's charity organization. Where he has helped clothe thousands of children in need through the organizations local outreach called "Around the Block". Michael and his wife since 1992, Kim, have been involved in clothing kids since his playing days in Dallas in 1998.{{cite web |url=http://www.kidsmatterinternational.org/Board_of_directors.aspx |title=Board of Directors |access-date=2010-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725222656/http://kidsmatterinternational.org/Board_of_directors.aspx |archive-date=2010-07-25 }} He is also a church minister under Church on the Rock- International and a motivational speaker.{{cite web |url=http://www.kidsmatterinternational.org/Board_of_directors.aspx |title=Board of Directors |access-date=2010-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725222656/http://kidsmatterinternational.org/Board_of_directors.aspx |archive-date=2010-07-25 }}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.cflapedia.com/Players/k/kiselak_mike.htm CFL bio]
- [http://www.all-xfl.com/sanfranciscodemons/team/roster/michaelkiselak.htm San Francisco Demons bio]
{{84th Grey Cup}}
{{85th Grey Cup}}
{{CFL Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kiselak, Mike}}
Category:People from Sleepy Hollow, New York
Category:Players of American football from New York (state)
Category:Players of Canadian football from New York (state)
Category:Canadian football offensive linemen
Category:American football centers
Category:Maryland Terrapins football players
Category:San Antonio Riders players
Category:Sacramento Gold Miners players
Category:San Antonio Texans players
Category:Toronto Argonauts players
Category:Dallas Cowboys players
Category:San Francisco Demons players