Miles Turpin

Turpin was born on May 15, 1964, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TurpMi20.htm|title = Miles Turpin Stats| website=Pro Football Reference|access-date=April 18, 2025 }} His father, John, was a member of the Minnesota Vikings when Turpin was born.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/170590354/|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 2, 1982|page=64|title=Top freshmen must wait their turns at Cal|author=Peters, Nick}} {{Open access}} As a child, he moved to New York, then to Richmond, California and later Fremont. He recalled that when young, he and his brother once wrestled alligators. He said that he knew someone who ran a bar and "collected exotic creatures as a hobby": "He had these alligators – not gigantic, long ones, but good-sized ones – and me and my brother, Anthony, put a muzzle on them and started wrestling with them ... It was a lot of fun."{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel/170595255/|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 1, 1987|page=27, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel/170595323/ 30]|title=Pro football's not dead– meet NFL's new faces|author=Schmitz, Brian}} {{Open access}}

Turpin attended American High School in Fremont where he played football and basketball.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/170590658/|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=March 23, 1982|page=36|title=Turpin does it with 'D'}} {{Open access}} In basketball, he was a three-year starter and served as team captain as a senior, being named All-Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL) and to the MVAL all-tournament team after averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds per game. In football, he was also an All-MVAL selection. He signed to play college football for the California Golden Bears.

Turpin enrolled at California in 1982, playing for the Golden Bears under coach Joe Kapp, whom Turpin's father had been teammates with as a player in the 1960s.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/170592269/|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner|via=Newspapers.com|date=February 11, 1982|page=76|title=Gill, touted Arizona running back, opts for Stanford}} {{Open access}} He made the varsity team as a freshman, being part of a group known as the "Dirty Dozen" – 12 freshmen who survived Kapp's two-a-days practices to make the team.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/170592468/|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 22, 1982|page=68|title=Kapp's 'Dirty Dozen' proud to be at Cal|author=John, Annette}} {{Open access}} He ended up winning varsity letters in all four years he played at California – from 1982 to 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/t/turp00200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 18, 2025|title=Miles Turpin Stats}} At California, he was used as a linebacker and defensive end, describing his role as a "jack of all trades".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette/170593031/|newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 8, 1986|page=20|title=Miles Turpin}} {{Open access}}

After going unselected in the 1986 NFL draft, Turpin signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent. He was one of 11 linebackers competing for a roster spot and ended up making the team, being, along with Bill Cherry, one of only two rookie free agents to be on the final roster.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette/170593390/|newspaper=Green Bay Press-Gazette|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 3, 1986|page=17|title=Turnover|author=McGinn, Bob}} {{Open access}} He made his NFL debut in Week 1, a 31–3 loss to the Houston Oilers, but was then released on September 9, 1986.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TurpMi20/gamelog/|website=Pro Football Reference|title=Miles Turpin Career Game Log|access-date=April 18, 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/t/turp00200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|access-date=April 17, 2025|title=Miles Turpin Transactions}}

After the 1986 season, Turpin signed with the Cleveland Browns on April 22, 1987, but was released on September 1, 1987. After being released by the Browns, he worked as an airport shuttle bus driver and did "paralegal stuff". When the NFL players went on strike during the season, teams signed replacement players, and Turpin was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a replacement. He appeared in all three strike games, the last two as a starter, with the Buccaneers compiling a record of 2–1 in those games. In his last game, he totaled nine tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/170596489/|newspaper=Tampa Bay Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 19, 1987|page=25|title=Monday Morning Quarterback|author=Steele, David; Luttermoser, John}} {{Open access}} He was released at the end of the strike, having totaled 16 tackles, two sacks and a pass deflection during his stint with the Buccaneers.{{Cite web|url=https://bucpower.com/miles-turpin.htm|website=BucPower.com|title=Miles Turpin|access-date=April 18, 2025}} He later re-signed with the Buccaneers for the 1988 season, but was released on July 25, 1988, ending his professional career.

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Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

Category:Players of American football from Minneapolis

Category:Green Bay Packers players

Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players

Category:American football linebackers

Category:American High School (California) alumni

Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni

Category:California Golden Bears football players

Category:NFL replacement players

Category:Players of American football from Hayward, California

Category:20th-century American sportsmen