Levon Kirkland
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo Levon Kirkland is a former American football
linebacker
in the National Football League
. A second-round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the 1992 NFL Draft
, he went on to play 11 years in the NFL including nine seasons with the Steelers, and one each for the Seattle Seahawks
and the Philadelphia Eagles
.
Kirkland was a massive inside linebacker, just 6-1 but weighing anywhere from 275-300 pounds during his career. Yet he had great speed and agility for a big man. He became a starter at inside linebacker for the Steelers in his second season, 1993
, replacing Pro Bowler David Little. By 1995
, he was recognized as one of the top inside linebackers in the league, and had a stellar performance in Super Bowl XXX
against the Dallas Cowboys
at the end of the season. In that game, the Steelers defense held the Cowboys to just 15 first downs and Emmitt Smith
and the Cowboys powerful running attack to just 56 yards, despite losing 27-17 in large part due to two key interceptions
thrown by Steelers quarterback
Neil O'Donnell
. Kirkland had 10 tackles
and a key sack
of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman
.
That game and his outstanding 1996
season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl
and All-Pro
honors after the 1996 season. The Steelers had lost their emotional leader, outside linebacker Greg Lloyd, at the start of the season to a knee injury, but Kirkland took over the mantle of leadership. He also took over Lloyd's role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. Opponents thought Kirkland would not be as adept in pass coverage as the fast Lloyd, but they quickly found out that Kirkland was just as fast and quick. He had four interceptions that season, a high number for an inside linebacker, to go along with four sacks and 114 tackles.
He made the Pro Bowl after the 1997
season as well, making a career-high and team-leading 126 tackles and career-high five sacks, as the Steelers went to the AFC Championship game (losing to the Denver Broncos
). Although Kirkland played well in the next three seasons (1998
-2000
), the Steelers struggled on offense, and failed to make the playoffs, and Kirkland did not earn any more Pro Bowl berths despite his strong play.
In a surprise move, the Steelers waived Kirkland just before the 2001
season due to salary cap
pressure. That year many star players were waived due the salary cap including John Randle
, Troy Aikman
, and Jerry Rice
. Kirkland went to the Seattle Seahawks where he became a leader on the defense and had over 100 tackles. The next year he played his final season for the Eagles, becoming the veteran leader of a defense that ranked seventh in the league and advanced to the NFC Championship game before losing to the Buccaneers
.
In 1996, Kirkland was named to Clemson University
's All-Centennial team and was inducted into the University's Hall of Fame in 2001. After retiring from the NFL, he returned to Clemson and earned his sociology
degree in 2004. Kirkland now coordinates minority recruitment in admissions for the university. He was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. Kirkland also educates student-athletes across the country on the college recruiting process as an Educational Speaker for the National Collegiate Scouting Association.
Kirkland now works as a linebacker coach at Woodmont High School in South Carolina.
Levon Kirkland is now the football coach at Shannon Forest Christian School (Greenville, South Carolina)
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. A second-round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the 1992 NFL Draft
1992 NFL Draft
The 1992 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1992. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft...
, he went on to play 11 years in the NFL including nine seasons with the Steelers, and one each for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Kirkland was a massive inside linebacker, just 6-1 but weighing anywhere from 275-300 pounds during his career. Yet he had great speed and agility for a big man. He became a starter at inside linebacker for the Steelers in his second season, 1993
1993 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1993 Pittsburgh Steelers looked to continue the progress made under second year head coach Bill Cowher. However, the team would take a slight step backwards, finishing 9–7 . Despite that, the Steelers clinched the final wild card spot, making the playoffs for the second consecutive year...
, replacing Pro Bowler David Little. By 1995
1995 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1995 season saw the Steelers return to the Super Bowl for the first time in sixteen years . The team's 11–5 finish was good enough for the AFC Central championship and the second seed in the conference...
, he was recognized as one of the top inside linebackers in the league, and had a stellar performance in Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
at the end of the season. In that game, the Steelers defense held the Cowboys to just 15 first downs and Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
and the Cowboys powerful running attack to just 56 yards, despite losing 27-17 in large part due to two key interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
thrown by Steelers quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Neil O'Donnell
Neil O'Donnell
Neil Kennedy O'Donnell is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 14 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tennessee Titans...
. Kirkland had 10 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
and a key sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
of Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
.
That game and his outstanding 1996
1996 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Bill Cowher's fifth season as head coach of the Steelers resulted in yet another trip to the playoffs for the team, as Pittsburgh won the AFC Central Division championship for the fourth time under Cowher. However, the team's 10–6 record was not good enough to earn the Steelers a first-round bye...
season earned Kirkland his first trip to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
and All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
honors after the 1996 season. The Steelers had lost their emotional leader, outside linebacker Greg Lloyd, at the start of the season to a knee injury, but Kirkland took over the mantle of leadership. He also took over Lloyd's role in pass coverage as the only linebacker in the Steelers nickel defense. Opponents thought Kirkland would not be as adept in pass coverage as the fast Lloyd, but they quickly found out that Kirkland was just as fast and quick. He had four interceptions that season, a high number for an inside linebacker, to go along with four sacks and 114 tackles.
He made the Pro Bowl after the 1997
1997 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1997 Pittsburgh Steelers was considered a transitional year heading into the season due to many key free agent losses in the offseason, as well as the first season of Kordell Stewart starting at quarterback....
season as well, making a career-high and team-leading 126 tackles and career-high five sacks, as the Steelers went to the AFC Championship game (losing to the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
). Although Kirkland played well in the next three seasons (1998
1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1998 season marked the first time since 1991 that the Steelers failed to reach the playoffs. Pittsburgh finished 7–9 after starting the season 5–2, losing their last five games to knock themselves out of the playoffs...
-2000
2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record from 1999 in which they failed to qualify for the playoffs. While Pittsburgh did improve to 9–7 and had their first winning season since 1997, it was not enough for the team to qualify for the playoffs...
), the Steelers struggled on offense, and failed to make the playoffs, and Kirkland did not earn any more Pro Bowl berths despite his strong play.
In a surprise move, the Steelers waived Kirkland just before the 2001
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
season due to salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
pressure. That year many star players were waived due the salary cap including John Randle
John Randle
John Anthony Randle played defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. On February 6, 2010 he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Born in Mumford, Texas, Randle was raised poor, and worked odd jobs when he was young. His brother Ervin Randle played as...
, Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
, and Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
. Kirkland went to the Seattle Seahawks where he became a leader on the defense and had over 100 tackles. The next year he played his final season for the Eagles, becoming the veteran leader of a defense that ranked seventh in the league and advanced to the NFC Championship game before losing to the Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
.
In 1996, Kirkland was named to Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
's All-Centennial team and was inducted into the University's Hall of Fame in 2001. After retiring from the NFL, he returned to Clemson and earned his sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
degree in 2004. Kirkland now coordinates minority recruitment in admissions for the university. He was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. Kirkland also educates student-athletes across the country on the college recruiting process as an Educational Speaker for the National Collegiate Scouting Association.
Kirkland now works as a linebacker coach at Woodmont High School in South Carolina.
See also
- Most consecutive starts by an inside linebacker
Levon Kirkland is now the football coach at Shannon Forest Christian School (Greenville, South Carolina)