Rob Kelly (American football)
Encyclopedia
Robert James Kelly III (born June 21, 1974) is a former professional American football
player who played safety for four seasons for the New Orleans Saints
in the National Football League
.
Robert James Kelly III was born on June 21, 1974 … Voted All-American selection by Street & Smith and USA Today at Newark Catholic (Ohio) High School ... Standout tailback, rushing for 1,663 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior ... Rushed for 156 yards and four touchdowns in the state championship game that year ... Enjoys English Premier soccer and collecting records in his free time ... Majored in criminal justice at Ohio State.
Career Transactions
Signed by the Patriots as a veteran free agent on March 19, 2002 … Originally the first of two second-round selections by the Saints (33rd overall) in the 1997 NFL Draft … Re-signed with the Saints as a restricted free agent (4/24/00) … Granted unconditional free agency (3/1/01).
Career Highlights
Career GP/GS: 60/12 (2/0)
Kelly has played in 60 career games, with 12 starts and has accumulated 90 career tackles.
Kelly has excelled on special teams, totaling 34 tackles during his four-year playing career.
Kelly has recorded four career interceptions, including a 79-yard return for a touchdown vs. Miami (11/29/98).
College
All-Big Ten Conference first-team pick by the media ... Started all year at free safety, with 66 tackles (37 solo), two sacks for minus 14 yards and four stops for 26 yards in losses ... Caused and recovered a pair of fumbles … Blocked two kicks and had three interceptions for 86 yards in returns ... Deflected three passes ... Collected 14 stops (9 solo) vs. Wisconsin ... Picked off a pass and recovered a fumble, returning the fumble 79 yards for a touchdown in a 42-14 victory over Purdue ... Registered 10 hits against Michigan in the season finale … Deflected a pair of passes and sacked Jake Plummer for an eight-yard loss in the Rose Bowl … Registered two interceptions for the North Squad in the Senior Bowl … Finished third on the team with 68 tackles (38 solo) during his junior season ... Played in 10 games in 1994 as a reserve strong safety and cornerback, blocking a punt vs. Alabama in the Citrus Bowl … Appeared in 10 games in 1993 as a nickel back and on special teams, after redshirting in 1992.
2001 Season
Kelly was not on an NFL roster during the 2001 season.
2000 Season
With New Orleans Saints: Played in 12 games, primarily on special teams and finished second on the team with a career high 15 special teams tackles … Added five defensive tackles … Played in both Saints playoff games and recorded two tackles. Chicago (10/8): Participated in first action of the season on both defense and special teams and recorded one defensive tackle in Saints 31-10 victory. Arizona (10/29): Registered one solo tackle and one special teams tackle in 21-10 victory over the Cardinals. San Francisco (11/5): Recorded a season-high three tackles (two solo) and added two special teams tackles in 31-15 victory over the 49ers. St. Louis (11/26): Led all Saints special teamers with three tackles.
1999 Season
With New Orleans Saints: Participated in all 16 games and started seven at free safety ... Recorded a career-high 35 tackles (23 solo), one interception and four passes defensed ... Added three special teams tackles and recovered a fumbled punt. San Francisco (9/19): Notched five tackles (4 solos) and batted down a pass. Atlanta (10/10): Amassed a season-high seven tackles (4 solos), along with a pass defensed. Tennessee (10/17): Collected five tackles as the Saints limited the Titans passing attack to just 113 yards. Cleveland (10/31): Collected three tackles on special teams and recovered a fumbled punt ... Kelly recovered a fumble forced by the Saints on the Browns 15-yard line, which led to a Saints touchdown just four plays later. Baltimore (12/19): Posted his first interception of the season and returned it six yards.
1998 Season
With New Orleans Saints: Played in all 16 games and started three at free safety … Posted 31 tackles on the season (22 solos) … Established a career- high with two interceptions … Accumulated 104 interception return yards, including his first career touchdown on a 79-yard return against Dan Marino and the Dolphins (11/29) … Posted four passes defensed on the season … Tallied 10 special teams stops. Indianapolis (9/27): Recorded a career-high eight tackles (7 solos) and intercepted his first pass of the season … He snatched a Peyton Manning pass and returned it 25 yards, setting up a Saints field goal. New England (10/4): Started and equaled his career-high with eight tackles. Miami (11/29): Intercepted a Marino pass and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown … It was his second career interception and his first score.
1997 Season
With New Orleans: Participated in all 16 games and started the final two contests at free safety … Registered 19 tackles on the season (14 solos), with one interception for 15 yards, three passes defensed and a forced fumble … Tied for third on the team with nine special teams tackles. Arizona (12/14): Recorded a season-high eight tackles in his first NFL start … Also snared his first career interception which he returned 15 yards … Also recorded two passes defensed and a forced fumble. Kansas City (12/21): Started at free safety and amassed four tackles, as well as a pass defensed in season finale … Part of Saints defense which held the Chiefs to 176 total yards, including just 20 yards passing.
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...
player who played safety for four seasons for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
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...
.
Robert James Kelly III was born on June 21, 1974 … Voted All-American selection by Street & Smith and USA Today at Newark Catholic (Ohio) High School ... Standout tailback, rushing for 1,663 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior ... Rushed for 156 yards and four touchdowns in the state championship game that year ... Enjoys English Premier soccer and collecting records in his free time ... Majored in criminal justice at Ohio State.
Career Transactions
Signed by the Patriots as a veteran free agent on March 19, 2002 … Originally the first of two second-round selections by the Saints (33rd overall) in the 1997 NFL Draft … Re-signed with the Saints as a restricted free agent (4/24/00) … Granted unconditional free agency (3/1/01).
Career Highlights
Career GP/GS: 60/12 (2/0)
Kelly has played in 60 career games, with 12 starts and has accumulated 90 career tackles.
Kelly has excelled on special teams, totaling 34 tackles during his four-year playing career.
Kelly has recorded four career interceptions, including a 79-yard return for a touchdown vs. Miami (11/29/98).
College
All-Big Ten Conference first-team pick by the media ... Started all year at free safety, with 66 tackles (37 solo), two sacks for minus 14 yards and four stops for 26 yards in losses ... Caused and recovered a pair of fumbles … Blocked two kicks and had three interceptions for 86 yards in returns ... Deflected three passes ... Collected 14 stops (9 solo) vs. Wisconsin ... Picked off a pass and recovered a fumble, returning the fumble 79 yards for a touchdown in a 42-14 victory over Purdue ... Registered 10 hits against Michigan in the season finale … Deflected a pair of passes and sacked Jake Plummer for an eight-yard loss in the Rose Bowl … Registered two interceptions for the North Squad in the Senior Bowl … Finished third on the team with 68 tackles (38 solo) during his junior season ... Played in 10 games in 1994 as a reserve strong safety and cornerback, blocking a punt vs. Alabama in the Citrus Bowl … Appeared in 10 games in 1993 as a nickel back and on special teams, after redshirting in 1992.
2001 Season
Kelly was not on an NFL roster during the 2001 season.
2000 Season
With New Orleans Saints: Played in 12 games, primarily on special teams and finished second on the team with a career high 15 special teams tackles … Added five defensive tackles … Played in both Saints playoff games and recorded two tackles. Chicago (10/8): Participated in first action of the season on both defense and special teams and recorded one defensive tackle in Saints 31-10 victory. Arizona (10/29): Registered one solo tackle and one special teams tackle in 21-10 victory over the Cardinals. San Francisco (11/5): Recorded a season-high three tackles (two solo) and added two special teams tackles in 31-15 victory over the 49ers. St. Louis (11/26): Led all Saints special teamers with three tackles.
1999 Season
With New Orleans Saints: Participated in all 16 games and started seven at free safety ... Recorded a career-high 35 tackles (23 solo), one interception and four passes defensed ... Added three special teams tackles and recovered a fumbled punt. San Francisco (9/19): Notched five tackles (4 solos) and batted down a pass. Atlanta (10/10): Amassed a season-high seven tackles (4 solos), along with a pass defensed. Tennessee (10/17): Collected five tackles as the Saints limited the Titans passing attack to just 113 yards. Cleveland (10/31): Collected three tackles on special teams and recovered a fumbled punt ... Kelly recovered a fumble forced by the Saints on the Browns 15-yard line, which led to a Saints touchdown just four plays later. Baltimore (12/19): Posted his first interception of the season and returned it six yards.
1998 Season
With New Orleans Saints: Played in all 16 games and started three at free safety … Posted 31 tackles on the season (22 solos) … Established a career- high with two interceptions … Accumulated 104 interception return yards, including his first career touchdown on a 79-yard return against Dan Marino and the Dolphins (11/29) … Posted four passes defensed on the season … Tallied 10 special teams stops. Indianapolis (9/27): Recorded a career-high eight tackles (7 solos) and intercepted his first pass of the season … He snatched a Peyton Manning pass and returned it 25 yards, setting up a Saints field goal. New England (10/4): Started and equaled his career-high with eight tackles. Miami (11/29): Intercepted a Marino pass and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown … It was his second career interception and his first score.
1997 Season
With New Orleans: Participated in all 16 games and started the final two contests at free safety … Registered 19 tackles on the season (14 solos), with one interception for 15 yards, three passes defensed and a forced fumble … Tied for third on the team with nine special teams tackles. Arizona (12/14): Recorded a season-high eight tackles in his first NFL start … Also snared his first career interception which he returned 15 yards … Also recorded two passes defensed and a forced fumble. Kansas City (12/21): Started at free safety and amassed four tackles, as well as a pass defensed in season finale … Part of Saints defense which held the Chiefs to 176 total yards, including just 20 yards passing.