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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1954-04-06)April 6, 1954 (age 71) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Cass Technical (Detroit, Michigan) | ||||||||
| College: | Wyoming | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1976: 1st round, 27th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Aaron Douglas Kyle (born April 6, 1954) is an American former professionalfootball player who was acornerback in theNational Football League (NFL) for theDallas Cowboys andDenver Broncos. He was selected in the first round of the1976 NFL draft. He playedcollege football at theUniversity of Wyoming.
Kye attendedCass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. He playedhalfback andlinebacker. He graduated in 1971 and accepted a football scholarship from theUniversity of Wyoming. As a freshman, he was a backuprunning back, tallying 3 carries for 8 yards. As a sophomore, he was moved tostrong safety. He was also a punt returner during his first three years.
As a senior, he was switched tocornerback and was used on either side of the field. He receivedAll-WAC honors, played in the 1975Blue–Gray Football Classic, theSenior Bowl and theEast–West Shrine Game. He was the team's best defensive player in his last two years and left as the school's career leader in tackles (275).[1]
In 2016, he was inducted into the Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame.
In the1976 NFL draft, he became only the secondWyoming player ever to be drafted to theNFL in the first round and the firstdefensive back ever to be selected by theDallas Cowboys that high.[2] As a rookie, he was the backup at left cornerback behindBenny Barnes and was used on passing downs to primarily cover therunning backs. He became a corespecial teams player, registering 2 blocked punts.
In1977, he replaced future hall of famerMel Renfro in the starting lineup at rightcornerback. His play was impacted after fracturing the left wrist during a 34-16 win over theWashington Redskins in the fifth game.[3] He missed the last four games of the season because of a heavy cast that was placed on his injured right arm. He returned for the playoffs to help the team winSuper Bowl XII, recording three tackles, aninterception, a tackle on a run from a punt attempt and a fumble recovery that set up the game-clinchingtouchdown.
In1978, he started all 16 games at cornerback, while making 3 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries (tied for the team lead). He also had an interception in the playoffs against theAtlanta Falcons. InSuper Bowl XIII, he missed a tackle that allowedJohn Stallworth to have a 75-yardtouchdown play.[4]
In1979, although he started 16 games, he was limited by bone spurs in his left knee that he developed duringtraining camp. He intercepted two passes in the season opener against theSt. Louis Cardinals.
In May1980 season, he had knee surgery to remove the bone spurs, which led the team to place him in theinjured reserve list. Once the season started, the Cowboys tried to recall him from theinjured reserve list, but because they used the procedural recall system to waive him, he was able to be declared as afree agent.
On October 14,1980, he signed as afree-agent with theDenver Broncos, playing in 10 games (9 starts) and recording 72 tackles.
Kyle played a total of 3 seasons in Denver, starting atright cornerback, while leading the team in turnovers in both1981 and1982, with a total of 5interceptions and 7fumble recoveries. In1981, he registered 68 tackles. He retired on April 16,1983, after being the Broncos player representative during that season's strike.[5]