A former Tennessee football legend, an All-American offensive lineman, recently died. Per a report by Knox Today, Curtis “Chip” Kell died at 75 of “pneumonia and other complications.”
Chip Kell was a force on the Tennessee football team
Per the article, Kell was a force to be reckoned with in the SEC. He made the College Football Hall of Fame for his efforts with the Volunteers:
Kell was a sophomore all-Southeastern Conference center in 1968 who became an all-American guard as a junior and senior. He twice won the Jacobs Trophy as the best blocker in the SEC. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Per the University of Tennessee’s website, Kell helped his offensive line block for 2,365 yards during the 1970 season, which at that time was a record. He didn’t just excel at football, as Kell was a three-time shot put champion at Tennessee.
The San Diego Chargers drafted Kell
Kell won a lot of games with Tennessee. He would go on to play in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers, Per Knox Today:
Tennessee had a 26-5 record in Kell’s three seasons. The 1970 team went 11-1, defeated the Air Force in the Sugar Bowl and finished fourth in the AP poll.
San Diego drafted him in the 17th round. He earned $17,000 as a rookie. He moved to the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian League. In his second season, he suffered a terrible knee injury.
Kell went to Avondale High School and was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
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