page_title: Curley Culp
section_title: Kansas City Chiefs
hierarchical_section_title: Curley Culp / Professional career / Kansas City Chiefs
caption_attribution_description: English: A football card from the 1986 Jeno's Pizza NFL football card stickers set of Kansas City Chiefs defensive linemen Buck Buchanan (left) and Curley Culp (right) tackling Minnesota Vikings running back Dave Osborn (middle) in Super Bowl IV. The card is numbered 50 in the set. The back of the card reads: THE CHIEFS WERE VERY DEFENSIVE Buck Buchanan (86) and Curley Culp (61), Kansas City's defensive tackles, surround Minnesota running back Dave Osborn, as the Chiefs surprise the Vikings 23-7 in Super Bowl IV. Kansas City limited the Vikings to 67 yards on the ground and 239 in all. It was the last Super Bowl before the AFL-NFL merger.
context_page_description: Curley Culp is a former professional American football player. An offensive and defensive lineman, he played college football at Arizona State University, was the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion while at ASU, and played professionally in the American Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1968 and 1969, and for the National Football League Chiefs, Houston Oilers, and the Detroit Lions. He was an AFL All-Star in 1969 and a six-time AFC–NFC Pro Bowler.
context_section_description: At 6'1" and 265 lbs, Culp was considered a bit too short for the defensive line and a bit too slow to play linebacker. He moved from Denver to Kansas City in search of a team that could properly utilize his unique talents. Culp's play as a nose tackle actually took root in Super Bowl IV.  Chiefs coach, Hank Stram, in an attempt to nullify the Minnesota Vikings' quick outside rushing attack, decided to line Culp directly nose-to-nose with Vikings center, Mick Tingelhoff.  The smaller Tingelhoff could not block Culp one-on-one and had to be helped by the other linemen.  This freed teammates, Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, and other Chiefs defenders to get into the Vikings offensive backfield and shut down their running game. The effectiveness of the Chiefs' defensive game plan helped continue the growing popularity of the 3-4 scheme in the 1970s from the college to pro ranks.
  "Curley Culp was a tremendous athlete," Pro Football Hall of Fame QB, Len Dawson, said. "He had such strength and quickness. I remember Jack Rudnay used to say that every center in the league should have to go against Curley in order to know what it's like to go against the very best."
  Culp helped anchor the Kansas City defensive line. Culp spent seven seasons in Kansas City (1968–1974). He was a starting defensive tackle on the Chiefs Super Bowl IV squad and appeared in 82 games with Kansas City. A member of the Chiefs 25-Year All-Time Team, Culp played in the 1969 AFL All-Star Game and the 1971 Pro Bowl. He was twice honored as the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Week and claimed the Chiefs unofficial sack crown in 1973 with nine QB takedowns. Culp also registered five fumble recoveries in his Kansas City career.
caption: Culp (right) stopping a Vikings running play during Super Bowl IV.
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