Rob Kelly ( American football ) 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 & one on the Injured reserve list for the New England Patriots . Robert James Kelly III was born on June 21 , 1974 … Voted All - American selection by Street & Smith and USA Today at Newark Catholic High School , Newark , Ohio . . . 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 mowing the yard & spending time with his two daughters , Cassidy Rose Kelly & Sloane Katya Kelly . Married . Majored in Criminal Justice at The Ohio State University . Received his degree from The Ohio State University in 2009 . Was Road Manager for the Grammy Award winning band Deftones in 2006 . 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 from Dan Marino 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 . Turned down offers from many NFL teams citing losing the love of the game due to the " Business Side " that is the NFL . 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 Miami 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 Saints : 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 .