Markus Kuhn (American football)

Last updated
Markus Kuhn
Markus Kuhn (American football) 2012.jpg
Kuhn with the New York Giants in 2012
No. 78
Position: Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1986-05-05) 5 May 1986 (age 38)
Mannheim, West Germany
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:303 lb (137 kg)
Career information
High school:Weinheim (GER)
College: North Carolina State
NFL draft: 2012  / Round: 7 / Pick: 239
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:48
Sacks:1.5
Fumble recoveries:2
Defensive touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Markus Kuhn (born 5 May 1986) [1] is a German [2] former professional American football defensive tackle. He was selected by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL draft. In December 2014 he recovered a fumble against the Tennessee Titans and scored, becoming the first German to earn an NFL touchdown. Kuhn played college football at NC State. [3]

Contents

Early life

Born in Mannheim, Germany, Kuhn started playing football at age 14. He was introduced to the sport while spending vacations with his family in Florida. His interest and curiosity led him to start playing football in Germany and he eventually began playing linebacker and defensive tackle for the Weinheim Longhorns, winning Rookie of The Year. Kuhn was a four-time German Football League All-Star.

College career

In 2007 Kuhn decided to play collegiate football. Without access to college recruiters, Kuhn resorted to personally visiting colleges with his father in 2007. He was ultimately given a scholarship at North Carolina State University. At NC State, Kuhn was part of the Champs Sports Bowl-winning team in 2010 and the Belk Bowl-winning team in 2011. In 2012 Kuhn earned a degree in business economics.

Professional career

New York Giants

2012 season

Kuhn was selected in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. [4] [5]

On August 31, 2012, it was announced that Kuhn had made the final roster. He made his debut in the season's inaugural game with a tackle assist, a feat he matched in the subsequent games. [6] He started his first game in Week 6 against Cleveland Browns. [7] During the game against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 10, Kuhn suffered a torn ACL and missed the rest of the 2012 season. [8] The Giants finished the season 9-7 and out of the playoffs.

2013 season

Almost one year after his ACL tear, Kuhn returned to practicing with his team. Because of his strong work ethic, the coaches named Kuhn on November 6 to the Giants active roster. Kuhn had his season debut in Week 13 against the Washington Redskins, a game the Giants won. In week 14, defensive tackle Kuhn returned a kickoff 13 yards, after the San Diego Chargers deliberately bounced a short kick, after a score with 19 seconds remaining in the first half. Kuhn and the Giants ended the season 7-9, failing to make the playoffs.

2014 season

During the offseason, it was published that Kuhn has a good friendship with former Giant and 2014 Hall of Famer Michael Strahan. Kuhn was born in Mannheim and Strahan experienced the game of football in this city for the first time at the Mannheim Redskins (now the Rhein Neckar Bandits). In Week one, the Giants lost against the Detroit Lions. Kuhn missed the game because of an injury.

In week 14, on December 7, 2014, Kuhn returned a fumble 26 yards for a touchdown against the Titans. It was the Giants first non-offensive TD of the season. It was also the first ever touchdown scored by a German national in the NFL. [9]

2015 season

Ahead of the 2015 season it was announced that the 2015 NFL season would see a new broadcasting arrangement in Germany with (at least) two games every Sunday being broadcast live in free-to-air Television on ProSieben Maxx as well as on a free live stream on ran.de. Kuhn became a columnist for the website of ran.de, describing his day-to-day life in the NFL and how he sees his games. On the field the 2015 season saw him secure the ball one more time for his team, when he returned a fumble by Tom Brady against the New England Patriots, a game that the Giants ultimately lost on a late field goal. On December 25, 2015, Kuhn was placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury he suffered against the Miami Dolphins on December 14, 2015. [10]

New England Patriots

On April 7, 2016, Kuhn signed with the New England Patriots. [11] On September 3, 2016, he was released by the Patriots as part of final roster cuts. [12]

Retirement

On January 27, 2017, Kuhn announced his retirement, never having played in a regular season game since being injured on December 14, 2015. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Davis Sr.</span> American football player (born 1983)

Thomas Antonio Davis Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Georgia in the early 2000s, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logan Mankins</span> American football player (born 1982)

Logan Lee Mankins is an American former professional football player who was a guard for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. After playing college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs, he was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft. He spent his final two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Selected to seven Pro Bowls and named a first-team All-Pro twice, Mankins was considered a premier guard in his 11 seasons in NFL, and was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Blackmon</span> American gridiron football player (born 1984)

William Edwards Blackmon is a former American football safety and return specialist. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, and was selected in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers. He was also a member of the New York Giants, Arizona Rattlers, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Redskins, and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He is currently an analyst for the Boston College Football team.

Reggie Jermaine Torbor is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football at Auburn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terrell Thomas</span> American football player (born 1985)

Terrell R. Thomas is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at USC. He was selected by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. He is also only the second player in NFL history, after linebacker Thomas Davis, to play a down in the league after suffering from three torn ACLs in the same knee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Ninkovich</span> American football player (born 1984)

Robert Michael Ninkovich is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker and defensive end for eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers as a defensive end and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL draft. He also played in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, winning two Super Bowls with the latter. After eight seasons with the Patriots, Ninkovich announced his retirement from the NFL following the 2016 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domenik Hixon</span> American football player (born 1984)

Domenik Hixon is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football at Akron. He was also a member of New York Giants, with whom he became a two-time Super Bowl winner against the New England Patriots twice, as well as, a member of the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Dahl</span> American football player (born 1985)

Craig Dahl is a former American football safety who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at North Dakota State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malcolm Jenkins</span> American football player (born 1987)

Malcolm Jenkins is an American former professional football player who was a safety for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning consensus All-American honors, and winning the Jim Thorpe Award as a senior. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft and played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2014 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dont'a Hightower</span> American football player (born 1990)

Qualin Dont'a Hightower is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the inside linebackers coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played in the NFL for nine seasons with the Patriots. Hightower played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, receiving consensus All-American honors and winning two BCS National Championships. Selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Patriots, he was named to two Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowl titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Pierre-Paul</span> American football player (born 1989)

Jason Andrew Pierre-Paul is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football for the South Florida Bulls and was selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. With the Giants, Pierre-Paul made two Pro Bowls, was first-team All-Pro and won Super Bowl XLVI. With the Buccaneers, Pierre-Paul made his third Pro Bowl and won Super Bowl LV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akeem Ayers</span> American football player (born 1989)

Akeem Christopher Ayers is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning second-team All-American honors in 2010. Ayers was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. He has also played for the New England Patriots, St. Louis Rams, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants. He won Super Bowl XLIX with the Patriots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byron Maxwell</span> American football player (born 1988)

Byron S. Maxwell is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft, where he was a member of the Seahawks' defensive group known as the Legion of Boom. Maxwell also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandler Jones</span> American football player (born 1990)

Chandler James Jones is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football for the Syracuse Orange and was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. He has also played for the Arizona Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akiem Hicks</span> American football player (born 1989)

Akiem Jamar Hicks is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft and has also played for the New England Patriots, Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Sacramento City College and at the University of Regina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaylon Smith</span> American football player (born 1995)

Jaylon Smith is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Notre Dame and was drafted 34th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Collins (American football)</span> American football player (born 1989)

Jamie Lee Collins Sr. is an American former football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. As a member of the Patriots for seven non-consecutive seasons, Collins earned Pro Bowl honors in 2015 when he led the league in forced fumbles and also won Super Bowl XLIX. Outside of his New England tenure, he played three seasons with the Cleveland Browns and two with the Detroit Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Colvin</span> American football player (born 1991)

Aaron Colvin is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Oklahoma and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He also played for the Houston Texans and Washington Redskins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markus Golden</span> American football player (born 1991)

Markus Golden is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Missouri and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. Golden has also played for the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Walker (linebacker)</span> American football player (born 1992)

Joe Walker is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Oregon and was selected in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Football Team.

References

  1. "Markus Kuhn — NC State University Wolfpack — Official Athletics Site". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
  2. "Markus Kuhn, a Germany native, gives draft international flavor". NFL.com . Retrieved April 29, 2012.
  3. Barker, Barbara (2012-08-23). "Marcus Kuhn: Germany to Giants". Newsday . Retrieved 2012-10-07.
  4. Hubbuch, Bart (2012-05-12). "Giants greet big German Kuhn". New York Post . Retrieved 2012-10-07.
  5. "2012 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  6. "Markus Kuhn". New York Giants . Retrieved 2012-10-07.
  7. "Brown shows what he can do". New York Daily News.
  8. Ehalt, Matt (2012-11-12). "Kuhn has torn ACL, will miss rest of season". ESPN. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
  9. "Markus Kuhn becomes first German to score touchdown in NFL". Deutsche Welle. 2014-12-08. Retrieved 2014-12-08.
  10. Eisen, Michael (December 25, 2015). "DE Brad Bars and TE Matt LaCosse added to active roster". Giants.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  11. "Patriots sign DL Markus Kuhn | New England Patriots". Archived from the original on 2016-10-29. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  12. "Patriots reach the 53-man roster limit". Patriots.com. September 3, 2016. Archived from the original on November 6, 2017.
  13. "Exklusiv bei ran: Markus Kuhn erklärt sein Karriereende – "Bin extrem dankbar!"". ran.de/us-sport/nfl. 11 July 2013.