Ryan Joseph Kalil (born March 29, 1985) is an American film and television producer and former professional football player. He played as a center in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Carolina Panthers. He was a three-time All-Pro, twice named to the first team, and a five-time Pro Bowl selection.
Kalil played college football for the USC Trojans, where he was a member of two national championship teams, was named a first-team All-American, and won the 2006 Morris Trophy. He was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft, where he played for 12 seasons. He also played one season with the New York Jets. Kalil was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015.
Early life
Kalil was born Ryan Joseph Kalil in 1985 to Frank and Cheryl Kalil. His father, Frank, played football for the University of Arkansas and the University of Arizona. He was selected by the National Football LeagueBuffalo Bills in 1982 and later played in the United States Football League until 1984. His mother, Cheryl (Van Cleave), was Miss California in 1981.[1] He is of Lebanese and Mexican heritage and has two siblings. His brother, Matt, is a former starting offensive tackle at USC and was drafted fourth overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. They were the third set of brothers to play on the same offensive line in the NFL when Matt joined Ryan on the Panthers in 2017 and the first set of brothers to do it in 24 years.[2] Their sister Danielle sang the national anthem at the Vikings–Panthers game, which featured both her brothers, on October 13, 2013.[3]
Kalil was voted "lineman of the year" by his Trojans teammates and won the 2006 Morris Trophy. He was invited to play in the Senior Bowl prior to the 2007 NFL Draft.
In 2003, Kalil and the Trojans finished the regular season 11–1 and ranked No. 1 in the AP and coaches' polls. However, USC was left out of the BCS championship game after finishing third in the BCS behind Oklahoma and LSU. The Trojans went to the Rose Bowl and played University of Michigan. That 2003 season saw split national champions, as LSU won the BCS title, while USC was crowned champion by the AP. Kalil appeared in two BCS Championship Games: 2005's win against the University of Oklahoma[5] and 2006's loss to University of Texas.[6]
Kalil ran the 40-yard dash in 4.94 seconds at the 2007 NFL Combine and bench pressed 225 pounds 34 times. His performances at the combine and the Senior Bowl impressed scouts and led many analysts to project he would be selected in the first or second round of the 2007 NFL draft.[9]
Carolina Panthers
Pre-draft predictions turned out to be correct, as Kalil was selected in the second round of the draft with the 59th pick by the Carolina Panthers.[10] He was the first center to be selected in the 2007 draft and joined his teammate from the USC Trojans, Dwayne Jarrett, who the Panthers also selected in the second round.
On August 19, 2011, the Panthers signed Kalil to a six-year $49 million deal, making him the highest paid center in NFL history.[14] He was selected to the Pro Bowl as the starting center of the NFC team. He was ranked 99th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.[15]
On February 7, 2016, Kalil was part of the Panthers team that played in Super Bowl 50. In the game, the Panthers fell to the Denver Broncos by a score of 24–10.[16]
It was announced on December 23, 2015, that Kalil was one of ten players on the Carolina Panthers voted into the 2016 Pro Bowl, making it his fifth appearance.[17] He could not play in the Pro Bowl due to the Panthers appearance in Super Bowl 50. For the 2015 season, PFF rated Kalil as the third-best run-blocking center in the NFL.[18] He was ranked 79th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.[19]
On June 6, 2016, Kalil signed a two-year extension with the Panthers.[20] He had been dealing with a shoulder injury for several weeks before leaving the Week 11 game against the New Orleans Saints. He was placed on injured reserve on November 29, 2016, ending his season.[21]
In 2017, Kalil started only six games after dealing with a neck injury for most of the season.
On December 31, 2018, Kalil announced his retirement from the NFL after 12 seasons.[22][23]
New York Jets
On August 1, 2019, Kalil came out of his brief retirement to sign a one-year contract with the New York Jets.[24] He was placed on injured reserve on November 16, 2019.[25]
In media
Film and television
Kalil has interests in the film industry, having made claymation films as a child.
Ryan Kalil, Shawn Kittelsen and Chris B. Murray created Savage Game, a Comixology Originals 60-page sci-fi graphic novel that is a high-tech version of The Island of Dr. Moreau.[36]
Kalil also co-wrote The Rookie Handbook with former Carolina offensive line teammates Jordan Gross and Geoff Hangartner. The Rookie Handbook is a humorous and insightful look at the life of an NFL rookie. It's designed to give a behind the scenes glimpse at life in the big leagues for the legions of NFL fans.[37][38]
Podcast network and production company
In March 2022, Kalil, along with Vince Vaughn and Greg Olsen, launched a podcast network and production company named Audiorama.[39] The first podcast available from the network, called Youth, Inc., focuses on youth sports.[40]
Personal life
Kalil resides in Manhattan Beach, California, with his wife, Natalie, and their four children.[1][41] Ryan started the Kalil Family Foundation with his wife, which works to greatly accelerate lupus research and improve life for people living with lupus. The foundation also supports pioneering solutions to end homelessness in the United States and abroad.[42]
Kalil was announced as one of the investors in an almost all-female group that was awarded a new franchise in the National Women's Soccer League, the top level of women's sport in the U.S. The new team, since unveiled as Angel City FC, is set to start play in 2022.[43]
Peter Clay Carroll is an American football executive and former coach who is an advisor for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at the University of Southern California (USC) from 2001 to 2009 and the head coach of the Seahawks from 2010 to 2023. Carroll is the third and most recent head coach to win a college football national championship and a Super Bowl along with Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer.
Joseph Keyshawn Johnson is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons.
Matthew Stephen Leinart is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for the USC Trojans, where he won the Heisman Trophy and led his team to an undefeated season as a junior. Selected tenth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL draft, Leinart primarily served as Kurt Warner's backup for four seasons. He spent his final three seasons in a backup role for the Houston Texans and the Oakland Raiders. Leinart was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Duane Clair Bickett is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, and Carolina Panthers. Bickett played college football for the USC Trojans.
The USC Trojans football program represents the University of Southern California in the sport of American football. The Trojans compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Big Ten Conference.
Samuel David Baker is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Southern California (USC), and was a three-time All-American. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft.
Dwayne Jarrett is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for four seasons with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans, earning recognition as a All-American twice. Carolina selected him in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
The 2005 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season, winning the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10), and playing for the NCAA Division I-A national championship. The team was coached by Pete Carroll, led on offense by quarterback and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, and played their home games in the Los Angeles Coliseum.
The 2006 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, winning the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) and playing in the Rose Bowl. The team was coached by Pete Carroll, led on offense by quarterback John David Booty, and played their home games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Jason White is an American former college football player who was a quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was named a unanimous All-American and won the Heisman Trophy in 2003.
The 2003 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. They won their first national championship since 1978 as they were named the Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) national champions. However, the Trojans were denied a spot in the BCS National Championship Game by the BCS selections for the national championship game.
Everson Griffen is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). A graduate of Agua Fria High School, Griffen played college football for the USC Trojans. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft and played for them for 10 seasons before signing with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. He was traded to the Detroit Lions later that year, then re-signed with the Vikings in August 2021.
Gregory Walter Olsen is an American football sportscaster and former tight end who played for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. Olsen played most of his career for the Carolina Panthers, with whom he made three Pro Bowls, and became the first tight end in NFL history to record three consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. Olsen played his final season with the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. Following his retirement Olsen joined Fox as a sportscaster and is formerly the lead color commentator for the NFL on Fox.
Thomas Ray Williams is a former American football linebacker. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He played college football at Southern California. Williams has been a member of the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2011, he suffered a neck injury that ended his season. The next year, the same injury forced him to retire from his football career.
Matthew Francis Kalil is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings fourth overall in the 2012 NFL draft. He was also a member of the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans.
Jeff Byers is an American former professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans.
Jordan Cravens Cameron is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL draft. Cameron also played for the Miami Dolphins.
Aminiasi Fonua Silatolu is an American former professional football player who was an offensive guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Midwestern State Mustangs from 2010 to 2011. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft.
Gino Gradkowski is an American football coach and former center. He is the offensive line coach for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). He is also the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for Rowan University, positions he has held since 2024. He played college football at the University of Delaware. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft.
Rhett Marshall Ellison is an American former professional football tight end and fullback who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He also played for the New York Giants for three seasons.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
