Chris Kuper facts for kids
Kuper in 2009
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| Minnesota Vikings | |||||||
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| Position: | Offensive line coach | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | December 19, 1982 Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 303 lb (137 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Dimond (Anchorage) | ||||||
| College: | North Dakota | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 5 / Pick: 161 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Chris Kuper, born on December 19, 1982, is a former American football player. He played as an offensive guard for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League (NFL). The Broncos chose him in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played college football for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Today, he is an offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
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Early Life and High School Football
Chris Kuper grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. He played high school football at A. J. Dimond High School. During his time there, he helped his team, the Lynx, win a state championship in 2001. In his senior year, Kuper was recognized as one of the best linemen in the state.
College Football Career
Kuper continued his football journey at the University of North Dakota. He became a key player for the Fighting Hawks. He was a starter for three years. During his junior and senior years, he earned honors as an all-conference player and an All-American.
Professional Football Career
Chris Kuper was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2006. He was the 161st player chosen overall. This made him the highest-drafted offensive lineman from North Dakota since 1981.
Kuper played his entire eight-year NFL career with the Broncos. He started in 79 of the 90 games he played. Most of these starts were at the right guard position.
In 2010, the Broncos signed Kuper to a new five-year contract. This showed how important he was to the team. That same year, he was chosen as a co-captain for the Broncos' offense. He shared this role with quarterback Kyle Orton and tight end Daniel Graham.
During the 2011 season, Kuper was selected for the Pro Bowl. This is a special game that features the best players from the NFL. However, he could not play due to a serious ankle injury he got in the last game of the season. He needed surgery for the injury.
In 2012, Kuper received the Ed Block Courage Award. His teammates voted for him to receive this award. It honors players who show courage and dedication. Kuper officially retired from playing football on March 11, 2014.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Chris Kuper began coaching. In 2015, he was an offensive line coach at Columbine High School in Colorado.
In 2016, Kuper joined the Miami Dolphins as an offensive quality control coach. He then spent two seasons, from 2017 to 2018, as the assistant offensive line coach for the Dolphins.
On January 22, 2019, Kuper returned to the Denver Broncos. He was hired as their assistant offensive line coach.
In 2022, Kuper moved to the Minnesota Vikings. He became the offensive line coach for the Vikings, a role he continues to hold.
