Keith Traylor facts for kids

Byron Keith Traylor (born September 3, 1969) is a former professional football player. He played for 17 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) as a nose tackle. Keith was first chosen by the Denver Broncos in the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Central Oklahoma. Keith Traylor is famous for winning three Super Bowl championships. He won two with the Denver Broncos and one with the New England Patriots.

Keith Traylor's Early Life and Sports

Keith Traylor was born on September 3, 1969. He grew up in a family that loved sports. His mother was a great high school basketball player. His two younger brothers also played college football and basketball.

Keith was a star athlete at Malvern High School in Malvern, Arkansas. He was named all-state and all-conference twice as a linebacker. He was also excellent in basketball and baseball. He earned all-state and all-conference honors in both those sports too.

Keith was even named Player of the Decade for the 1980s by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. In 1985, he made 231 tackles, which is one of the highest totals in state history. Many people thought Keith was one of the top ten high school players in the country.

College Football Journey

After high school, Keith Traylor was a two-time All-American. He first planned to play for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was a strong linebacker, weighing 250 pounds and running very fast. An assistant coach called him an "exciting, high-profile recruit."

However, Keith had some academic challenges. He left Oklahoma after only four months. He then went to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Later, he found his place at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Keith started his college career at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. He played there for two seasons (1987–88). He was named Honorable Mention All-American as a freshman. As a sophomore, he was a 1st Team All-American. In two seasons at Coffeyville, he made 229 tackles, 14 sacks, and 9 interceptions.

After Coffeyville, Keith played two seasons at the University of Central Oklahoma. He had 146 tackles, five sacks, and two interceptions there. He was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference player in his senior year. He made 79 tackles and five sacks that year. In 2006, Keith was honored as one of the top 75 players in the history of the Lone Star Conference.

Keith Traylor's NFL Career

Keith Traylor was expected to be one of the top players chosen in the 1991 NFL draft. The Denver Broncos picked him in the third round. This was the 61st pick overall.

Starting with the Denver Broncos

As a rookie in 1991, Keith played in all 16 regular season games for the Broncos. He started two games and made 27 tackles. His first start was against the Seattle Seahawks. He made nine tackles in that game. He also played in both playoff games that season. After his first year, he was named to the All-Rookie Team.

In 1992, Keith played in 16 games and started three. He had 39 tackles and his first professional sack. He tackled a quarterback for a 14-yard loss. The Broncos released him in June 1993.

Playing for Other Teams

Keith then signed with the Los Angeles Raiders in July 1993. He was released a month later. He then joined the Green Bay Packers in September. He played in five games for them before being released in November.

Keith became a free agent and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in January 1994. He was released again later that year. He spent the whole 1994 season without a team.

In 1995, the Chiefs re-signed Keith. He played in the World League of American Football (now NFL Europa) for the Barcelona Dragons. He started three games and had 18 tackles. During this time, he started to gain weight to play on the defensive line.

He made the Chiefs' roster in 1995 and played in all 16 games. He had 19 tackles and 1.5 sacks. In 1996, he played in 15 games for the Chiefs. He made 42 tackles and blocked a field goal attempt.

Returning to Denver and Super Bowl Wins

In 1997, Keith Traylor returned to the Denver Broncos. He now played as a defensive tackle. He started all 16 games and had 51 tackles. He also had two sacks and an interception. His interception was returned 62 yards for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills.

Keith started all four playoff games that season. He helped the Broncos win Super Bowl XXXII. This was his first Super Bowl ring. Two days after his mother passed away, he played a great game against Kansas City in the playoffs.

In 1998, Keith played in 15 games and started 14. He had 49 tackles and two sacks. He was part of a defense that was very good at stopping the run. Keith started all three playoff games, including Super Bowl XXXIII. The Broncos won again, giving Keith his second Super Bowl ring.

In 1999, Keith started 15 games for Denver. He had 42 tackles and forced two fumbles. In 2000, his final season with the Broncos, he started all 16 games. He had a career-high 53 tackles.

Time with the Chicago Bears

Keith joined the Chicago Bears in 2001. He started 15 games and had 45 tackles. He also had two sacks and an interception. He and teammate Ted Washington were key players in the middle of the defense. They helped young linebacker Brian Urlacher make many plays. Keith's second career interception set up a Bears touchdown in the final game of the season.

In 2002, Keith started 15 games for the Bears. He had 41 tackles and one sack. In 2003, he started 10 games for Chicago.

Winning Another Super Bowl with New England

Keith Traylor joined the New England Patriots in 2004. He started 10 games as a nose tackle. He had 33 tackles. He was part of a defense that was strong against the run. He played in two of the three playoff games. He helped the Patriots win Super Bowl XXXIX. This was his third Super Bowl ring! He wore number 98 because his usual number 94 was taken.

Final Years with the Miami Dolphins

Keith joined the Miami Dolphins in 2005. He started 13 games and had 40 tackles. He also had two sacks. He had surgery on his knee in December but returned to play the final two games. The last game of the season was his 200th regular season game.

In 2006, Keith had 36 tackles and a career-high four sacks. He was placed on injured reserve late in the season due to a knee injury. He started 14 games that year.

The Dolphins re-signed Keith in 2007. His time with the Dolphins ended after an incident with a teammate before the final game of the 2007 season. He was released by the Dolphins in February 2008.

Keith Traylor's NFL Statistics

Regular Season Games

Playoff Games

Keith Traylor's Family Life

Keith Traylor has one son named Brandon. He lives in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Keith had two brothers who also played college sports. Eric Traylor played basketball at New Mexico State. Mark Traylor played football at Louisiana-Lafayette. Sadly, Mark Traylor passed away after dealing with a rare immune disorder.