Career Summary
Kelly Poppinga transferred to BYU from Utah State, where he saw action as a backup linebacker and special teams. Poppinga went on to earn All-MWC and Academic All-MWC honors as a linebacker in both his junior and senior years. The two-time letterwinner led the Cougars with 113 tackles his senior year and helped BYU win back-to-back conference championships in 2006 and 2007.
Professional
- Signed free agent deal with the Miami Dolphins in 2008
- Played on three teams before going to the Super Bowl XLIII with the Arizona Cardinals
Personal
- Born in Evanston, Wyo.
- Son of Dennis and Vicki Poppinga
- Has three sisters and two brothers
- Brother, Casey, was a starting tight end for Utah State who enjoyed a career in the NFL playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and 2004 NFC Champions Philadelphia Eagles
- Brother, Brady, was an All-MWC performer at BYU and currently plays for the Green Bay Packers
- Served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Married Rebekah
Before BYU
High School
- First-team all-state selection as a high school senior after earning second-team all-state honors as a junior
- Helped team to the state championship as a sophomore
- Played both linebacker and tight end
- All-state selection in both basketball and track
- Won the state championship in the discus his senior year (162-10).
Utah State
- Saw action as a backup linebacker as well as on special teams as a true freshman in 2003
- Recorded five tackles on the year, while missing four games in the middle of the season due to an injury
- Had one tackle for loss
- Recovered a fumble against Nebraska
- Ranked third on the Utah State roster with 61 tackles as a sophomore (2004)
- Credited with 31 solo tackles
- Credited with five tackles for a combined loss of 22 yards
- Posted on sack for an eight yard loss
Stats
Defensive
Career | Tackles | Sacks | Interceptions | Misc | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | GP | SOLO | AST | TOT | TFL/YDS | NO | YDS | INT | YDS | TD | FF | FR | FRYDS | QBH | PBU |
2007 | 13 | 46 | 67 | 0 | 7.5 / 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
2006 | 13 | 15 | 21 | 0 | 3.5 / 12 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
TOTALS: | 26 | 61 | 88 | - | 11 / 30 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 55 | - | 1 | - | - | 4 | 6 |