Daniel "Danny" Kepley, (born August 24, 1953 in Albermarle, North Carolina) is a former star linebacker with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.
Kepley played his college football at East Carolina University. He tried out with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, but ended up coming to Canada, where he had a 10 year career with the Eskimos (1975 to 1984.)
He was an intense player and hard tackler. Teamed with fellow linebackers Dale Potter and Tom Towns for 8 seasons, this trio formed the backbone of a defence that would play in 7 Grey Cup games, winning six championships. Kepley would win 3 CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Awards and be an All Star 5 times.
Kepley had some difficulty adjusting after his playing career. He has publicly admitted his alcoholism. In 2000, he spent time in jail for impaired driving, his fifth such offence.[1] Additionally, his ability to mis-speak was in evidence in the CFL Traditions documentary series, where he said some insulting things about Hall of Fame kicker Dave Cutler.
Following retirement, Kepley spent the 1985 season as an assistant coach with the Eskimos. He began a real estate career, worked as a football analyst on both radio (CFRN) and television (CBC, ESPN), and since 1992 is once again an assistant coach with the Eskimos.
Kepley was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1996, and in November, 2006 was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#11) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network The Sports Network/TSN.
[edit] References
- ^ Back in football heaven - Despite defeat, Dan Kepley is thankful to be part of the game again, Perry Lefko, Toronto Sun, Nov. 25, 2002.
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