Jim Kleinsasser (Football, 1995-99): A two-time NCAA Division II All-America tight end (1997, 1998) A three-time All-NCC First Team selection Helped UND to a four-year record of 32-10 and two appearances in the NCAA DII playoffs during his collegiate career Member of UND's 1995 NCC championship team 1999 Senior Bowl starter Kleinsasser was drafted as a tight end in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. "My attitude has always been, 'Whatever they ask you to do, do it.' Jim Kleinsasser, Minnesota Vikings | Prairie Public Broadcasting The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Jimmy wanted to be included. These hippie kids protested against the Vietnam War and participated in the civil rights movement. Hochhalter and Kleinsasser have become close friends, and Kleinsasser returns to Carrington in the summer to help with Hochhalter's football camps. 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He was 3. "The secret was, I always made him two lunches," Kathe said. He didn't just choose UND on a whim either; he was born and raised there, which is probably the exact reason why he's been inducted into the North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame. "If I had gone anywhere else, how many years would I have lasted? He was 3. But he does have one thing that many of his current teammates do not: accountability. When he was little, he'd run into the yard and lay a hit on the family dog that would get him fined by the NFL today. One day Kleinsasser brought home a box holding large shards of plastic, then Carter got a call from the Carrington High principal. Whos the richest Football Player in the world. The Kleinsassers expected Jimmy to be drafted in the second or third round by the New York Giants. Our big vacation of the year was coming out, driving through Dickinson and going to the Belfield-Medora area to my grandma and grandpas, and spending a couple weeks there. At Carrington High School, Kleinsasser was a starter on the 1995 Class B State Championship basketball team. Sheri was his idol. Drafted by the only NFL team within a 10-hour drive of his home, he became the longest-tenured professional athlete in the Twin Cities despite choosing a sport defined by short careers and catastrophic injuries. He was longtime teammates with star wide receiver Randy Moss as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. In track, he has the N.D. Class B State T&F Meet records for shot put (62ft, 2 in) and discus throw (183ft, 11 in). "The best thing about Jim is that he hasn't changed,'' Kathe said. Menards is bringing in former UND hockey player Dave Christian on Wednesday and former Minnesota Twins third baseman Gary Gaetti on Thursday. He blocked for former Eagles quarterbacks of different generations, Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb. "He'd want one soon as he got into the truck, and then he'd get hungry later. We have estimated NDHSAA Member School Alumni: Jim Kleinsasser, former multi-sport North Dakota has a strong educational system, good work ethics, and positive core values., PublishedJanuary 28, 2021 at 1:08 AM CST. "He has been lifting weights as long as I can remember.". At Carrington High School, Kleinsasser was a starter on the 1995 Class B State Championship basketball team. Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepper agreed. After tossing 80-pound bales around all day, Jimmy asked the time. He doesn't eat cereal. For him to make it 13 years, damn near 180 games, and still be standing at the end of it, that's something special. Minnesota Vikings: An Ode to Retiring TE Jimmy Kleinsasser As a senior, he was the MVP of the state basketball tournament when Carrington won the state title. Jimmy Carter Kleinsasser (/klanssr/; born January 31, 1977) is a former American Football player who played fullback, H-back, and tight end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He won the state shot put title as a junior and senior. He will depart as the Vikings all-time leader in games played by a tight end (181), knowing he helped clear a path during seven of the teams eight top individual rushing seasons. Their lucky numbers are 2, 8, 9, and lucky colors are red, light yellow, black. While playing for Carrington High, Kleinsasser was twice named All-Region, All-State and Gatorade Circle of Champions North Dakota Player of the Year. '", Years later, Jimmy ran into Theismann at a golf tournament and told him he cried the day Theismann's leg was broken in one of the more grotesque moments in NFL history. Jim Kleinsasser's House Maps / Jim Kleinsasser's House Info Nearby (810) Like No Thumbnail Google Maps Google Maps Bing Maps Birds Eye By tlp333 @ 2007-10-03 19:25:21 @ 44.920206, -93.697647 Mound, Minnesota (MN), US The professional football player lives here. Kids" game during halftime of Saturday's game against the Colts. Vikings tight end Jim Kleinsasser confirmed today that he will retire at the end of the season. He was selected out of the, then-Division II University of North Dakota. Week%2016%20-%20NYG%20-%20Legends%20Connection%20-%20Ben%20Leber.mp4. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. Kleinsasser, a six-foot-three, 272-pound tight end, was twice selected to the All-Joe team put together by the "USA Today" in 2007 and again in 2008. ", Souhan is a sports columnist at the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "The best thing about Jim is that he hasn't changed," Kathe said. The Seventies saw many women's rights, gay rights, and environmental movements. Im at peace with my career and what Ive done here. Saturday's Hometown Heroe was Ta Leia Thomas. China won't hold out from buying U.S. soybeans, broker predicts - Agweek He's a product of nature and nurture, combining genetics that created 6-3, 275-pound man who ran sprints and played basketball in high school and a work ethic inherited from parents who ran a farm without any outside help. It would be downright wrong, in my opinion, if he didn't make it and make it someday soon. He was born in 1977 in Carrington, and at 6'3" and 272 pounds, he's now playing tight end for the Minnesota Vikings. Majority of Jims money comes from being a football player. When he was still in diapers, Kleinsasser had trouble breathing, so Carter and Kathe took him to the hospital. We'd sit there and drink a cup of coffee and talk about football, ice fishing, our kids, whatever. Western North Dakota remains a special place to Jim Kleinsasser. "We joke that he's the 'Missing Link,' because he'll get hurt and a couple of days later he's 100 percent again," Hutchinson said. A Vikings team picture stands on an easel near the front door, and the walls are filled with likenesses of roosters. The strengths of this sign are being independent, original, while the weaknesses can be running from emotional expression, temperamental and uncompromising. In 1998, Kleinsasser had 45 receptions for 710 yards and 86 rushing yards. Jim Kleinsasser was born in 1970s. "Carrington has to be one of the greatest places you could grow up," Kleinsasser said. Then Vikings coach Denny Green traded three draft choices to the Steelers for the chance to take Jimmy with the 44th pick. Accolades piled up like would-be tacklers this week after the bulldozing tight end announced he would retire following Minnesotas season finale against the Chicago Bears, placing the unassuming Kleinsasser on the unfamiliar center stage. I dont have any regrets. Next Sunday, Jimmy Kleinsasser will line up against the Bears and throw a few more blocks before ending a career that has unfolded like every little league parent's daydream. Caitlyn Smith, a native of Cannon Falls, Minnesota, sang the National Anthem prior to the Vikings-Patriots game on Nov. 24. The result was a massive, fast, skilled athlete. Jim Kleinsassers mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. Being a great teammate. Jim Kleinsasser is a Aquarius and his 47th birthday is in, The 46-year-old American was born in the Generation X and the Year of the Serpent. Or pets. He has worked at the paper since 1990, previously covering the Twins and Vikings. You have to know exactly what it is you are comfortable with doing. He's proved tough enough to last, versatile enough to adapt, talented enough to engender loyalty, affordable enough to fit into every budget, and diligent and likeable enough to endear himself to a disparate mix of bosses. Jimmy Kleinsasser attended Carrington High School in Carrington, North Dakota and was a letterman and a standout in football, basketball, and track & field. Is Jim Kleinsasser in the Hall of Fame? Ive been blessed with the opportunity to spend some big amount of time with them, which has been a huge help in the transition. I try to adapt to whatever it takes to get the job done, or as good as I can get it done.". He was born in 1977 in Carrington, and at 63? At 46 years old, Jim Kleinsasser height Jim Kleinsasser played 181 games . He continued his 13-year career with the Vikings in the 2011 season. During Saturday's game against the Colts, the Vikings honored members of the 2022 All-State Team. Jim Kleinsasser Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth Whos the richest Football Player in the world? [3][4][5] He demonstrated remarkable durability throughout his career, playing in all 16 games up to 2010, except for missing 15 games because of an knee injury in 2004. Jim Kleinsasser - General - University of North Dakota Athletics He's an anomaly among anomalies.". This author advises parents to reclaim the word 'fat'. Jim Kleinsasser was born on the 31st of January, 1977. "I may not know what to do with myself," he said. His position is almost as un-sexy as offensive lineman, but he's such a key to not only your running game but your whole offense. In football, he played all over the field in high school and excelled as a tight end in college, leading to a pro career in which he has played fullback, tight end and H-back, proving remarkably adept at drive-blocking on running plays and protecting on pass plays. Even having not made any Pro Bowls or All-Pro teams, he should be in the Ring of Honor. He finished his career with the second-most starts by a tight end in Vikings history with 119. In football, he was a two time All-Region honoree and All-State honoree, and was twice named the Gatorade Circle of Champions North Dakota Player of the Year. Though he hasn't ever been an impact player, he's always been one of the most reliableperhaps the most reliableguys in his locker room. "He's one of the last of a dying breed. In the movie 50 First Dates, Kleinsasser is mentioned by Sean Astin's character briefly before Kleinsasser scores a touchdown on the TV. By Jim Kleinsasser is 6-3 (190 cm) tall. He plays this game only for one reason, and thats his teammates and the love of the game.. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. In third grade, on career day, Kleinsasser wore his Joe Theismann Redskins jersey to class. How many games did Jim Kleinsasser play? While the Minnesota Vikings play their last game of the season on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, TE Jim Kleinsasser will be playing his last NFL game ever. "He always wanted to play with me and my friends," Sheri said. He may be called "Purple Jesus," but he sure still needs blockers to help him part defenders. Amidst his 13-year career with the Vikings, Kleinsasser has always done what many others fail to do by merely keeping his nose down and doing his job. Long-snapper Cullen Loeffler has played for the Vikings since 2004. Kleinsasser spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Vikings after being a second-round draft pick out of UND in 1999. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it. "It's going to be quite an offseason," Carter said. He was part of three division championships, lost two NFC championship games, saw the Love Boat scandal engulf the organization in 2005, watched Brett Favre spin magic in 2009 and endured the misery of the past two seasons. His blocking skills also paved the way for 7 of the top 8 single-season rushing marks in Vikings history, including Adrian Peterson's then team record and NFL leading 1,760 yds in 2008. Jim Kleinsasser's net worth Jim Kleinsassers income source is mostly from being a successful . "I don't think we ever finished a game," Jimmy said. Saturday's Hometown Heroe was Emily Hunt Turner. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Greatest Viking Of All Time: (5) Jim Kleinsasser vs. (12) Ed McDaniel "First game of the year, his senior season, we're playing one of the toughest teams in our state, and we send Jimmy down the seam," Hochhalter said. Kleinsasser retired at the end of the 2011 NFL season after 13 seasons with the Vikings.[7]. "I thought for sure the ball was overthrown. Kleinsasser has played for four head coaches. Wild ride, Kleinsasser said. (Pioneer Press: Sherri LaRose-Chiglo), Fans of Jim Kleinsasser cheer for him in the end zone during the pregame prior to the start of the Minnesota Vikings game against the Chicago Bears at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Once more details are available on who he is dating, we will update this section. The house is small, warm and modest. He signed with North Dakota, and his parents suggest that he did so because his sister, Sheri, was a basketball star there. Tice, whose job as Bears offensive line coach allows him to join in Sundays sendoff, converted Kleinsasser from fullback to tight end in 2002. Its been a blast. Kleinsasser was as tough on basketball backboards as he was on linebackers. Jimmy Kleinsasser Career Stats | NFL.com JIM KLEINSASSER - PREP ATHLETIC STANDOUT AT CARRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION YEAR: 1995 HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC CAREER FOOTBALL Letter winner for the Cardinals in football. We would advise you to tell your son that if he's going to continue to dunk the basketball, he should do so very carefully.". asked Marty Hochhalter, Kleinsasser's high school coach. Chinese Zodiac: Jim Kleinsasser was born in the Year of the Rabbit. "Jimmy always tagged along," Sheri said. 1/28/2004: This Saturday will be Jim Kleinsasser's 27th birthday. Kleinsasser was often known for his skill in pass and run blocking, and was a fixture on the offensive line as teammate Adrian Peterson shattered several team records and led the league in rushing during the 2008 season. The past 13 years, Carter and Kathe Kleinsasser have made the six-hour drive to the Metrodome for Vikings games that didn't coincide with blizzards or harvests. He came across as an everyman, the hometown boy made good that . Leaving that locker room for the last time is probably going to be tough, though.. "Once I had a license, Jimmy would want to come with us. Jimmy, his son, plans to retire from the NFL after two more games, having broken the team record for most games played by a Vikings tight end, lasting much longer than his parents expected and five years longer than even he had hoped. They're flexible and good at improvising. Like many famous people and celebrities, Jim Kleinsasser keeps his personal life private. This page is updated often with latest details about Jim Kleinsasser. Ive had a lot of good times here, great teammates, great coaches. "Kid," Theismann told him, "I cried, too. He doesn't eat cereal. The Kleinsassers expected Jimmy to be drafted in the second or third round by the New York Giants. He's a product of nature and nurture, combining genetics that created a 6-foot-3, 275-pound man who ran sprints and played basketball in high school, and a work ethic inherited from parents who ran a farm without any outside help. He's one of the hardest working guys in Minnesota and is never afraid to put his nose to the grindstone for his teammates. Jim Kleinsasser Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. , Star Tribune Kleinsasser's first love was basketball, but football came naturally because he liked hitting people. However, the snake can be overly suspicious, which makes them a bit paranoid. Kleinsasser has been under the radar from the start, growing up as a boy in the small town of Carrington, N.D., going to college at North Dakota and getting overshadowed by quarterback Daunte . "Jimmy's teacher said, 'Why would I do that? Jim Kleinsasser was born on 31 January, 1977 in Carrington, North Dakota, United States. We will continue to update information on Jim Kleinsassers parents. "I may not know what to do with myself," he said. When Jimmy was in middle school, Carter fired up the obsolete machine that produced square bales, just to show the kids how farm work was done before modern machines did the hoisting. Somebody like Jim, who recently retired, you could tell a lot of people were excited to see him.. Local golf courses dealing with the inclement weather, Leonard Country Club opens as 76-year old walks and runs the course, Blue Jay scores: Baseball splits with Dickinson Tuesday, No excuse is good enough to abandon a pet, Funding for North Dakota tourism projects slashed after rebuke of buffalo theme park, Jamestown student graduating from college and high school, Staff will need to review 38,000 items at Jamestown libraries. Things that are important. Western North Dakota sentimental area for former Minnesota Viking He was always a good eater.". He was moved back to his natural position of tight end in 2001. He is from United States. Im content.. He just kicked into another gear and put up that big hand and made one heck of a catch, scored, and we won 6-0. "Once I had a license, Jimmy would want to come with us. He signed with the University of North Dakota, and his parents suggest that he did so because his sister, Sheri, was a basketball star there. 7. It feels good coming from him." He has also spent time fishing and being outdoors. On Sunday, Kleinsasser will suit up one last time in purple. Former Vikings RB Adrian Peterson was Tatum Everett's 'TCO Legends Connection' during Sunday's game against the Giants. Kleinsasser was selected as a tight end by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2nd round of the 1999 National Football League draft. ", Jimmy would get angry at his father, too, during games of H-O-R-S-E. "He'd cheat," Carter said. The 46-year-old football player was born in North Dakota, United States. Jimmie Johnson, a 10-year veteran in the NFL and the team's tight ends coach, has called Kleinsasser the best blocking tight end in the league. Jim Souhan is a sports columnist for the Star Tribune. He's not what you'd call an impact player. "There aren't enough guys like that in the NFL these days.". Former Vikings LB Ed McDaniel was Tatum Everett's 'TCO Legends Connection' during the Nov. 24 game against the Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. Homes - Celebrity - Sports - Football Links: en.wikipedia.org By: tlp333 Celebrity Homes Mailing List James 'Jimmy Jam' Harris' house (former) Singer-songwriter, guitarist and musical pioneer Malina Moye performed the National Anthem prior to the Vikings-Colts game on Dec. 17. We'd sit there and drink a cup of coffee and talk about football, ice fishing, our kids, whatever. There weren't many distractions in Carrington, a town of about 2,200. Jim Kleinsasser expects a raucous cheering section in the Metrodomes north end zone Sunday for the final game of his unlikely 13-year career with the Vikings. NEW April issue of Prairie Business out now! Once again, Jimmy dived for cover. Kleinsasser spent his entire 13-year career with the Vikings. Of the players who were on the Vikings roster for that game, only he and Birk, his friend who left the Vikings to sign with the Baltimore Ravens, are still in the NFL. The former Minnesota Vikings tight end/fullback remembers traveling to his grandparents house between the Belfield-Medora area when he was younger.My moms side of family is from out here, said Kleinsasser, who grew up in Carrington. "First game of the year, his senior season, we're playing one of the toughest teams in our state, and we send Jimmy down the seam," Hochhalter said. Ive got nothing but great memories to look back on.. "We'd hang out by our lockers in the morning and in the equipment room during lunch, the non-nonsense, no-glamour guys," Birk said. Kleinsasser has been a lead blocker for Peterson many times in his career. "He couldn't stand to lose.". I think a lot of guys get caught up in themselves and don't really realize it. "You've got the farms and the bars and the churches and the characters. We are very proud of him.". '", Years later, Jimmy ran into Theismann at a golf tournament and told him he cried the day Theismann's leg was broken in one of the more grotesque moments in NFL history. I feel at home here. The day trippers certainly will be missed back home considering they represent 6 percent of the farming communitys population. The Vikings held their annual "Mascots vs. "The other teachers were telling Jimmy's teacher that playing football wasn't a job, that he needed to correct Jimmy," Sheri said. Kleinsasser: A true Viking - Grand Forks Herald They'd leave their parents' cute, modest home to play one-on-one on the basket near the Quonset hut out back, and return shortly, red-faced. Carter said it was 4:30. Brian Murphy has been on the Pioneer Press sports staff since 2000, migrating from the Detroit Free Press, where he covered police, courts and sports for four years. "I have to lift weights.". Hes a great role model. Jimmy Kleinsasser attended Carrington High School in Carrington, North Dakota and was a letterman and a standout in football, basketball, and track & field. "We'd bounce the ball two or three times, and we'd be in a fight. Carter remembers another. When he was little, he'd run into the yard and lay a hit on the family dog that would get him fined by the NFL today. I'll leave it at that. Jim Kleinsasser: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know - FamousDetails Jimmy Kleinsasser attended Carrington High School in Carrington, North Dakota and was a letterman and a standout in football, basketball, and track & field. He was a basketball player at Carrington High School. "I drove down the main street just to embarrass him," Carter said. Im retiring, and Im going to stay retired, he said. How much did Jim Kleinsasser weigh when playing? more of the story, Scoggins: For team's future, don't be too big to fail, Fred Zamberletti's long streak of Vikings games to end, Vikings NFL draft grades roundup: Above average to underwhelmed, 5 current questions about Vikings include Cousins, Cook, cornerbacks, BYU quarterback passed a key test before Vikings drafted him, Flores' influence on Vikings seen in shape-shifting draft picks for defense. The past 13 years, Carter and Kathe Kleinsasser have made the six-hour drive to the Metrodome for Vikings games that didn't coincide with blizzards or harvests. Here's to one of the last of the true Vikings. "My attitude has always been, 'Whatever they ask you to do, do it.' Hes the kind of guy you win with and the kind of kid you want on your football team., Said Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin: Oh, man, I love Jimmy. Hochhalter said Kleinsassers accountability is rooted in small-town values. Of course, even as a freshman, we'd put in special plays for him. Carter, the Kleinsasser patriarch, has just retired from running the family farm outside Carrington. Before he became an iron man, Kleinsasser was a farm boy. Kleinsasser retired at the end of the 2011 NFL season after 13 seasons with the Vikings. For his part, Kleinsasser sounds like he would rather soak up one last game-day experience, exchange some bro-hugs and sneak out the back door than revel in the spotlight. "If I had gone anywhere else, how many years would I have lasted? He started his career with Minnesota as a fullback before becoming one of the league's top blocking tight ends. Once they took him to the shoe store, and the salesman asked why Jimmy wasn't in school. The school gym had six backboards, two of which were not breakaways, one of which Kleinsasser had demolished with a dunk.