Ken Dilger

• Indianapolis Colts (1995-2001)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-2004)

Kenneth Ray Dilger ( born February 2, 1971 in Mariah Hill, Indiana, USA) is an American former American football player. He played on the position of tight ends for the Indianapolis Colts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League ( NFL).

College

Dilger played at the high school quarterback, but was also active as a basketball player and baseball player. In 1990 he received a scholarship to the University of Illinois in Urbana, but was not nominated in the first year for the team the Fighting Illini. Only in the years 1992 to 1994 he was a tight end for regular players. In 1994, he was able to move with his team in the Liberty Bowl. The game was won against the East Carolina University with 30:0. In his last year Dilger could catch a total of 41 passes for a room gain of 547 yards. During his time at college he was able to achieve eight touchdowns. Ken Dilger was made ​​due to its sporting performance of his college four times ausgezeichnet.Dilger a business degree but was discovered by the NFL scouts and included in the 1995 NFL Draft.

Professional career

1995 Dilger was in the second round obliged to 48th place by the Indianapolis Colts. He was given his quarterback Jim Harbaugh, Paul Justin and down by Peyton Manning in 1998 repeatedly used as a pass receiver, but was also due to his athletic ability also use time as a blocker, and locked his own running back the way through the enemy defenses. So it was used among other things as a blocker of Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James. In the first year the Colts with Dilger able to move into the AFC Championship Game, but lost to the trained by Bill Cowher and led by quarterback Neil O'Donnell Pittsburgh Steelers with just under 20:16. Dilger was achieved in the final, a pass -catcher to a room gain of 30 yards.

2002 came for Dilger, who was nominated this year for the Pro Bowl, the termination by the Colts very surprising. The service provider Dilger fit with his salary of 1.64 million dollars a year no longer supposed to be in the salary structure of the Colts. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he quickly found a new employer, but only got paid a salary of $ 3.34 million for three years. The head coach of the team from Tampa, Jon Gruden, was convinced of Dilger skills as a blocker. The Buccaneers had to obligation of reasons and Dilger a bad running game. With Dilger Help succeeded reasons already in his first year as coach of the Buccaneers to establish an effective running game. In addition, Dilger was an important pass receiver for the passes of quarterback Brad Johnson. Success was not long in coming, the Buccaneers won the NFC Championship game in 2002 against the favored Philadelphia Eagles (Coach Andy Reid, quarterback Donovan McNabb ) with 27:10. Dilger caught three passes in the game by Brad Johnson to a room gain of 41 yards. The Buccaneers moved in with the victory in the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXXVII, the team from Florida could then beat the Oakland Raiders, coached by Bill Callahan convincingly 48:21, said Dilger intercepted a pass to a room gain of 12 yards.

2004 ended Dilger, who was previously plagued over the years again and again by injuries his career. He began during his career in the regular season 356 passes for a room gain of 4099 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Honors

Dilger played in a Pro Bowl, the final game of the best players of the season.

After the career

Dilger is married and has two children. He is socially engaged and together with his wife his own foundation, which works to sick children. The Foundation raises money and lets get this charitable institutions. He lives in Indianapolis.