Ken Dilger

American football player (born 1971)

American football player
Ken Dilger
No. 85
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1971-02-02) February 2, 1971 (age 53)
Mariah Hill, Indiana, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school:Heritage Hills (Lincoln City, Indiana)
College:Illinois
NFL draft:1995 / Round: 2 / Pick: 48
Career history
  • Indianapolis Colts (1995–2001)
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002–2004)
Career highlights and awards
  • Super Bowl champion (XXXVII)
  • Pro Bowl (2001)
  • PFWA All-Rookie Team (1995)
  • Liberty Bowl champion (1994)
  • Indiana Football Hall of Fame (2022)[1][2]
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:356
Receiving yards:4,099
Receiving touchdowns:24
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Kenneth Ray Dilger (born February 2, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL).

Early years

Ken Dilger was raised in Mariah Hill, Spencer County, Indiana. He attended Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, Indiana where he played quarterback; he also starred in basketball and baseball. After graduating from Heritage Hills, he went on to the University of Illinois where he was redshirted for a year (1990) before becoming a four-year letterman and three-year starter as a tight end. He was named All-Big Ten in 1991 (Honorable Mention) by the Big Ten coaches and in 1994 (2nd Team) by the coaches and media. He graduated from Illinois with a degree in marketing. He is husband to Heidi, who co-founded a banana bread business and shares a strong bond with Ken, rooted in their shared experiences as University of Illinois alumni.[3]

In 2022, he was selected for induction into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.[4][5]

  • 1991: 18 catches for 212 yards with 1 TD
  • 1992: 6 catches for 42 yards with 0 TD
  • 1993: 17 catches for 212 yards with 2 TD
  • 1994: 48 catches for 607 yards with 6 TD

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 20-yard shuttle Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 4+7⁄8 in
(1.95 m) 		252 lb
(114 kg) 		33+1⁄4 in
(0.84 m) 		10+1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		 4.19 s 33.5 in
(0.85 m)		 9 ft 4 in
(2.84 m)		 17 reps
All values from NFL Combine[6]

Dilger was drafted in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Colts.[7] Dilger spent his first seven NFL seasons as a tight end with the Indianapolis Colts (1995–2001) and his last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002–2004); winning Super Bowl XXXVII in his first year as a Buccaneer. Throughout his career, he accumulated career totals of 356 catches, 4,099 yards (11.5), and 24 touchdowns. In the final game of his career, in addition to playing tight end, he was the long snapper, because the team's regular long snapper, Dave Moore, had been injured the previous week.

NFL career statistics

Year Team Games Receiving
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD
1995 IND 16 13 42 635 15.1 4
1996 IND 16 16 42 503 12.0 4
1997 IND 14 14 27 380 14.1 3
1998 IND 16 16 31 303 9.8 1
1999 IND 15 15 40 479 12.0 2
2000 IND 16 16 47 538 11.4 3
2001 IND 16 16 32 343 10.7 1
2002 TB 16 15 34 329 9.7 2
2003 TB 15 15 22 244 11.1 1
2004 TB 16 14 39 345 8.8 3
Career 156 150 356 4,099 11.5 24

References

  1. ^ "News & Events".
  2. ^ "Region 9". March 26, 2022.
  3. ^ "Ex-Colt Ken Dilger, his wife and the banana bread business".
  4. ^ "Region 9". March 26, 2022.
  5. ^ "News & Events".
  6. ^ "Ken Dilger, Combine Results, TE - Illinois". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  7. ^ "1995 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.

External links

  • Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · ESPN · Pro Football Reference
  • v
  • t
  • e
Indianapolis Colts 1995 NFL draft selections
  • v
  • t
  • e
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl XXXVII champions