Leaving that locker room for the last time is probably going to be tough, though.. Minnesota Vikings great Jim Kleinsasser's Last run through the tunnel 1-1-2012 Jimmy wanted to be included. Jim Kleinsasser was born on the 31st of January, 1977. He won the state shot put title as a junior and senior. Kleinsasser spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Vikings after being a second-round draft pick out of UND in 1999. [1][6] He continued his 13-year career with the Vikings in the 2011 season. Is Jim Kleinsasser in the Hall of Fame? "He couldn't stand to lose.". Jim Kleinsasser's age is 46. (Pioneer Press: Sherri LaRose-Chiglo). Murphy was the Minnesota Wild/NHL beat writer from 2002 to 2008 and has covered the Vikings as a reporter and columnist since 2009. JUMP TO: Jim Kleinsassers biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos, net worth, and popularity. My agent probably wanted to strangle me for it at times, but theres something to be said for sticking with one organization, he said. On Sunday, Kleinsasser will suit up one last time in purple. I've got college friends who are here, who provided an instant support system. 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. It would be downright wrong, in my opinion, if he didn't make it and make it someday soon. Jimmy Kleinsasser attended Carrington High School in Carrington, North Dakota and was a letterman and a standout in football, basketball, and track & field. Send this article to anyone, no subscription is necessary to view it, Anyone can read, no subscription required, See Jimmys been a beast his entire career. "You see that long run by Adrian Peterson last week?" The principal asked Carter to put a claim in on his homeowners insurance, and the policy paid the school $500. He outlasted the likes of Torii Hunter, Kevin Garnett and Matt Birk, three celebrated local athletes whose substantial contracts prompted their departures. "You see big, strong, tough guys who can't make it more than a couple of years in this league. The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. "What I personally remember about Jimmy, and miss, is that we were always two of the earlier guys to show up in the locker room. Whos the richest Football Player in the world. This author advises parents to reclaim the word 'fat'. "He's one of the last of a dying breed. "My attitude has always been, 'Whatever they ask you to do, do it.' Children's Health. Thursday's Hometown Hero was Trish Thacker, the Executive Director of The Salvation Army Harbor Light Center in Minneapolis. On a December morning, their homestead is an oasis of heat and color on a desolate and wind-blown landscape. China won't hold out from buying U.S. soybeans, broker predicts - Agweek '", 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. He is from United States. "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. Carter folded his thick arms, leaned back and stared across the endless prairie. Its kind of nice too, because you can sit back and not get banged up.. Retiring on his terms, in the stadium where it all began, in front of friends and family, Kleinsasser would not have it any other way. He was a basketball player at Carrington High School. In 1998, Kleinsasser had 45 receptions for 710 yards and 86 rushing yards. "You see that long run by Adrian Peterson last week?" Carter, the Kleinsasser patriarch, has just retired from running the family farm outside Carrington. The strengths of this sign are being independent, original, while the weaknesses can be running from emotional expression, temperamental and uncompromising. People born on a Monday tend to be a bit sensitive and emotional. Kleinsasser looks back on 13 years in NFL - buccaneers.com WanMor, the sons of R&B legend Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men, sang the National Anthem prior to the Vikings-Jets game on Dec. 4. The greatest overall compatibility with Aquarius is Leo and Sagittarius. The former Minnesota Vikings tight end/fullback remembers traveling to his grandparents' house between the Belfield-Medora area. Jim Kleinsasser's House in Mound, MN (Google Maps) - Virtual Globetrotting Im retiring, and Im going to stay retired, he said. "He couldn't stand to lose.". 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. "The Vikings are smart enough to realize that a guy that like, who is so dependable and is still a dominating blocker on the outside, is someone you've got to hold on to," Birk said. 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. Kleinsasser's staying power is the result of rare circumstances. On Sunday, Kleinsasser will suit up one last time in purple. Hes a great role model. CARRINGTON -- They've tilled fields all their adult lives, Carter atop his Woolrich Field Cultivator, Jimmy wearing size 17 Nike Superbad cleats. We stopped playing when I was in the seventh or eighth grade, because it just got too physical. 9 (100.3-FM, 1130-AM) Redskins by 6 1/2. Kleinsasser spent his entire 13-year career with the Vikings. He outlasted the likes of Torii Hunter, Kevin Garnett and Matt Birk, three celebrated local athletes whose substantial contracts prompted their departures. During the Spanish-American War, the first battle involving Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders took place on June 24, 1898. He's not what you'd call an impact player. 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. "Carrington has to be one of the greatest places you could grow up," Kleinsasser said. Jim Souhan 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. Jim Kleinsasser has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. Links: en.wikipedia.org 7,522 views 10.0 ( 1 votes) Categories 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. By Vikings RT Brian O'Neill sounded the Gjallarhorn prior to Sunday's game against the Giants. "What I personally remember about Jimmy, and miss, is that we were always two of the earlier guys to show up in the locker room. Former Vikings TE Jim Kleinsasser was Tatum Everett's 'TCO Legends Connection' during Sunday's game against the Giants. Sheri was his idol. Jim Kleinsasser's birthstone is Garnet. Kleinsasser was selected by the Vikings in the second round of the 1999 draft. Week%2016%20-%20NYG%20-%20Legends%20Connection%20-%20Ben%20Leber.mp4. Saturday's Hometown Heroe was Emily Hunt Turner. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. 40. He was moved to the fullback position for a short time where he quickly gained a reputation as a ferocious blocker for the other running backs. Of course, even as a freshman, we'd put in special plays for him. I let him, as long as he would lay down in the backseat. 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. Sheri was four years older than Jimmy, who adored her and couldn't stand losing to her. Things that are important. After a 13-year career, all of them spent in a Vikings uniform, Kleinsasser will retire. "Jimmy's teacher said, 'Why would I do that? Generation X. Jim Kleinsasser was born in the middle of Generation X. He played college football at North Dakota and played for the Vikings his entire career since being drafted in 1999. Sunday's U.S. Bank Hometown Hero was World War II veteran Robert Holmstrom, a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal. He plays this game only for one reason, and thats his teammates and the love of the game.. I let him, as long as he would lay down in the backseat. How many games did Jim Kleinsasser play? At Carrington High School, Kleinsasser was a starter on the 1995 Class B State Championship basketball team. 8. Kleinsasser stays true to his roots - Dickinson Press Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? "The other teachers were telling Jimmy's teacher that playing football wasn't a job, that he needed to correct Jimmy," Sheri said. He was always a good eater.". Thacker is a licensed, clinical social worker with extensive experience in helping solve homelessness, as well as helping people dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues. He was one of the most physical tight ends to play the game and helped redefine the position. North Dakota was a Division II school at the time. Former Vikings RB Adrian Peterson was Tatum Everett's 'TCO Legends Connection' during Sunday's game against the Giants. asked Marty Hochhalter, Kleinsasser's high school coach. "Jimmy always tagged along," Sheri said. 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. "Kid," Theismann told him, "I cried, too. He lasted 13 seasons, almost 10 years longer than the span of the average NFL career. Kleinsasser has played for four head coaches. Kleinsasser was drafted as a tight end in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. Long snapper Cullen Loeffler has played for the Vikings since 2004. He was longtime teammates with star wide receiver Randy Moss as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Kleinsasser adapted to a new vocation as a blocking tight end, fending off the linebackers on the edge and colliding with defensive ends in pass protection. Kleinsasser, in his 13th season with the Vikings, was a second round draft pick from North Dakota in 1999. 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. Carter remembers another. 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. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. They are associated with a rejection of traditional values. Kleinsasser, who has no immediate plans, is a living time capsule in a Vikings locker room that has been turned over as much as the field crops on his family farm. Carter and Kathe are sitting at their kitchen table. The Seventies saw many women's rights, gay rights, and environmental movements. 9. Hochhalter and Kleinsasser have become close friends, and Kleinsasser returns to Carrington in the summer to help with Hochhalter's football camps. Jim Kleinsassers mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. "It's going to be sad to see Jim go, but I know that it's the right thing for him, and I'm happy for him," he said. I know, because I'm watching him.". Carter and Kathe are sitting at their kitchen table. Carrington's Kleinsasser retiring after 13-year NFL career We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. 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 kind said I wasnt going to jump into anything in my first couple years (of retiring), Kleinsasser said. "He always wanted to play with me and my friends," Sheri said. The 120 or so fans coming by caravan from Carrington, N.D., to Minneapolis to salute their favorite son should be easy to spot in their yellow T-shirts emblazoned with the town name and Kleinsassers No. He signed with North Dakota, and his parents suggest that he did so because his sister, Sheri, was a basketball star there. Jim Kleinsasser was born on 31 January, 1977 in Carrington, North Dakota, United States. Kleinsasser's number doesn't get called very often. American singer, songwriter and musician Jordan Smith, who won Season 9 of The Voice, performed the National Anthem prior to the Vikings-Giants game on Sunday. Both autograph signings are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Its been a neat experience, said Mark Kerr, general manager of Menards. He's the kind of player that you wish you could build your franchise around, but sadly, players like him are hard to come by. When it was time to take a sheep to the fair, he yanked the back seat out of a '66 Chevy and made Jimmy ride with the sheep in back, the sheep bleating the whole way. Hochhalter said Kleinsassers accountability is rooted in small-town values. I think theres something to be said for keeping a little bit for the rest of your life. It's hard to know Jim Kleinsasser birth time, but we do know his mother gave birth to his on a Monday. He's a truly great player. The school gym had six backboards, two of which were not breakaways, one of which Kleinsasser had demolished with a dunk. At North Dakota, Kleinsasser was a four-time first-team All-North Central Conference (NCC) pick and in 1998 was the only Division II football player selected as a Gannett News Service All-American. Kleinsasser announced his retirement following the 2011 season. Its about holding true to your morals. The house is small, warm and modest. 1/28/2004: This Saturday will be Jim Kleinsasser's 27th birthday. 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. "I've been so lucky," Kleinsasser said, as he ate cheese cubes at his wife's recent event in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. BMTN Staff Updated: Mar 8, 2018 One day Kleinsasser brought home a box holding large shards of plastic, then Carter got a call from the Carrington High principal. Kleinsasser shakes his head when asked to put his career in perspective. Im walking away with my legs and head intact. Part of the emotions going to be just leaving the team atmosphere, Kleinsasser said. In third grade, on career day, Kleinsasser wore his Joe Theismann Redskins jersey to class. Thats been a big for me.. Being a great teammate. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. He grew up rooting for the Vikings and remains grateful for the opportunity the club provided. 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. CelebsMoney has recently updated Jim Kleinsassers net worth. 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 blocked for former Eagles quarterbacks of different generations, Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb. In 2007 and 2008 Kleinsasser was named to USA Today's All Joe Team honoring hard workers and under-recognized players. During Thursday's game against the Patriots, the Vikings helped surprise the family of Zach Perkins, a deployed military member who unexpectedly returned back to Minnesota to surprise his family. Jim Kleinsasser: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know - FamousDetails Its always nice to come back here and see some of the same, old faces.. He is a member of famous with the age 46 years old group. Since retiring, Kleinsasser has spent time with his wife and two sons, who are 6 and 4 years old. He lasted 13 seasons, almost 10 years longer than the span of the average NFL career.