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Kimo von Oelhoffen tackles by Lpdrew (talk) –

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Kimo von Oelhoffen

Kimo von Oelhoffen is a former American football player. He played in the NFL as a defensive tackle. He won the Super Bowl at the peak of his professional career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005.

Hailing from Moloka’i island in Hawaii, Kimo fought the odds and reached the main stage of American football. No small fete as it took a lot of hard work and determination alongside his immense talent.

He played for several teams in the NFL including the Cincinnati Bengals (1994–1999), Pittsburgh Steelers (2000–2005), New York Jets (2006), and Philadelphia Eagles (2007).

Below are some interesting facts about the life and career of one of the NFL’s greats, Kimo von Oelhoffen.

1. His High School Did Not Have a Football Team

High School Eight-man football “Gun Formation” by Skibjm08 –

Kimo attended Moloka’i High School which is on Moloka’i island. However, the school did not have a football team or the resources and therefore he could not play football there until he graduated.

He did however play high school football at Moanalua High School. The high school is located on Oahu Island. This meant that Kimo had to make the journey (albeit short) in order to play the games. von Oelhoffen played high school football in the school during the 1985 season.

2. Started Playing Football at University

After completing his high school studies, Kimo joined the University of Hawaii which is where his football (American football) journey started. He played for the university of Hawaii’s football team for a while before transferring to Walla Walla Community College.

After a year at the college, he transferred again to Boise State University (BSU). This is where he completed his university studies and played for their football team. While at BSU, he was named to BSU’s All-Time Team.

Kimo was an exciting player even back in college. However, his college football career was riddled with injuries that ruled him out of games and slowed his development. These injuries include a stress fracture in his foot in 1992 and a sprained ankle in 1993.

3. First Sixth Round Pick for The Bengals in the 1994 NFL Draft

Kim was eligible during the 1994 NFL draft. During the sixth round of the draft, he was picked first by the Cincinnati Bengals. This marked the beginning of a very successful career in the NFL.

However, for the first 3 seasons, Von Oelhoffen was used mostly as a reserve player to much disappointment. However, in 1997 he broke out and the world finally met the real Kim von Oelhoffen as he moved into the starting lineup.

In the 1998 season, von Oelhoffen was a regular and reliable part of the defensive line. He started every game in the season and ended in second place for tackles among defensive linemen.

4. Super Bowl Winner with The Steelers

The Steelers Super Bowl XL ring by SteelCityHobbies –

Von Oelhoffen had a fantastic 1999 season with the Cincinnati Bengals. However, they did not opt to extend his contract and he instead left for free.

In 2000, Kimo signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an unrestricted free agent on a four-year contract. Upon joining the steelers, he was initially used as a nose tackle but was later converted to a defensive end.

Remember the remark that Kimo was reliable for the Bengals, well he took this reliability to another level with the Steelers. In the 5 years, he was at the club, from 2000-2005, he only missed a single game for them.

2005 was the best year for Kim in his professional career. He won the Superbowl with the Steelers in 2005 but sadly this was his final year with the club.

5. Booed by Fans Due to Severe Tackle

Palmer (9) under center against the Pittsburgh Steelers by SteelCityHobbies –

In 2005, the Pittsburgh Steelers played a Wildcard Playoff Game against his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals. During the game, Kimo was involved in a controversial tackle on then-Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer.

Von Oelhoffen rolled into Palmer’s left knee after Palmer released a pass 66 yards downfield. The pass was to wide receiver Chris Henry, who was also injured on the play.

The Cincinnati fans in the stadium and even those at home booed von Oelhoffen after watching replays of the hit. The consensus was that a flag should have been thrown for a late hit or roughing the passer. However, the hit was deemed legal at the time and no action was taken.

6. The ‘Kimo Clause’ Is A Result of His Tackle

Palmer sustained a serious injury. His medial collateral ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, and anterior cruciate ligament were all harmed. Palmer’s ACL, PCL, and MCL were all damaged as a result of the hit, according to MRI results.

Kimo apologized publicly for the hit and according to Palmer he never apologized directly. The NFL Rules Committee altered the prohibition on low hits on quarterbacks during the off-season.

The infamous “Kimo Clause” was put into effect and followed going forward. When a quarterback is helpless and attempting to throw with both feet on the ground, defenders must take every chance to avoid striking him at or below the knees.

7. Signed with The New York Jets in 2006

After his success in the 2005 season with the Steelers, Kimo opted to move on. He proceeded to sign a 3-year contract with the New York Jets in 2006. The deal was worth 9.2 million dollars with a 3.2 million dollar signing bonus.

To the shock of many, von Oelhoffen had a disappointing season with the New York Jets. After this dismal first season, he was released by the Jets.

8. Retired After a Disappointing Season with the Philadelphia Eagles

The Jets released Kimo at the end of the 2006 season and in 2007, he signed a 1-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Much like his year with the jets, his stint with the Eagles was nothing to brag about.

He made just 8 appearances through the course of the season. Later on, he was released by the Eagles.  Following his second consecutive release from duty by a club, he opted to hang up his boots and retired from professional football.

9. He owns a Bar Called Kimo’s

Bar by Christian_Birkholz from

After he retired from professional football, Kimo got into various businesses. Some are solo ventures while others are with business partners.

One of these businesses is a brewpub in Washington named after the NFL legend himself. The pub is called Kimo’s and it is one of eastern Washington’s most celebrated brewpubs.

The Columbia River can be seen from the patio outside of Kimo’s, which makes it stand out. When the doors open at 4 p.m., there are lines of people waiting for the happy hour deals since the bar is cordoned off like a boxing ring.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

ADDRESS: 2696 N. Columbia Center Boulevard, Richland, Washington, 99352, United States

CALL: (509) 783-5747

10. Inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame

The greatest American football players, coaches, and other contributions of Polynesian heritage are recognized in the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was admitted to the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.