| No. 40 | |
| Tight end | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: January 31, 1977 | |
| Place of birth: Carrington, North Dakota | |
| Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | Weight: 272 lb (123 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: North Dakota | |
| NFL Draft: 1999 / Round: 2 / Pick: 44 | |
| Debuted in 1999 for the Minnesota Vikings | |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 13, 2011 | |
| Receptions | 192 |
| Receiving Yards | 1,688 |
| Touchdowns | 6 |
| Rushing yards | 147 |
| Average rushing yards | 3.4 |
| Rushing TDs | 1 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Jim Carter Kleinsasser(pronounced /ˈklaɪnsɑːsər/; born January 31, 1977) is an American Football player who played fullback, H-back, and tight end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He played college football at North Dakota and has played for the Vikings his entire career since being drafted in 1999.
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Jim Kleinsasser attended Carrington High School in Carrington, North Dakota and was a letterman and a standout in football, basketball, and track & field. 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. At Carrington High School, Kleinsasser was a starter on the 1995 Class B State Championship basketball team. In track he has the N.D. Class B State Track and Field Meet records for shot and discus.[1]
Kleinsasser attended the University of North Dakota and played for the Fighting Sioux football team from 1995 to 1998 before being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1999. North Dakota was a Division II school at the time. At North Dakota, Kleinsasser was a three-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.[1][2] In 1998, Kleinsasser had 45 receptions for 710 yards and 86 rushing yards.[2] In 2008, Kleinsasser was inducted into the North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.[3]
Kleinsasser was drafted as a tight end in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft[4], and is used mostly for run blocking[5]. He has shown remarkable durability throughout his career, playing in all 16 games up to 2010, except for missing 15 games because of injury in 2004. GAMES/STARTS (regular season, playoffs) 1999 (13/7, 2/1), 2000 (14/8, 2/0), 2001 (11/11), 2002 (14/12), 2003 (16/16), 2004 (1/1), 2005 (16/16), 2006 (16/12), 2007 (16/10), 2008 (16/11, 1/1), 2009 (16/8, 2/1), 2010 (16/7). Total- 165/119, 7/3.
In 2007 and 2008 Jim Kleinsasser was awarded the USA Today's All Joe Team honoring hard workers and under-recognized players.[1]
On February 27, 2009, the Minnesota Vikings signed TE Kleinsasser to a 3-year deal worth $9 million, $3 million per year.[6] He continues his 13 year career with the Minnesota Vikings in the 2011 season. He has announced that he will retire from the NFL at the end of the 2011 season. He currently ranks 2nd in team history by starts made by a TE with 119 and is ranked 4th in catches by a TE in Vikings history. He has also paved the way for 7 of the top 8 single-season rushing marks in Vikings History, including Adrian Peterson's team record and NFL leading 1,760 yds in 2008. His final NFL game was a 17-13 loss to the Chicago Bears.[1]