Daily download: Porter is a fascinating pickup by Chiefs
The Chiefs just added a player to their practice squad who may never play in a game.
But the signing of offensive lineman Jermail Porter is intriguing.
Porter, who originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with New England (where else?) this year, did not play college football but was an All-American wrestler at Kent State.
He finished sixth at the 2009 NCAA championships after winning the Mid-America Conference heavyweight title as a senior and going 31-4.
Why does that intrigue me? We’ve seen former college wrestlers make it in the NFL. And, having covered some Big 12 and NCAA wrestling when the NCAA championships were in Kansas City a few years ago, I learned to appreciate the toughness, stamina, dedication and discipline of these athletes.
New England guard Stephen Neal also did not play college football but was a two-time NCAA wrestling champion at Cal State-Bakersfield. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Patriots in 2001 and has been a starter since 2004.
Minnesota Vikings center John Sullivan was a three-time Connecticut state wrestling champion with a 138-6 career record before concentrating on football at Notre Dame, but I remember talking to him at the NFL combine in 2008 about how the quickness and footwork required in wrestling helped him in football.
And who could forget that Chiefs Hall of Fame nose tackle Curley Culp was an NCAA heavyweight champion at Arizona State and a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team?
Let’s see what Porter, at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, can do with some football training. Considering the play of the Chiefs’ offensive line, it can’t hurt.
Derrick’s day
Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas’ induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be celebrated at halftime of Sunday’s game at Arrowhead against Denver.
It’s only fitting that Denver is the foe, considering Thomas sacked John Elway more times — 17 — than any other quarterback during his Chiefs career (1989-99).
Hall of Fame representatives will make a presentation to the family of Thomas, who died in February 2000 from injuries resulting from an auto accident.
Also, Thomas’ jersey No. 58 will be retired. Thomas will be the 10th player in franchise history to have his jersey retired, joining fellow Pro Football Hall of Famers K Jan Stenerud (3), QB Len Dawson (16), CB Emmitt Thomas (18), LB Willie Lanier (63), LB Bobby Bell (78) and DT Buck Buchanan (86), as well as RB Abner Haynes (28), RB Stone Johnson (33) and RB Mack Lee Hill (36).
Thomas was inducted last August in Canton, Ohio, and his bust from the hall will be on display for fans to see.
