Brett Keisel life and biography

Brett "The Diesel" Keisel is an American Football player who starts at defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brett hails from Greybull, Wyoming.

PRO (91-57/12-4): Signed a five-year contract with the Steelers on August 31, 2009 to remain with the team through 2013…the Steelers’ final draft pick in 2002 was one of seven draft selections to make the final roster…signed a four-year contract with the Steelers during the 2006 offseason…co-awarded the “Chief Award”, given annually to the player to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation with the media (in 2006 with Deshea Townsend).

2009 (15-15): Started 15 games at DE…had 63 tackles and three sacks…also forced one fumble…9/10 vs. Tennessee: Made his third consecutive start at RE…tied for second on the team with seven tackles (five solo) and had a team-high four QB pressures…9/20 at Chicago: Made his fourth consecutive start at RE…recorded three tackles (two solo) and two QB pressures…9/27 at Cincinnati: Made his 45th career start at RE…finished with five tackles (three solo), one pass defense and two QB pressures…10/4 vs. San Diego: Made his 46th career start at RE…finished with one solo tackle and one pressure…10/11 at Detroit: Made his 47th career start at RE…finished with four tackles (three solo) and two pressures…10/18 vs. Cleveland: Made his 48th career start at RE…recorded three tackles (one solo), one pressure and one blocked pass…10/25 vs. Minnesota: Made his 49th career start at RE…recorded six tackles (four solo), one pressure, one sack and one forced fumble…11/9 at Denver: Made his 50th career start at RE…recorded two solo tackles, two QB hits and two sacks…11/15 vs. Cincinnati: Made his 51st career start at RE…recorded four solo tackles, one QB hit and three pressures…11/22 at Kansas City: Made his 52nd career start at RE…recorded three solo tackles and one pass breakup…11/29 at Baltimore: Made his 53rd career start at RE…recorded four tackles (three solo), one tackle for a loss and two QB hits…12/6 vs. Oakland: Made his 54th career start at RE…recorded eight tackles (four solo) and one QB hit…12/10 at Cleveland: Made his 55th career start at RE…recorded six tackles (four solo) and two pressures…12/20 vs. Green Bay: Made his 56th career start at RE…recorded two tackles (one solo) and one pressure…12/27 vs. Baltimore: Made his 57th career start at RE…recorded five tackles (three solo)…1/3 at Miami: Was inactive due to a stinger.

2008 (10-10/3-3): Started 10 regular-season games at RE...missed three games from Weeks 3-5 with a calf injury...missed three games from Weeks 13-15 with a knee injury...finished with 34 tackles (25 solo), one sack and one pass defense...tied his career high with eight tackles (six solo) October 26 against the Giants...started all three postseason games...finished with 12 postseason tackles (eight solo), one sack and one pass defense in the postseason...his first career postseason fumble recovery near the end of Super Bowl XLIII clinched the Steelers’ victory...9/7 vs. Houston: Played in his 52nd consecutive game and made his 33rd consecutive start at RE...registered two solo tackles and led the team with three QB pressures... 9/14 at Cleveland: Played in his 53rd consecutive game and made his 34th consecutive start at RE...had one assisted tackle before leaving the game in the first quarter with a calf injury...9/21 at Philadelphia: Was inactive due to a calf injury...9/29 vs. Baltimore: Was inactive due to a calf injury...10/5 at Jacksonville: Was inactive due to a calf injury...10/19 at Cincinnati: Returned to the lineup after missing three games with a calf injury...recorded three solo tackles and had two QB pressures...10/26 vs. New York Giants: Played in his 70th career game and made his second consecutive start at RE...finished third on the team with a career-high (tied) eight tackles (six solo)... had one QB pressure...11/3 at Washington: Made his third consecutive start at RE...finished with two tackles (one solo)...11/9 vs. Indianapolis: Made his fourth consecutive start at RE...recorded three tackles (one solo) and had one QB pressure...11/16 vs. San Diego: Made his fifth consecutive start at RE... finished with six solo tackles...recorded his first sack of the season, had one pass defense and one QB pressure... 11/20 vs. Cincinnati: Made his 40th career start at RE...finished with four tackles (two solo) and one QB pressure...left the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury...11/30 at New England: Was inactive with a knee injury...12/7 vs. Dallas: Was inactive with a knee injury...12/14 at Baltimore: Was inactive with a knee injury...12/21 at Tennessee: Returned to the starting lineup after missing three games with a knee injury...finished with two solo tackles and one QB pressure...12/28 vs. Cleveland: Made his second consecutive start at RE...finished with three tackles (two solo) and had two QB pressures...AFC Divisional Game 1/11 vs. San Diego: Made his second consecutive postseason start at RE...finished with five tackles (three solo), one QB pressure and one pass defense... recorded his third career postseason sack...AFC Championship Game 1/18 vs. Baltimore: Made his third consecutive postseason start at RE...finished with two tackles (one solo) and had three QB pressures... Super Bowl XLIII 2/1 vs. Arizona: Made his fourth consecutive postseason start at RE...finished with five tackles (four solo), one QB pressure and recovered a fumble.

2007 (16-16/1-1): Started all 16 games at RE for the second consecutive season (32 straight starts)…has played in 51 consecutive games dating back to Week 14 of the 2004 campaign…also started the playoff loss against Jacksonville, recording seven tackles…finished with 49 tackles and two sacks…led team with 31 QB pressures…added five pass defenses and a forced fumble...9/9 at Cleveland: Started at RDE…had two tackles (one solo) and one quarterback pressure…was a big part of a defense that allowed only 46 yards rushing in the game...9/16 vs. Buffalo: Started his 18th consecutive game at RDE and recorded three tackles (two solo) on 43 defensive plays...9/23 vs. San Francisco: Started at RDE and was credited with one tackle and six quarterback pressures…also batted down one ball…part of a defensive line that held Frank Gore to 39 rushing yards...9/30 at Arizona: Started 20th career game at RDE and logged 52 snaps…had two solo tackles, two quarterback hits, four quarterback pressures and one pass defensed...10/7 vs. Seattle: Started at RDE and had four tackles (two solo)…part of a defense that allowed only 144 total yards, 38 rushing yards, 106 passing and only eight first downs...10/21 at Denver: Started at RDE and saw action on 45 defensive plays…had four solo tackles…also registered one quarterback pressure…part of a defensive unit that allowed Denver running backs to gain only 54 rushing yards...10/28 at Cincinnati: Started at RDE for the 23rd consecutive game…finished with three tackles (two solo)…also had three quarterback pressures on Carson Palmer...11/5 vs. Baltimore: Made his 24th consecutive start at RDE…finished the game with two tackles (one solo), one hit on the QB and one pass defensed…part of a defensive unit that allowed the Ravens only 104 total yards, with 64 coming on the ground and 40 yards by air…the Baltimore offense managed only five first downs all night...11/11 vs. Cleveland: Made his 25th consecutive start at RE and saw action on 52 snaps…finished the game with two tackles (one solo)…also added one quarterback pressure and two passes defensed…part of a defensive unit that allowed only 163 total yards, including 40 rushing and 123 passing yards...11/18 at N.Y. Jets: Played in his 60th career game and logged 68 defensive snaps…racked up six solo tackles, including one sack for a loss of 2.0 yards, which was his first of the season...11/26 vs. Miami: Made his 46th consecutive start at RE…finished the game with five tackles (two solo), including one sack for a loss of three yards on Miami QB John Beck...12/2 vs. Cincinnati: Started in his 28th consecutive game at RE, while logging 68 defensive plays…finished the game three hits on Bengals’ quarterback Carson Palmer and added three more quarterback pressures...12/9 at New England: Made his 29th consecutive start at RE…registered 54 defensive snaps and finished the game with six tackles (three solo), one hit on the QB and added one pressure on Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady...12/16 vs. Jacksonville: Made his 30th consecutive start at RE…finished the game with one solo tackle...12/20 at St. Louis: Played in his 65th career game, while starting in his 31st consecutive…saw action on 50 defensive plays and finished with one solo tackle and one pressure on the quarterback...12/30 at Baltimore: Made his 32nd consecutive start at RE…registered five tackles (three solo)...AFC WILD CARD 1/5/08 vs. Jacksonville: Registered his seventh consecutive playoff appearance and first postseason start at RE and tallied seven tackles (two solo) with one pass defensed.

2006 (16-16): Started all 16 games in his first season as a starter…finished with a career-high 58 tackles, including 37 solo…also posted a career-high 5.5 sacks and had one fumble recovery…9/7 vs. Miami: Made his first career start at RDE…recorded two tackles (one solo) and one quarterback hurry/pressure while logging 34 plays…threw two key blocks to spring Joey Porter on a 42-yard interception return for touchdown that clinched the game…helped limit Miami to just 38 yards rushing, the lowest against Pittsburgh since Nov. 7, 2004 vs. Philadelphia (23 yards) …9/18 at Jacksonville: Started at RDE and registered four solo tackles and two quarterback hurries/pressures...logged 60 plays…9/24 vs. Cincinnati: Led the team with two quarterback hurries/pressures…added three tackles (one solo) and a sack for a loss of eight yards…logged 49 plays…10/8 at San Diego: Registered five tackles (four solo) and two quarterback hurries/pressures…recorded his second sack of the season…10/15 vs. Kansas City: Let the defensive line with four tackles (three solo) and two tackles for losses…logged 46 plays and helped hold Kansas City to 38 rushing yards…also had two quarterback hurries/pressures…10/22 at Atlanta: Recorded career highs in tackles (6), solo tackles (5) and pass defenses (2)…registered two quarterback hurries/pressures…logged a career-high 66 snaps. 10/29 at Oakland: Logged 50 plays and recorded three tackles (two solo) and one quarterback hurry/pressure…11/5 vs. Denver: Started at RDE and logged 45 plays…recorded two tackles (one solo) and a quarterback hurry/pressure…11/12 vs. New Orleans: Recorded eight tackles (five solo) and collected one sack…logged 65 snaps and registered two quarterback hurries/pressures, first career fumble recovery and one pass defense…11/19 at Cleveland: Recorded two solo tackles and two quarterback hurries/pressures…logged 57 snaps…11/26 at Baltimore: Collected five tackles (two solo) and two quarterback hurries/pressures while logging 59 plays…12/3 vs. Tampa Bay: Collected five tackles (three solo)…added one sack for a loss of six yards, setting a new career high with four for the season…logged 52 plays…12/7 vs. Cleveland: Recorded one tackle in 44 plays…12/17 at Carolina: Logged 31 plays and collected two solo tackles…added one quarterback hurry/pressure…dropped Chris Weinke for 1.5 sacks for losses of 6.5 yards…helped hold Carolina to 43 yards rushing…12/24 vs. Baltimore: Posted four tackles (two solo)…12/31 at Cincinnati: Logged 54 snaps and collected two tackles and three quarterback hurries/pressures.

2005 (16-0/4-0): Finished the season with 13 tackles (12 solo) and three sacks, both career bests…also had a productive postseason, finishing with two sacks (at Denver) and seven total stops…9/11 vs. Tennessee: Played 14 snaps on defense and saw action on special teams…9/18 at Houston: Played 15 defensive snaps…recorded two solo tackles, defensed one pass and made three special teams stops (two solo)…9/25 vs. New England: Logged 10 defensive snaps and recorded one special teams assist…10/10 at San Diego: Played on special teams and saw action as a reserve DE…recorded one special teams tackle…took seven defensive snaps…10/16 vs. Jacksonville: Played 11 snaps and recorded one solo tackle…also had a solo special teams tackle…10/23 at Cincinnati: Saw action as a reserve and on special teams…finished with two special teams tackles…10/31 vs. Baltimore: Logged only 10 plays but made one of the biggest plays of the game when he sacked quarterback Anthony Wright on third down on the Ravens' final drive, his first career sack…also had a solo tackle…11/6 at Green Bay: Played 12 snaps, registering one solo tackle and a quarterback hurry/pressure…also added a solo special teams tackle…11/13 vs. Cleveland: Registered one solo tackle in 12 plays…also recorded a solo special teams tackle…11/20 at Baltimore: Logged nine plays and one tackle…also had one special teams tackle…11/28 at Indianapolis: Saw action as a reserve defensive end and on special teams…logged nine plays and registered one solo tackle…added one solo special teams tackle…12/4 vs. Cincinnati: Recorded one pass defense on seven snaps…had one solo special teams tackle…also returned one kickoff for 11 yards…12/11 vs. Chicago: Logged only eight plays but recorded one solo tackle and a quarterback hurry/pressure...also had three special teams tackles (two solo)…12/18 at Minnesota: Recorded two solo special teams tackles...logged five defensive snaps…12/24 at Cleveland: Logged 25 plays and recorded three solo tackles…recorded his first two-sack game for a loss of 17 yards and his first forced fumble…added two special teams tackles (one solo)…1/1 vs. Detroit: Recorded one solo tackle on defense while logging eight plays…made two solo special teams tackles…recovered a fumbled punt return by Detroit's Eddie Drummond…AFC Wild Card Game 1/8 at Cincinnati: Played on both defense and special teams…recorded one assisted special teams tackle…AFC Divisional Game 1/15 at Indianapolis: Played as a reserve DE on defense and recorded one tackle…also recorded one special teams tackle…AFC Championship Game 1/22 at Denver: Recorded four solo tackles including two sacks and forced one fumble on defense…sacks totaled 10 yards in losses…the sacks and forced fumble were the first of his career in the postseason…Super Bowl XL 2/5 vs. Seattle: Recorded two solo tackles and one solo special teams tackle.

2004 (13-0/2-0): 9/12 vs. Oakland: Played four defensive snaps…finished with one assist...9/19 at Baltimore: Was credited with one special teams assist…played four defensive snaps...9/26 at Miami: Played five defensive snaps...10/3 vs. Cincinnati: Played nine defensive snaps...10/10 vs. Cleveland: Played eight defensive snaps...10/17 at Dallas: Logged six defensive plays...10/31 vs. New England: Played six defensive snaps…was credited with one solo special teams tackle...11/7 vs. Philadelphia: Played three defensive snaps...11/14 at Cleveland: Was credited with one quarterback hurry/pressure…logged seven defensive plays...11/21 at Cincinnati: Suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter and did not return…was credited with two special teams assists...12/18 at N.Y. Giants: Dressed for the first time in four weeks as a result of a hamstring injury...12/26 vs. Baltimore: Had one assist…played seven defensive snaps...1/2 at Buffalo: Registered one solo tackle…logged 45 defensive plays...AFC Divisional Playoff Game 1/15 vs. N.Y. Jets: Registered one solo special teams tackle.

2003 (IR): Was placed on reserve/injured list for entire season following shoulder surgery.

2002 (5-0/2-0): Came on strong as a dynamic special teams player...played in five games and two postseason games...finished with seven solo special teams tackles...was inactive for first nine games...11/17 at Tennessee: Dressed for his first pro game…did not play…12/15 vs. Carolina: Made some big plays again on special teams…recovered a fumble on a muffed punt that led to a Steelers TD…was credited with three special teams tackles (all solo).

COLLEGE:

Finished his career with 66 tackles (39 solos), nine quarterback sacks and 19 stops behind the line of scrimmage...was a Super Sleeper Team selection by The NFL Draft Report. 2001: Received All-Mountain West Conference honorable mention honors…had a banner senior campaign in his first year as a starter…recorded 41 tackles (23 solos) and ranked second on the team with four sacks, and third with nine tackles for losses...also forced one fumble...played in every game at defensive end. 2000: Made 22 tackles (13 solos), five sacks and 10 tackles for losses...transferred to Snow (Utah) Junior College in 1999...made three unassisted tackles at defensive end in 1998...redshirted in 1997...majored in health sciences.

PERSONAL:

Lettered four times in football and basketball and twice in track at Greybull (Wyo.) High School...was a four-time All- Conference selection...earned All-State honors as a tight end and linebacker (1995-96)...was USA Today Wyoming Player of the Year in his final season...also earned Sportslink Player of the Year and Conference Player of the Year honors in 1996...is the son of Connie and Lane Keisel... is married to Sarah...has one son, Jacob Cassius (1) Full name: Brett Keisel.

Read more