View source for Jim Kleinsasser

{{Short description|American football player (born 1977)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox gridiron football biography
| name        = Jim Kleinsasser
| image       = 2009-0805-JKleinsasser.jpg
| alt         =
| caption     = Kleinsasser in 2009
| number      = 40
| position    = [[Tight end]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1977|1|31}}
| birth_place = [[Carrington, North Dakota]], U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lb   = 272
| high_school = [[Carrington Public Schools|Carrington]]
| college     = [[North Dakota Fighting Hawks football|North Dakota]] (1995–1998)
| draftyear   = 1999
| draftround  = 2
| draftpick   = 44
| pastteams   = * [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|1999|2011}})
| highlights  = * 2× First-team DII [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] (1997, 1998)
* 3× First-team All-[[North Central Conference|NCC]] (1996–1998)
| statlabel1  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1  = 192
| statlabel2  = Receiving yards
| statvalue2  = 1,688
| statlabel3  = Receiving [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3  = 6
| pfr         = KleiJi00
| CollegeHOF  = 2565 
}}

'''Jimmy Carter Kleinsasser''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|l|aɪ|n|s|ɑː|s|ər}}; born January 31, 1977) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[tight end]] for the [[Minnesota Vikings]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[North Dakota Fighting Hawks football|North Dakota Fighting Sioux]] and played for the Vikings his entire career after being selected in the [[1999 NFL draft]].

==High school career==
Kleinsasser attended [[Carrington High School]], in [[Carrington, North Dakota]] and was a [[Letterman (sports)|letterman]] and a standout in [[High school football|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, Kleinsasser was a starter on the [[North Dakota High School Activities Association|1995 Class B State Championship basketball team]]. In track, he has the ND Class B State T&F Meet records for [[shot put]] (62&nbsp;ft, 2 in) and [[discus throw]] (183&nbsp;ft, 11 in).<ref name="Vikings bio">{{cite web|title=Jim Kleinsasser|url=http://www.vikings.com/team/roster/Jimmy-Kleinsasser/KLE428040|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100915115314/http://www.vikings.com/team/roster/Jimmy-Kleinsasser/KLE428040|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 15, 2010|publisher=Minnesota Vikings|access-date=December 17, 2011}}</ref>

==College career==
Kleinsasser attended the [[University of North Dakota]] and played for the [[North Dakota Fighting Hawks football|North Dakota Fighting Sioux]] from 1995 to 1998 before being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1999. North Dakota was an [[NCAA Division II]] school at the time. At North Dakota, Kleinsasser was a three-time first-team All-[[North Central Conference]] (NCC) selection and a two-time Division II [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]], also in 1998 was the only Division II football player selected as a [[Gannett News Service]] All-American.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jim Kleinsasser|url=https://fightinghawks.com/sports/general/roster/jim-kleinsasser/5940|website=fightinghawks.com|access-date=November 3, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Vikings bio"/><ref name="honored">{{cite web|title=Kleinsasser Honored|url=http://www.und.edu/dept/athletics/|publisher=University of North Dakota|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981203092122/http://www.und.edu/dept/athletics/|archive-date=December 3, 1998|date=December 2, 1998}}</ref> In 1998, Kleinsasser had 45 receptions for 710 yards and 86 rushing yards.<ref name="honored"/> Kleinsasser was named as a member of the 2025 class of the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] on January 15, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class |url=https://www.cfbhall.com/news-and-happenings/news/2025-college-football-hall-of-fame-class/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.cfbhall.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 2 3/4
|       weight = 272
|         dash = 4.78
|    ten split = 1.69
| twenty split = 2.77
|      shuttle = 4.33
|   cone drill = 7.24
|     vertical = 34.5
|     broad ft = 9
|     broad in = 6
|        bench = 18
|     arm span = 33
|    hand span = 9 7/8
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 NFL Draft Scout Jim Kleinsasser College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=5358&DraftYear=1999 |access-date=January 27, 2024 |website=DraftScout.com}}</ref>
}}

Kleinsasser was selected as a [[tight end]] in the second round (44th overall pick) of the [[1999 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1999/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KleiJi00.htm|title = Jim Kleinsasser Stats|website = [[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://minnesotavikings.contentquake.com/2009/02/17/offensive-player-profile-of-the-week-jim-kleinsasser/ |title=Offensive Player Profile of the Week: Jim Kleinsasser : Minnesota Vikings |access-date=November 4, 2011 |archive-date=April 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425133530/http://minnesotavikings.contentquake.com/2009/02/17/offensive-player-profile-of-the-week-jim-kleinsasser/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>  He demonstrated remarkable durability throughout his career, playing in all 16 games up to 2010, except for missing 15 games because of an knee injury in 2004.

In 2007 and 2008, Kleinsasser was named to ''[[USA Today]]''{{'s}} All Joe Team honoring hard workers and under-recognized players.<ref name="Vikings bio"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/1161/jim-kleinsasser |title=Recent news on Jim Kleinsasser - Minnesota Vikings - Rotoworld.com |website=www.rotoworld.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120731182827/http://rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/1161/jim-kleinsasser |archive-date=2012-07-31}}</ref> He continued his 13-year career with the Vikings in the 2011 season. He ranked second in team history for starts made by a tight end with 119, and ranked fourth in catches by a tight end in Vikings history. His blocking skills also paved the way for seven of the top eight single-season rushing marks in Vikings history, including [[Adrian Peterson]]'s then team record and NFL leading 1,760 yards in 2008. Kleinsasser retired at the end of the 2011 NFL season after 13 seasons with the Vikings.<ref>{{cite web | last=Rosenthal | first=Gregg | title=Jim Kleinsasser will retire at the end of the year | website=NBC Sports | date=2011-12-23 | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jim-kleinsasser-will-retire-at-the-end-of-the-year | access-date=2025-08-20}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
In the movie ''[[50 First Dates]]'', Kleinsasser is mentioned by [[Sean Astin]]'s character briefly before Kleinsasser scores a touchdown on the TV.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Vikings1999DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kleinsasser, Jimmy}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football tight ends]]
[[Category:Minnesota Vikings players]]
[[Category:North Dakota Fighting Hawks football players]]
[[Category:North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's basketball players]]
[[Category:People from Foster County, North Dakota]]
[[Category:Players of American football from North Dakota]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]