Miles Killebrew (born May 10, 1993) is an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are two slightly dif ...
for the
Pittsburgh Steelers of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football at
Southern Utah
Southern Utah University (SUU) is a public university in Cedar City, Utah. Founded in 1897 as a normal school, Southern Utah University now graduates over 1,800 students each year with baccalaureate and graduate degrees from its six colleges. ...
. He was drafted by the
Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the
2016 NFL Draft
The 2016 NFL Draft was the 81st annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015 NFL Draft, 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park (Chicago), ...
, and played for the team from 2016 to 2020.
College career
Killebrew reached the triple-digit mark in tackles each of his last two seasons (101 in 2014, 132 in 2015) and also showed an ability to handle pass coverage responsibilities with three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown in 2014) and seven pass breakups in 2015. The four-year starter earned All-Big Sky recognition in each season: honorable mention in 2012 and 2013, second-team in 2014, and first-team in 2015.
Professional career
Pre-draft
NFL analysts had projected Killebrew to be drafted in the third or fourth rounds. Most teams and scouts were impressed by his size, tackling form, and physical play. The only downsides to him were his lack of instincts, minimal coverage range, and lack of anticipation in run direction. With a large frame for a safety and the popularity of hybrid linebackers in the NFL, a lot of analysts expected him to also play a nickel linebacker role in the NFL.
Killebrew played in the Reese's Senior Bowl and was also invited to the NFL combine. Between the Senior Bowl and the combine, it was reported he met with multiple teams, including the
Cincinnati Bengals,
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
,
San Diego Chargers,
New York Jets,
Detroit Lions, and the
Indianapolis Colts' head coach
Chuck Pagano. On March 30, 2016, he attended Southern Utah's first ever Pro Day and performed the 40-yard dash (4.51), 20-yard dash (2.63), and 10-yard dash (1.58), improving his numbers from the combine on all three. Over twenty scouts and representatives from NFL teams showed up to evaluate Killebrew and ten other prospects at SUU's Pro Day
Detroit Lions
![Miles Killebrew (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Miles_Killebrew_%28cropped%29.jpg)
The
Detroit Lions selected Killebrew in the fourth round (111th overall) in the
2016 NFL Draft
The 2016 NFL Draft was the 81st annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015 NFL Draft, 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park (Chicago), ...
. After he had appeared in the senior bowl, the Detroit Lions' safeties coach,
Alan Williams, and other representatives from the organization had a meeting with Killebrew and told him that they were not interested in him, he wasn't a right fit for the team, and that they did not want him at all. Once they drafted him, they told him that they had said it to only see how he would respond.
2016 season
On May 6, 2016, it was reported that the Detroit Lions had signed Killebrew to a four-year, $2.34 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $578,564.
He began his rookie season as the Lions' third strong safety on the depth chart behind veterans
Tavon Wilson
Tavon Wilson (born March 19, 1990) is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at the University of Illinois, and was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. With the Pa ...
and
Rafael Bush
Rafael Bush (born May 12, 1987) is a former American football safety who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Carolina State and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free a ...
. In the first 11 games, Killebrew mainly saw time on special teams and saw a few snaps as a rotational safety on defense. On November 20, 2016, Killebrew led the Lions with five tackles, while only playing 12 defensive snaps, all on third down, during the Detroit Lions 26-19 victory over the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
. Four days later, he made four tackles on third down, while only appearing on nine of the Lions' defensive snaps during their 16-13 victory over the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
on Thanksgiving.
On December 4, 2016, he played 21 defensive snaps (34%) during the Detroit Lions 28-13 victory against the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
. He finished the game with three solo tackles, a pass deflection, and intercepted
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...
for his first career interception.
2017 season
On September 10, 2017, in the Lions' season opening 35–23 victory over the
Arizona Cardinals, Killebrew had a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown, which came off of quarterback
Carson Palmer
Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at ...
, in the fourth quarter.
2018 season
During training camp Killebrew converted to linebacker with the arrival of
Matt Patricia
Matthew Edward Patricia (born September 13, 1974) is an American football coach who is the senior football advisor and offensive line coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He has served 15 non-consecutive sea ...
and new defensive scheme.
2020 season
On March 24, 2020, Killebrew re-signed with the Lions.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Killebrew signed a one-year contract with the
Pittsburgh Steelers on March 24, 2021.
On March 11, 2022, Killebrew signed a two-year, $4 million contract extension with the Steelers.
Personal life
Killebrew was raised by his parents, Lisa and David Killebrew, in Henderson, Nevada.
Killebrew and his family are
Indianapolis Colts fans, as they lived in
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
for a few years. He also cites his role models in football as
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu (; born Troy Benjamin Aumua; April 19, 1981) is an American former football strong safety who played his entire 12-year career for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL).
He played college football ...
,
Earl Thomas, and
Bob Sanders
Demond "Bob" Sanders (born February 24, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was drafted by the ...
.
On April 30, 2016, Killebrew graduated from Southern Utah University with a degree in engineering. He received the phone call from the Detroit Lions telling him they'd drafted him on the way to his graduation ceremony.
In June 2016, a Detroit-based brewery named Fort Street Brewery created Killebrew IPA, a play on words using his last name.
References
External links
Southern Utah Thunderbirds bioDetroit Lions bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Killebrew, Miles
1993 births
Living people
American football safeties
Detroit Lions players
People from Henderson, Nevada
Pittsburgh Steelers players
Players of American football from Nevada
Southern Utah Thunderbirds football players
Sportspeople from the Las Vegas Valley