DT Tommy Kelly Gave the Raiders a Rush

Defensive tackle Tommy Kelly stands tall in the Raiders' history as one of the most underrated players to ever play on the interior D-line for the Silver and Black.

Defensive tackle Tommy Kelly wasn’t highly regarded when he came to the Oakland Raiders in 2004. Still, he was among the best and most underrated players to ever play on the interior D-line for the Silver and Black in his nine seasons with the team.

The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Kelly was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State in 2004. Even though he didn’t start as a rookie, he had sacks against New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks in his first game, followed by a sack of San Diego Chargers quarterback Drew Brees the following week, and another against Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme early in the season.

Kelly finished the season with 20 tackles and four sacks while playing part-time and became a starter the following year, something he did for the next eight years. He amassed 423 total tackles, 34½ sacks, forced 10 fumbles and recovered four, had one interception, and defended against 18 passes in his Oakland career.

On Feb. 28, 2008, the Raiders signed Kelly to the largest contract ever given to a defensive tackle on the eve of free agency, a seven-year deal worth $50.5 million, with $18.125 million in guarantees and $25.125 million over the first three years.

Kelly’s 58 quarterback hits are second in Raiders history to only linebacker Khalil Mack. Still, for some reason, some considered Kelly an underachiever because of the huge contract and the fact that he never made All-Pro or was selected to the Pro Bowl, although he was named as an alternate for the 2010 Pro Bowl.

However, Kelly did make the Raiders 2000-10 All-Decade team, and those who watched know that this man could play the game. The best game of his career came when he sacked quarterback Trent Green of the Kansas City Chiefs three times in 2005, even though the Chiefs pulled out a 27-23 victory.

Kelly was considered a reliable run-stopper and gap-filler throughout his career with the Raiders. His best season, statistically, came in 2010, when he had 60 tackles and seven sacks, and the next season he racked up a career-high 7.5 sacks.

Things started going downhill for Kelly in Oakland on Sept. 14, 2008, when he was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, and even though he played three more seasons for the Raiders, he was released by the Raiders in 2013 and signed a two-year free-agent contract with the New England Patriots.

Kelly was placed on the Injured Reserve List late in the 2013 season and released the following August. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals, where he played one more season before retiring before the 2015 season.

“Tell Bill (Belichick) I said, ‘Thank you,’” defensive line coach Brentson Buckner of the Cardinals said after the Patriots let Kelly go and signed with Arizona. “Kelly's been great for us. One man’s trash is another man's treasure.”

What Kelly remembers most about his days in the NFL came with Raider Nation in the Oakland Coliseum.

“I love the city of Oakland,” Kelly said after leaving the Raiders. “I have much love for the people back there. They recognize the people who play hard. I know I play hard. I always left it on the field. I lived through a lot over there, but at the same time, I learned a lot, about how to be a professional and what not to do in my career and it got me this far, 11 years strong. I’ve got a lot of respect for the Davis family and I had a lot of good teammates.”

Kelly finished his nine-year NFL career with 474 total tackles, 37½ sacks, and 18 passes defended in 150 games with three teams, but many observers believe he was under-appreciated during his career.

Although the Cardinals hired Kelly as an assistant coach in 2017 but is now totally retired and living back home in Jackson, Miss.

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