Role American football player Place of death Eagan, Minnesota Education Drake University | College Drake Positions Safety Name Karl Kassulke | |
 | ||
Date of birth (1941-03-20)March 20, 1941 Date of death October 26, 2008(2008-10-26) (aged 67) NFL draft 1963 / Round: 11 / Pick 152
(By the Detroit Lions) Died October 26, 2008, Eagan, Minnesota, United States | ||
Place of birth Milwaukee, Wisconsin | ||
Karl Otto Kassulke (March 20, 1941 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – October 26, 2008) was a professional American football player.
Kassulke graduated from Drake University, where he starred as a safety. He played 10 seasons in the National Football League, all with the Minnesota Vikings. He started in Super Bowl IV, where both he and teammate Earsell Mackbee missed a tackle on Otis Taylor on the final touchdown of the game, late in the 3rd quarter. The next season, he was selected to the Pro Bowl.
On July 24th, 1973, he suffered a motorcycle accident on the way to training camp that left him paralyzed from the waist down.
After his playing career, Kassulke worked with Wings Outreach, a Christian Ministry to the disabled.
Kassulke was immortalized in NFL lore by NFL Films' official highlight film for Super Bowl IV. Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram, who was wired for sound by NFL Films executive producer Ed Sabol, noted the confusion in the Vikings' defense due to the Chiefs' shifting offense and quipped "Kassulke was running around there like it was a Chinese fire drill".