Kirby Criswell
Football career
Football career
---------------

Criswell was born and raised in [Grinnell, Iowa](/wiki/Grinnell%2C_Iowa "Grinnell, Iowa"), where he attended Grinnell High School. A standout in high school, Criswell was recruited to play collegiate football by several universities. He elected to play for the [University of Kansas](/wiki/University_of_Kansas "University of Kansas"). The [Jayhawks](/wiki/Kansas_Jayhawks_football "Kansas Jayhawks football") did not produce any strong teams during his time with them, but Criswell was noticed due to his passionate style of play. He was selected by the [Cincinnati Bengals](/wiki/Cincinnati_Bengals "Cincinnati Bengals") in the second round of the 1980 NFL draft.[Criswell switch boon financially](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2akyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IOgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4124,1940569&dq=kirby+criswell+released+cardinals&hl=en) Criswell, who sported a [Mohawk hairstyle](/wiki/Mohawk_hairstyle "Mohawk hairstyle") during training camp,[Kirby sporting Mohawk look](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KZcyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gucFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5851,3907085&dq=kirby+criswell+bengals&hl=en) was waived by the Bengals before the start of 1980 football season but then signed by Green Bay.[Packers waive Barber, Jones](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RYBQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ABIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2466,634147&dq=kirby+criswell+bengals&hl=en) Green Bay cut Criswell two days later.[Criswell cut by Green Bay](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A5YyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q-cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2136,1179021&dq=kirby+criswell+bengals&hl=en)

It was late in the 1980 NFL Season when Criswell was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals.[Football Cardinals obtain three unproven players](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GBcuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mC4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5836,4061987&dq=kirby+criswell+signed+cardinals&hl=en) He did manage to get into four games for St. Louis that year. A broken arm kept Criswell off the Cardinals active list for most of the 1981 season.[Ex\-Jayhawk Criswell put on Cardinals' active list](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W6UyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gOcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5054,2283821&dq=kirby+criswell+broken+arm&hl=en) St. Louis signed Criswell to another contract early in 1982\.[Cardinals sign ex\-Kansas defensive end](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zpcyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xOcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4912,3873447&dq=kirby+criswell+signed+cardinals&hl=en)

Less than a month after his signing, Criswell was arrested on federal drug charges.[Backup end faces U.S. drug charges](https://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/05/sports/backup-end-faces-us-drug-charges.html) On June 2, 1982, Criswell was found guilty by a federal jury of possessing [marijuana](/wiki/Marijuana "Marijuana") and conspiring to manufacture and distribute [methamphetamine](/wiki/Methamphetamine "Methamphetamine").[Fairbanks set to start from scratch](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=__QNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WHsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6627,1855905&dq=criswell+guilty+methamphetamine&hl=en) He was subsequently sentenced to five years in prison.[Former Card Criswell gets 5\-year term](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Zt5bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4FINAAAAIBAJ&pg=4254,3110480&dq=steve+little+kicker+cocaine&hl=en) After his sentencing, Criswell said a recently published [Sports Illustrated](/wiki/Sports_Illustrated "Sports Illustrated") article on [Don Reese](/wiki/Don_Reese "Don Reese") may have hurt his cause.[Criswell blames harsh sentence on magazine article](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2akyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IOgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4124,1940569&dq=kirby+criswell+released+cardinals&hl=en)

Criswell never played in the NFL again.


Where did Kirby Criswell attend high school?