Gregg Kinnunen

King County Vikings, West Seattle Warhawks, Pierce County Bengals, Puget Sound Jets, King County Jaguars, Eastside Hawks, Snohomish County Vikings, South Sound Shockers

Offensive Line

1982 - 2010

For over 20 years juggling work and football, Gregg Kinnunen battled the best defensive linemen the Northwest Leagues had to offer, and even at 48 years old he was still holding his own against players half his age.  From his first game in 1982, to his final snap in 2010, Kinnunen played on some of the best teams the Northwest has ever seen.

Starting his career at Allen Hancock Junior College (CA) in 1980, he used that opportunity to land at Eastern Oregon University where, prior to his EOU season, he played for the King County Vikings in 1982 getting his first taste of semi-pro football.  After his two seasons at Eastern ended in 1984, Gregg made his way to the Warhawks for three seasons.  There he played in his first overseas All-Star game, as many of the Warhawks made up the squad that took on the San Jose Bandits in Hong Kong, China in 1988.  Following his stint with the Warhawks, Kinnunen was recruited to the Pierce County Bengals and later the Puget Sound Jets.  This began a string of events that found Kinnunen a part of three league championships with four of the best teams in the Northwest.  Sam Adams had built the Eastside Hawks to dominance in 2004, closely challenged by the King County Jaguars where Gregg had earned NWFL Honorable Mention in 2003.

In 2002, Kinnunen doned the kit of the New Zealand Haka for their tour of the USA anchoring the line with fellow Hall of Fame inductee Rob Diebold, a former teammate with the Pierce County Bengals.

Kinnunen ended his career with the South Sound Shockers in 2010 adding to his championship totals as another former Bengal, Steve Matychowiak coaxed him out of retirement as a saavy backup to add line depth and teach young linemen the tricks of the trade.  One of the more infamous "tricks" Gregg had was to use his age to an advantage.  His team may have been out of timeouts, but the referees always gave the benefit of the doubt to the "old man" who was lying on the turf "injured". A high school game official himself, familiarity with the officiating crews became one of his biggest advantages.

That sneak move was utilized on more than one occassion and very few caught on to what the grizzly vet was doing.  Most who did, laughed it off as one of those things you only get away with at the semi pro level, and also if you have the respect of those same players.  Having been a player who could be relied on to play all five offensive line positions as well as play on the defensive line as a nose, tackle or end through his career, Gregg always found a team wanting his services.

Whether it was as an All-League starter, or a reliable reserve, the technically sound trench play of Gregg Kinnunen was always on display, yet rarely seen as is the case with most offensive linemen.  And for over 20 years, Kinnunen quietly went about the business of being the consumate team player and reliable offensive lineman.