Keith McKenzie

Keith McKenzie

Player Profile

Hometown:
Highland Park, Mich.

Position:
Linebackers Coach

Experience:
2nd Season

Alma Mater:
Ball State


Detroit native Keith McKenzie joined the Wayne State football staff in March 2008 as an assistant linebackers and defensive line coach. He was named linebackers coach in April 2009.

He helped the 2008 Wayne State squad equal the school record for wins in a season, while setting the school mark for conference wins in a year. WSU had three all-league selections on the defensive line and two at linebacker.

McKenzie, who played collegiately at Ball State, was drafted in the seventh round in 1996 and spent eight years in the National Football League as a defensive end with four teams.

His best season came with the Cleveland Browns in 2000 when he started 16 games and was credited with 61 tackles including eight sacks.

He played 95 games in the NFL and recorded 177 tackles including 29.5 sacks. He also returned his lone NFL interception in 1998 for the Green Bay Packers for a touchdown.

He appeared in two Super Bowls with the Packers, including the 1996 Super Bowl win.

McKenzie was an outstanding athlete who had a standout prep football career at Highland Park High School. In addition to lettering three times in football, Keith also lettered six other times: three times in track, twice in wrestling and once in tennis.

He then became a standout All-Mid American Conference (MAC) defensive end for Ball State from 1993-95 and left as the school's all-time sack leader. McKenzie graduated from Ball State with a bachelor of science degree in history and was inducted into the BSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

He and his wife, Tamiko, reside in Detroit with their son, Keith Jr.