Kevin Kaesviharn
A defensive back who carved out a nine-year NFL career through sheer determination, rising from the Arena Football League to become a respected starter.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American football player·Birthday: August 29·Generation X
Biography
Kevin Kaesviharn's path to the NFL was anything but conventional, a testament to persistence over pedigree. Undrafted out of Division II Augustana College, he took a detour through the Arena Football League's Iowa Barnstormers, a proving ground far from the Sunday spotlight. His hard-hitting style and ball-hawking instincts there caught the eye of the Cincinnati Bengals, who signed him in 2001. Kaesviharn became a valuable and versatile piece in their secondary, known for creating turnovers and delivering punishing tackles. He later provided veteran stability for the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, embodying the journeyman spirit—a player who maximized every ounce of his talent through work ethic and football intelligence.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Kevin was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kevin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Kevin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played nine seasons in the NFL as a safety for the Bengals, Saints, and 49ers after starting in the Arena Football League.
- Recorded 17 career interceptions in the NFL, including a career-high 6 interceptions for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006.
- Started 15 games for the New Orleans Saints in 2007, contributing to their defensive turnaround that season.
- Was a two-time All-North Central Conference selection while playing college football at Augustana College (SD).
Did You Know?
He is of Thai and Norwegian descent, which made him a unique figure in the NFL during his playing days.
Kaesviharn's first professional football contract was with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League in 1998.
He majored in business administration at Augustana College.
After his NFL career, he returned to Cincinnati and worked in the financial services industry.
“I took the long road through the Arena League to earn my NFL jersey.”
