CALGARY - History was made Sunday afternoon, December 3 at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee when former Calgary Dinos player Dan Federkeil dressed for the Indianapolis Colts against the Tennessee Titans.
The 6’6”, 295 lbs. Federkeil became the first former University of Calgary Dinos football player to dress for a regular season NFL contest. A non-drafted free agent signing by the Colts on May 2, 2006 Federkeil played extensively in three of four pre-season games with the Colts and has been on their practice roster since the September 3.
He was moved to the active roster and signed on Saturday when starting right tackle Ryan Diem was unable to dress. Diem’s starting spot was taken by rookie Charlie Johnson, the Colts’ sixth round selection in the 2006 NFL Draft from Oklahoma State University.
Not only did Federkeil dress for the game against the Titans, but also played, being used on special teams for converts and field goal attempts that saw the Colts loose 20-17 to the Titans on a 60-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining.
After wearing number 66 in the pre-season he wore sweater number 76, the same number he wore with the Dinos. Federkeil was drafted in the first round (fifth overall) by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2006 Canadian Football League Draft in April 2006.
Federkeil attended the Colts free agent camp in May 2006 where he was moved to offensive right tackle though he spent his entire CIS career on the defensive side of the football, except for short yardage situations. The closest he previously came to playing a regular season game was when he accompanied the team to their game in New York against the Jets on October 1 but did not dress.
Federkeil, who turned 23 on November 9th, played five seasons for the Dinos joining the team directly from Medicine Hat High School in 2001. He was the team’s nominee for the Peter Gorman Trophy for Freshman of the Year that season becoming a starter midway through his freshman season. He was a Canada West all-star defensive end in 2003 and 2005 as well as being a second team Canadian Interuniversity All-Canadian. He capped his college career by being named Canada West Lineman of the Year and a Finalist for the J.P. Metras Trophy as CIS Lineman of the Year and selected for the West team in the East-West Shrine Football game in January 2006. He was named University of Calgary Male Athlete of the Year for 2005-06.
The University of Calgary has had four other players attended NFL training camps who participated in pre-season games. Kent Warnock attended the Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp in 1986, Michael Pavelec attended the Miami Dolphins Training Camp in 1991, and Don Blair attended the Chicago Bears Training Camp in 1996.
Dan becomes the second Alberta born player to dress for a NFL regular season with the first being former University of Alberta Golden Bears receiver Brian Fryer who suited up for the Washington Redskins.