BIOGRAPHY
A.J. Klein was born July 30, 1991 in Appleton, Wisconsin. He is a linebacker in the National Football League.
Klein attended Kimberly High School where he was a letterman in football and track. His football team went 37-1 during his career. He led team to back-to-back Division II state championships in his final two seasons. He recorded 121 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as a senior, and his career included 287 tackles, 17 sacks and two interceptions. In track & field, Klein competed as a sprinter in spring of 2008. During the indoor season, he competed in the 55-meter dashand recorded a personal-best time of 7.01 seconds at the Oshkosh HS Invite. He competed in the 100-meter dash during the outdoor season, earning a 5th-place finish at the WIAA Regional with a time of 11.8 seconds. While attending Iowa State University, Klein was a member of the Iowa State Cyclones football team from 2009 to 2012. He played in every game as a true freshman finishing the season with 17 tackles, and also caused and recovered a fumble. He played in 12 games, starting 10, as a sophomore, and finished second on the team in tackles with 111, including eight for loss. He also had three interceptions (returning 2 for touchdowns), four pass deflections, and a fumble recovery. In 2011, he started in all 13 games, recording 116 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, seven pass deflections, six pass break ups, and an interception (returned for a touchdown). He was named Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Big 12 first team honors. In his senior season, he recorded 117 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack, three pass deflections, two pass break ups and an interception (returned for a touchdown). He earned All-Big 12 first team honors once again.
The Carolina Panthers drafted Klein in the fifth round (148th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. On March 9, 2017, Klein signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the New Orleans Saints. Klein signed a three-year contract with the Buffalo Bills on March 27, 2020.
