Chris Kluwe – Matt McNeil Holiday Interviews 2025

The son of a local energy and refinery project manager, Chris grew up in a middle-class family in Orange County.

He attended public school from kindergarten through college in Southern California, developing a fearless sense of leadership both in the classroom and on the football field.

As he continued his football career at UCLA, where he graduated with a double major in History and Political Science, and later as a professional NFL punter for the Minnesota Vikings from 2005 to 2012, Chris would use those leadership skills to forcefully advocate for strong collective bargaining rights, equitable pay, free expression, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Since retiring from the NFL, Chris has raised a family in Huntington Beach, coached high school football, authored multiple books, and has even published a board game. However, his passion for ethics and public transparency has never subsided, as evidenced by his recent opposition to the Huntington Beach City Council’s extremist book-banning and reckless spending.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS