Kiel attended Columbus East High School in Indiana, where he was rated the #3 quarterback in the nation by Parade.

Coach Dan Devine offered him a scholarship to the University of Notre Dame, where Kiel earned the starting quarterback job during his freshman year, four games into the 1980 season.

Kiel went on to become the sixth all-time leading passer for Notre Dame, and holds the record for the team's longest pass play—a 96-yard bomb to Joe Howard against Georgia Tech in 1981.

Kiel was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1984 NFL draft but only saw playing time in the regular season as a holder on kick attempts.

He later played in seven games over two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts as both a quarterback and punter, and then spent three years with the Green Bay Packers.