He played college football at Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University-Commerce and his father was Dee Mackey, a former tight end for the New York Jets. Mackey was born in Gladewater, Texas and lived part of his life in Apline, Texas when his father was a high school coach after leaving the NFL.
He was also an Arena Football League player, who played quarterback for the Albany Firebirds and the Fort Worth Cavalry. His family moved back to East Texas before his high school years. As a student (at Spring Hill High School in Longview, Texas) he set multiple passing records and was selected to the all-state team in both his Junior and Senior years.
Mackey accepted an athletic scholarship to Texas Agricultural and Mechanical-Commerce (then East Texas State University) where he was to play both Football and Basketball.
Mackey played for the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical-Commerce Lions from 1980-1983. Mackey took over at the starting spot his sophomore year.
He led the Lions to a 7-4 record and a fifth-place finish in the Lone Star Conference, throwing for 2.074 yards and 18 touchdowns. As a Junior he threw for 1,667 yards and 11 touchdowns and led the Lions to a 6-4 record, good enough for LSC conference runner-up (2nd place).
As a Senior, he led the 1983 Lions to a Lone Star Conference Championship with an 8-2 record, throwing for 1,960 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He was known as an athletic roll-out passer who was a dual threat as a passer and a runner. In his two-year National Football League career as a backup quarterback for the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins, Mackey passed for 729 yards and 3 touchdowns, rushed for 563 yards, and threw 6 interceptions. Kyle Mackey ended his completing 187 of 346 passes attempted (540% of passes completed), 2,253 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, only 14 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 81.96.
Mackey is now coaching the Tigers of Silsbee High School in Hardin County, Texas.
