Kendal Vickers

Kendal Vickers's Biography

Kendal Bryant Vickers, a professional American football player, was born on May 3, 1995. As a defensive end, Vickers has a prolific career in the National Football League (NFL), with his current stint being with the New Orleans Saints. His journey in the football industry has its roots in his high school days at Havelock High School where he first showcased his skills in the sport.

The next step in his career saw Vickers enrol in a college football program at the University of Tennessee, in which he played from 2013 to 2017. Playing under Head Coach Butch Jones, Vickers began to lay the foundations for a successful professional career during his time at Tennessee.

In the professional arena, Vickers first joined the Pittsburgh Steelers. Signed as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2018, his time with the Steelers was, however, short-lived as he was waived on August 31 the same year following the final roster cuts. Not deterred by this, Vickers soon found an opportunity with the Tennessee Titans, and was enlisted on their practice squad on December 24, 2018. Although the Titans released him on January 7, 2019, his talent and determination saw him bounce back into the big leagues soon afterwards.

The subsequent chapter in his career was marked by his association with the Canadian Football League (CFL), where he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos on May 19, 2019. During his time at the Eskimos, he recorded impressive statistics with 12 tackles and two sacks. However, pursuing his NFL dreams, Vickers left the Eskimos who granted his release on January 20, 2020.

Following his CFL stint, Vickers returned to the NFL and signed a reserve/futures contract with the Las Vegas Raiders on January 22, 2020. He successfully made it to the Raiders’ 53-man roster out of training camp, and debuted on September 13, 2020, against the Carolina Panthers. Vickers’ performance in his debut was quite notable as he participated in nine defensive snaps and played a snap in the special teams during the Week 1 victory.

In a twist of fate, Vickers had to be placed on the Raiders’ reserve/COVID-19 list on November 18, however, he was activated just three days later. Even this setback couldn’t derail him as he went on to record his first career sack on Justin Herbert amidst a 30-27 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15. On March 2, 2021, the Raiders acknowledged his talent and contributions, signing a one-year contract extension with him.

Despite the extension, Vickers was waived on August 31, 2021. A day later, he re-joined the team as part of the practice squad, and was promoted to the active roster on November 10. Regardless of his professional performance, his tenure with the Raiders ended on December 6, 2022. Two days later, Vickers then signed onto the Buffalo Bills practice squad. After his release on December 21, Vickers signed a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2023.

In pursuit of opportunities to bolster his career, Vickers got involved with the Bills. Despite having to face waivers by the team on August 29, 2023, he bounced back quickly and re-joined the practice squad. Elevated from the practice squad for Week 5’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Vickers drastically improved the rhythm of the game by making two tackles in 46 snaps during his Bills debut. However, his stint with the Bills was short as he was released on October 31.

Continuing his journey in the NFL, Vickers signed with the Arizona Cardinals practice squad on November 2, 2023. The Cardinals, however, did not sign him to a reserve/future contract after that season resulting in Vickers once again transitioning into free agency upon the expiry of his practice squad contract.

Refusing to slow down, Vickers then signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints on May 13, 2024. Although released briefly on August 28, he made his return to the practice squad soon after. And this is how Kendal Bryant Vickers remains engaged in his passion for football, persistently treading through the vicissitudes of the NFL, always striving, always improving.