Khari Blasingame

BIOGRAPHY

Khari Thomas Blasingame was born on July 1, 1996. He is a proud American pro football fullback, currently signed to the Chicago Bears under the National Football League. Prior to his professional football career, Blasingame played college football at Vanderbilt. Interestingly, he was not drafted but was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings in 2019.

During his early years, Blasingame flourished in his native Huntsville, Alabama, where he attended Buckhorn High School. His contributions as a senior were notable, marked by 64 tackles, two interceptions, 966 rushing yards, and 10 touchdowns. His performance earned him the position of a two-year captain, playing as a safety and running back.

Recognizing his potential at the high-school level, he was sought after by Minnesota and Northwestern. However, he chose to make a commitment to Vanderbilt. As a three-star safety, Blasingame’s talent was undeniable.

In 2015, Blasingame added another notch to his belt when he signed with Vanderbilt as a linebacker. His freshman year saw him start seven games, recording 12 total tackles. However, when he switched positions to halfback (a position he excelled at during high school), his performance reached new heights. As a halfback, he started 13 games, accumulated 446 yards from 97 carries, and scored 10 touchdowns.

As a junior, Blasingame started 10 games, racked up 147 yards from 45 carries, and caught six passes for 52 yards, scoring a touchdown. However, it was in his senior year that he truly hit his stride, transitioning to a full-time starter. He took 96 carries for 400 yards and five touchdowns, and scored another touchdown from 25 catches, totaling 320 yards.

In 2019, Blasingame was recognized as the Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education for his academic and athletic achievements. This same year proved to be catalytic professionally, as he was plucked from the undrafted pool and signed by the Minnesota Vikings on May 3, 2019. Unfortunately, he was soon waived on August 31, but rebounded into the practice squad the following day.

Blasingame’s journey took an exciting turn on November 13, 2019, when he was snatched up by the Tennessee Titans from the Vikings practice squad and added to their active roster. His contribution was soon noticeable, notably in Week 14, when he caught two passes for 47 yards against the Oakland Raiders.

The following year brought about a challenging period for Blasingame, as he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on October 4, 2020. Thankfully, he recovered and was taken off the list by October 16.

In March 2021, he penned a one-year contract extension with the Titans. Unfortunately, he sustained an injury and was placed on injured reserve on November 6. He made a recovery and was activated just a few weeks later on November 27. This resilience saw him signing a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears in March 2022. Blasingame quickly proved his worth and secured a two-year contract extension on March 8, 2023.

Later, in the absence of three injured running backs, Blasingame became the Bears’ emergency go-to during the team’s week 5 matchup against the Washington Commanders. He made eight carries for 26 yards, which is even more impressive considering he only had three prior rushing attempts in his entire professional career.

Undeniably, Khari Blasingame exemplifies discipline, hard work, and resilience, striking a balance between his academic and professional football pursuits. His journey from an undrafted free agent to a valued player in the NFL is a testament to his tenacity and will to succeed. His exploits are an inspiration to aspiring footballers, highlighting the fact that talent combined with determination and hard work can lead to success, regardless of the obstacles that may be encountered.