Tyree Gillespie

Tyree Gillespie's Biography

Tyree Gillespie, an American professional football safety, hails from a birth date of September 5, 1998. Gillespie’s football career has seen him as a free agent stepping onto the field during various times of his life. Born and raised in Ocala, Florida, Gillespie started making his mark on football while attending Vanguard High School.

During his high school years, Gillespie was known for playing dual roles as a safety and running back. His agile skills also placed him as a vital asset on the field during punt returns for the Knights. In his senior years at high school, Gillespie recorded 40 tackles, two interceptions on defense, rushed for 555 yards, and scored seven touchdowns, boasting a 14.2 rushing average on offense. With such promising beginnings, Gillespie accepted an offer to play college football at Missouri. He chose Missouri over other opportunities from universities like Iowa State, Marshall, New Mexico, and Troy.

His drive for success followed him into his college years where he represented the Missouri Tigers for four seasons. In his freshman year, he played in seven games. He firmly made his mark in sophomore years where he started the final eight games, recording 48 tackles. He continued to impress in his junior year, making 50 tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss, scoring one sack, executing seven pass breakups, and forced a fumble. Gillespie completed his senior year with 46 total tackles and four pass breakups in nine games. Besides his role on the field, Gillespie was a prominent member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity during his time at Missouri.

After his thriving college career, Gillespie ventured into his professional career, getting picked by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth round, 143rd overall, of the 2021 NFL draft. He subsequently signed his four-year rookie contract with the Raiders on May 17, 2021. Gillespie began his rookie season as the backup strong safety, his contribution primarily lying in special teams. After an injury, he was placed on reserve on November 17, 2021, only to be reactivated on December 25.

Following his tenure with the Raiders, Gillespie was traded to the Tennessee Titans on August 16, 2022, in exchange for a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick. He was however waived by the Titans on August 30. Soon after his departure from the Titans, Gillespie was claimed off waivers by the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 31, 2022. Despite being signed, he was waived on December 19, but later re-signed to the practice squad. Gillespie then signed a reserve/future contract with the Jaguars on February 9, 2023, but was eventually waived on May 1.

Gillespie’s career later saw him being claimed off waivers by the Houston Texans on May 2, 2023. His journey with the Texans came to an end when he was waived/injured on August 23, 2023, and subsequently released on September 1. Gillespie continued to persevere in his career and was signed to the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad on December 5, 2023. However, this association ended with his release on January 5, 2024. Gillespie was re-signed by the Chiefs on February 22, 2024, but was waived again on May 4. He was re-signed once again on July 22, yet his journey with the Chiefs took another turn as he was waived/injured on August 27.

Throughout his football journey, the promising and incredibly talented safety, Tyree Gillespie has seen a multitude of highs and lows. His career is an embodiment of perseverance and dedication to the sport, carving a significant path in the realm of professional football. From his days at Vanguard High School to his tenure with professional teams like the Raiders, Titans, Jaguars, Texans, and Chiefs; Gillespie’s story serves as an encouraging testament to his endeavors in American football.