Chris Wormley Bio
Christopher Keith Wormley is an American professional football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, earning All-American honors. Wormley was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He has also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers.
Standing 196 centimeters tall and competing at 136 kilograms, Wormley has built his career as a run-stopping interior presence with the ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Across his professional tenure, he has appeared for three different franchises in addition to a return engagement with Baltimore. His journey from a heavily recruited Ohio prep standout to a multi-team NFL veteran reflects steady development, durability challenges, and continued production into the late 2020s.
Early Life and Background
Christopher Keith Wormley was born on October 25, 1993, in Toledo, Ohio, in the United States. He grew up in the Toledo area and attended Whitmer High School, where he developed into one of the most recognized defensive linemen in the state of Ohio. At Whitmer, he earned all-state honors in football, a recognition that established him as a priority recruit for several major college programs.
His size, quickness off the edge, and football instincts made him a natural fit for the defensive line, and his performance at Whitmer drew attention from Big Ten recruiters. Wormley graduated from Whitmer and chose to continue his career at the University of Michigan, a program with a longstanding tradition of producing NFL-ready defensive linemen. The combination of his Ohio upbringing and Michigan education helped shape the foundation for his eventual transition to professional football.
Path to American Football
Wormley enrolled at the University of Michigan in 2012, joining a Wolverines program with deep roots in developing defensive talent. During summer training camp in August 2012, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, an injury that cost him the entire 2012 season and led to a medical redshirt. The setback delayed his on-field development but did not derail his trajectory with the program.
As a redshirt freshman in 2013, Wormley appeared in 13 games as a backup defensive lineman, adjusting to the speed of the college game. In 2014, his redshirt sophomore year, he appeared in 12 games and earned six starts, showing the kind of progress that coaches look for from a young interior defender. The steady climb through the depth chart positioned him for a larger role in his junior season and beyond.
Chris Wormley Career
Early Career (2015–2016)
As a redshirt junior in 2015, Wormley appeared in 12 games for the Wolverines, including 10 starts, and registered two sacks and eight tackles for loss. The production marked him as an ascending player on the Michigan defensive front and set the stage for a critical senior season.
In 2016, Wormley returned for his fifth year as a redshirt senior. He and tight end Jake Butt were selected as team captains for the 2016 Michigan Wolverines, a vote of respect from their teammates. He also appeared on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award, honors given to the best defensive player in college football. During the 2016 season, he recorded 39 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and finished second on the team with six sacks. He was named first-team All-Big Ten by the conference coaches and second-team All-American by Sporting News.
Baltimore Ravens First Stint (2017–2019)
Wormley was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round, 74th overall, in the 2017 NFL draft. The Ravens had previously obtained the pick used to select him by trading defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan to the Philadelphia Eagles. He made his NFL debut on October 8, 2017, against the Oakland Raiders, logging 24 snaps and recording his first career tackle. He made his first career start the following week against the Chicago Bears, finishing with two tackles and his first quarterback hit. He ended his rookie season with seven games played, two starts, five tackles, and a quarterback hit.
In his sophomore season of 2018, Wormley appeared in all 16 games with six starts. He recorded two pass breakups against the Buffalo Bills on September 9, 2018, his first career pass deflections. The following week, he posted his first career tackle for loss against the Cincinnati Bengals, and on October 14, 2018, he notched his first career sack against the Tennessee Titans. He finished the year with 16 tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, five pass deflections, and a sack. On November 10, 2019, he recorded his second career sack against the Cincinnati Bengals while reaching career highs of four tackles, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2020–2022)
On March 20, 2020, Wormley was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers along with a 2021 seventh-round draft pick in exchange for the Steelers 2021 fifth-round draft pick. The trade was a rare one between two AFC North rivals who had made only one other trade since the Ravens moved to Baltimore in 1996. He was placed on injured reserve on October 31, 2020, after suffering a knee injury in Week 7, and he was activated on November 21. In Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns, Wormley recorded his first sack as a Steeler, taking down quarterback Baker Mayfield during a 24–22 loss.
Wormley re-signed with the Steelers on a two-year contract on March 22, 2021. His time in Pittsburgh ended on December 14, 2022, when he was placed on injured reserve after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a torn ACL. The injury concluded his Steelers tenure on a difficult note but did not end his professional career.
Carolina Panthers and Return to Baltimore (2023–2024)
On September 11, 2023, Wormley was signed by the Carolina Panthers. He was promoted to the active roster on December 15 of that year. On September 16, 2024, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens practice squad, returning to the franchise that drafted him. He appeared in two regular-season games during that stint, recording four tackles.
Indianapolis Colts Era (2025–Present)
On November 18, 2025, Wormley signed with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad. He was activated for the team’s November 30, 2025 game against the Houston Texans, recording a sack in the contest. The signing marked a return to a regular-season roster and offered him an opportunity to contribute to an AFC South defense.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although he plays football rather than motorsport, Wormley’s on-field identity is built around run defense and pocket collapse from the interior. His combination of size, length, and leverage allows him to anchor against double teams while still pursuing quarterbacks. He has consistently produced tackles for loss when healthy and has shown the discipline required to maintain gap integrity on early downs.
Notable Events and Milestones
Wormley’s career has been marked by several signature moments, including his first NFL start against the Chicago Bears in 2017, his first career sack against the Tennessee Titans in 2018, and his first sack as a Steeler against Baker Mayfield in 2020. He was also a team captain for the 2016 Michigan Wolverines and earned All-American recognition that same season. His rare trade between Baltimore and Pittsburgh in 2020 highlighted by national media as one of the few modern deals between the two rivals.
Chris Wormley Career Wins
Chris Wormley has accumulated a body of work across multiple franchises, contributing as a rotational and starting defensive lineman in the National Football League. While individual game victories and statistical achievements are spread across his various team tenures, his resume includes a third-round draft selection, multiple seasons of double-digit tackle production, and recognition as an All-American at the collegiate level.
NFL Career Highlights
Wormley’s professional milestones include his 2017 draft selection by the Baltimore Ravens, his first career sack against the Tennessee Titans in 2018, and his first sack as a Pittsburgh Steeler against the Cleveland Browns in 2020. He appeared in all 16 games for Baltimore in 2018 and recorded career highs in tackles, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits during a 2019 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. More recently, he posted a sack in his 2025 debut with the Indianapolis Colts against the Houston Texans.
Other Performances
At the collegiate level, Wormley recorded 39 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and six sacks during the 2016 season, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors from the conference coaches and second-team All-American recognition from Sporting News. He was also a team captain for the 2016 Michigan Wolverines and appeared on the watch lists for both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award.
Chris Wormley Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Detailed public information about Chris Wormley’s parents and extended family has not been widely published. His upbringing in Toledo, Ohio, is well documented, as is his development at Whitmer High School, where he became an all-state football player.
Personal Life
Public records about Chris Wormley’s marital status, spouse, and children are not widely available. He maintains a presence on social media, including an Instagram account under the handle big_worm43 and an X account at chris_wormley43.
2025 Season Performance
Chris Wormley entered the 2025 NFL season as a free agent looking to extend his professional career. On November 18, 2025, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad, joining an AFC South defense in need of interior line depth. His activation for the November 30, 2025 matchup against the Houston Texans offered an immediate opportunity to contribute.
In his first game action with the Colts, Wormley recorded a sack, signaling that he still has the physical tools to produce at the NFL level. The performance provides a foundation for additional roles in the Colts defensive rotation as the season progresses.
Looking forward, Wormley’s outlook with Indianapolis depends on continued health and production in pass-rush situations. After recovering from a torn ACL suffered in 2022 and navigating roster moves across multiple teams, his 2025 campaign represents a late-career opportunity to stabilize his role on an active NFL roster.