Kendal Vickers Bio
Kendal Bryant Vickers (born May 3, 1995) is an American professional football defensive tackle who has spent time across several leagues since going undrafted in 2018. He has played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, and Arizona Cardinals, and spent one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Edmonton Eskimos. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and listed at about 295 pounds, Vickers has built his career on the interior defensive line, contributing as a rotational pass rusher and run defender. He played his college football at the University of Tennessee before launching a professional journey that has carried him through multiple practice squads, active-roster promotions, and transatlantic opportunities.
Early Life and Background
Kendal Bryant Vickers was born on May 3, 1995, in Havelock, North Carolina. Havelock is a small city in Craven County best known for its proximity to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and the community’s strong football culture helped shape Vickers’ early athletic development. He grew up in that environment before enrolling at Havelock High School, where he played high school football and began attracting the attention of college recruiters.
At Havelock High School, Vickers developed into a notable defensive line prospect, working to build the strength and technique that would later define his professional profile. His performance at the prep level earned him an opportunity to continue his career at the University of Tennessee, where he would go on to spend five seasons in the Southeastern Conference. The combination of his hometown roots and his family’s support laid the foundation for a college trajectory that ultimately led to the professional ranks.
Path to American Football
Vickers arrived at the University of Tennessee in 2013, beginning a college career that would run through the 2017 season under head coach Butch Jones. He worked his way into the defensive line rotation, gaining experience against top-tier competition in the SEC, and he used his time in Knoxville to develop the lower-body power and hand technique that have defined his professional approach. By the end of his senior year, Vickers had positioned himself as a prospect capable of competing at the next level, even though he was not selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Coming out of Tennessee, Vickers had to prove himself as an undrafted free agent rather than enter the league with the security of a draft selection. That pathway, common for many interior defensive linemen, required him to maximize every opportunity in training camps and on practice squads. His college preparation at Tennessee gave him the physical foundation and football IQ to make that leap, opening the door to a professional career that has since spanned both the NFL and the CFL.
Kendal Vickers Career
Early Career (2018)
Kendal Vickers began his professional career on April 28, 2018, when he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent. He spent the 2018 offseason and training camp with the Steelers, working to earn a roster spot along a deep defensive line. On August 31, 2018, he was waived as part of the league’s final roster cuts, ending his time in Pittsburgh.
Shortly after his release, Vickers caught on with the Tennessee Titans, who signed him to their practice squad on December 24, 2018. He remained with the Titans through the end of that season before being released on January 7, 2019. Those early stops gave Vickers his first taste of NFL culture and provided the platform from which he would later expand his professional footprint.
Edmonton Eskimos Era (2019–2020)
On May 19, 2019, Vickers signed with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, opening the next chapter of his career north of the border. Adjusting to the CFL’s wider field and different rules, he appeared in games as an interior defensive lineman and recorded 12 tackles along with two sacks during the 2019 season. That production demonstrated that his skills could translate to a new league and a new style of play.
His time in Edmonton, however, was short. On January 20, 2020, the Eskimos released Vickers in order to give him the opportunity to pursue NFL opportunities. The move set the stage for his most extended NFL tenure to that point, with the Las Vegas Raiders waiting on the horizon.
Las Vegas Raiders Era (2020–2022)
On January 22, 2020, Vickers signed a reserve or futures contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, beginning what would become his longest NFL stop. He made the Raiders’ 53-man roster out of training camp and went on to make his NFL debut on September 13, 2020, against the Carolina Panthers, playing nine snaps on defense and one snap on special teams in a Week 1 victory. Later that season, in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football, Vickers recorded his first career sack, taking down quarterback Justin Herbert in a 30–27 overtime loss.
On March 2, 2021, Vickers signed a one-year contract extension with the Raiders, signaling the organization’s continued belief in his role on the defensive line. He was waived on August 31, 2021, and re-signed to the practice squad the next day, before being promoted back to the active roster on November 10, 2021. His Raiders tenure came to an end on December 6, 2022, when he was released by the team.
Buffalo Bills Era (2022–2023)
On December 8, 2022, Vickers was signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad, giving him a fresh opportunity late in the season. He was released on December 21, 2022, but signed a reserve or future contract with the Bills on January 9, 2023, locking in his place for the following offseason. On August 29, 2023, Vickers was waived by the Bills and quickly re-signed to the practice squad.
He was elevated from the practice squad for the Bills’ Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he made two tackles across 46 snaps in his Buffalo debut. On October 31, 2023, the Bills released him, closing out his time in Western New York.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2023)
On November 2, 2023, Vickers was signed to the Arizona Cardinals practice squad, adding another NFL stop to his journeyman resume. He worked within the Cardinals’ defensive line group for the remainder of that season but was not signed to a reserve or future contract after the campaign ended. As a result, Vickers became a free agent once his practice squad contract expired.
New Orleans Saints Era (2024)
On May 13, 2024, Vickers signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, beginning his most recent NFL chapter. He was released on August 28, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad, working his way back into the mix during the regular season. Vickers played in one game for the Saints before he was released on December 18, 2024, leaving his next move open heading into the following year.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the field, Vickers has built his reputation on the interior defensive line as a compact, powerful lineman with a low center of gravity that allows him to anchor against the run. His pass-rush contributions have come in situational bursts, and he has shown a knack for finishing plays when given clean lanes to the quarterback. Coaches have valued his willingness to handle dirty work in the trenches and his ability to step into larger roles when called upon from the practice squad.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most significant milestones of Vickers’ career are his first NFL sack against Justin Herbert in 2020 and his NFL debut with the Las Vegas Raiders in a Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers. His 2019 season in the CFL, during which he posted 12 tackles and two sacks with the Edmonton Eskimos, stands as another career highlight, while his practice-squad elevations with multiple teams underscore the consistent value he has provided on the margins of NFL rosters.
Kendal Vickers Career Wins
Because Vickers plays as an interior defensive lineman, his statistical resume is built around pressures, tackles, and sacks rather than win totals. Across his NFL and CFL stops, his most concrete production includes 12 tackles and two sacks with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2019, two tackles in his Buffalo Bills debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023, and his first career sack on Justin Herbert in 2020 with the Las Vegas Raiders.
NFL Highlights
Vickers’ most memorable NFL moments include his 2020 debut with the Las Vegas Raiders and his first career sack of Justin Herbert later that same season. His single-game appearance for the Buffalo Bills in 2023, in which he recorded two tackles in 46 snaps against the Jacksonville Jaguars, also stands out as one of his most productive outings at the NFL level.
Other Wins & Performances
In the Canadian Football League, Vickers’ 2019 campaign with the Edmonton Eskimos produced 12 tackles and two sacks, marking his most statistically productive professional season to date. That performance helped him secure a return to the NFL landscape with the Las Vegas Raiders in early 2020.
Kendal Vickers Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Kendal Vickers’ immediate family has not been widely documented in available sources. He grew up in Havelock, North Carolina, a community shaped in part by the presence of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and that hometown environment has been a defining part of his personal story.
Personal Life
Details about Vickers’ personal life, including marital status and children, have not been publicly confirmed in available sources. His social media presence, including his Instagram account, offers glimpses of his life off the field, but the biographical record remains focused primarily on his football career.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Kendal Vickers was working as a free agent after his release from the New Orleans Saints practice squad on December 18, 2024. The 2024 campaign saw him sign a one-year deal with New Orleans, navigate a release and practice-squad return, and appear in one regular-season game for the Saints. That trajectory reflects the journeyman nature of his career and the value he continues to bring as a depth option along the interior defensive line.
At 6 feet 3 inches and roughly 295 pounds, Vickers still fits the physical profile teams look for in a rotational defensive tackle, and his track record of practice-squad elevations, in-season contributions, and a verified CFL season of production suggest he remains a viable depth signing. The 2025 outlook for Vickers will depend on which NFL or CFL organization offers him an opportunity, whether through a reserve or future contract, a training-camp invitation, or an in-season signing.
For Vickers, the 2025 season represents another opportunity to extend a professional career that has already spanned more than six years and multiple leagues. His experience inside SEC competition at Tennessee, combined with stops in Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Buffalo, Arizona, and New Orleans, gives him a broad perspective on defensive line play. Whether he lands on an active roster, a practice squad, or returns to the CFL, his journeyman resume and proven ability to contribute in short stints make him a candidate to remain active in professional football.