Kendell Brooks Bio
Kendell Brooks (born March 3, 2000) is an American professional football safety for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet tall and weighing around 205 pounds, he plays a physical brand of defensive back known for run support and special teams value. Brooks played college football for the North Greenville Crusaders and the Michigan State Spartans before entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023.
Early Life and Background
Kendell Brooks was born on March 3, 2000, and grew up in Swansea, South Carolina. He attended Swansea High School, where he developed into an all-state selection. His time at Swansea helped him gain early recognition as a hard-hitting defensive back with the speed and toughness to play at the next level.
Brooks began his college career with the North Greenville Crusaders, where he played two seasons from 2018 to 2019. During that stretch he appeared in 19 games and posted 78 total tackles, including 56 during the 2019 campaign, along with two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He quickly established himself as one of the most productive defenders in the Crusaders’ secondary.
Path to American Football
The 2020 college season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brooks spent that year away from the field working for the family logging business, delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut, and working at FedEx. The experience kept him grounded while he waited for football to return.
After the 2020 season, Brooks entered the transfer portal and considered joining the Mercer Bears of the FCS. Before he made a decision, the Michigan State Spartans of the FBS extended a scholarship offer. He accepted, joining a Big Ten program and moving up to the highest level of college football.
Kendell Brooks Career
Early Career (2018-2020)
At North Greenville, Brooks built his reputation as a tackling machine in the defensive secondary. His 78 tackles across two seasons and an all-state background coming out of Swansea High School earned him attention from bigger programs.
When the 2020 season was wiped out by the pandemic, Brooks used the time to work several jobs and stay close to home. His decision to enter the transfer portal set up the most important move of his young career, a jump from the FCS to the Big Ten with Michigan State.
Michigan State Spartans Breakthrough (2021-2022)
In his first season with the Spartans in 2021, Brooks saw limited defensive action and recorded nine tackles, with most of his work coming on special teams. He appeared on just 26 defensive snaps as he adjusted to the speed of FBS football.
The 2022 season was his true breakout. Brooks was given a chance to start in the second game of the year after an injury to Xavier Henderson, and he made an immediate impact with seven tackles and a forced fumble against Akron. He ended up starting 10 games and led the Michigan State secondary with 756 defensive snaps. He tied for eighth in the FBS with three forced fumbles while ranking second on the team and fifth in the Big Ten with 100 tackles. The performance turned him into one of the most respected defensive backs in the conference and put him on NFL radars.
Arizona Cardinals (2023)
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Brooks signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent. His contract included $80,000 in guarantees, the second-largest sum among Arizona’s undrafted signees that year. The Cardinals viewed him as a developmental safety with special teams upside.
Brooks was released by the Cardinals on August 29, 2023, as part of the league’s final roster cuts ahead of the regular season. Even though his Cardinals stay was short, the guaranteed money showed the team saw real potential in the young safety.
Indianapolis Colts (2024)
On January 9, 2024, Brooks signed a reserve/future contract with the Indianapolis Colts. The deal gave him an opportunity to compete for a roster spot the following training camp. He was waived by the Colts on August 14, 2024, before the regular season began.
Washington Commanders (2024)
Brooks was signed by the Washington Commanders on August 20, 2024. His stay in Washington was brief, as he was released just a week later on August 27, 2024, during the final stages of preseason roster trimming.
Tennessee Titans Era (2024-Present)
On September 2, 2024, Brooks was signed to the Tennessee Titans practice squad, giving him a new home and a chance to develop. He was promoted to the active roster on December 7, 2024, and made his NFL debut in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, contributing on special teams.
Brooks was waived by the Titans on August 26, 2025, as part of final roster cuts and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He was waived from the practice squad on September 1, 2025, before being re-signed on October 2 and promoted to the active roster eight days later. His perseverance through multiple transactions has defined his early pro career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Brooks is a physical, downhill safety who excels against the run and on special teams. His college production at Michigan State showed a knack for forcing fumbles, with three in 2022, and a willingness to play the majority of defensive snaps. His speed, tackling reliability, and special teams toughness have helped him survive multiple rounds of NFL roster cuts.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the highlights of Kendell Brooks’ career so far are his 2022 breakout at Michigan State, where he racked up 100 tackles and three forced fumbles, and his NFL debut with the Tennessee Titans in Week 14 of the 2024 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. His ability to bounce back after being released by four different organizations in less than two years stands as another defining chapter of his early pro journey.
Kendell Brooks Career Wins
Kendell Brooks’ win totals at the professional level are still developing, as his NFL opportunities have largely come through practice squad stints and short stints on active rosters. His most celebrated on-field results remain from his Michigan State career, where his statistical production spoke louder than any trophy case.
Michigan State Spartans Highlights
Brooks’ 2022 season was his crown jewel at the college level, with 100 tackles, three forced fumbles, and 756 defensive snaps leading the Spartans secondary. While Michigan State’s team win total that season was modest, his individual accolades, including tying for eighth in the FBS in forced fumbles, made him one of the conference’s most productive defenders.
Other Wins & Performances
At North Greenville, Brooks was a tackling leader across two seasons and earned all-state honors in high school. His perseverance through four NFL transactions between 2023 and 2025 stands as one of his defining performances, even though box-score wins remain limited at the professional level.
Kendell Brooks Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Brooks comes from a working family in Swansea, South Carolina. During the 2020 pandemic shutdown, he returned home to help run the family logging business, an experience that highlighted the close bond he shares with his relatives and his willingness to work hard away from football.
Personal Life
Outside of football, Brooks spent time working as a deliveryman at Pizza Hut and as a FedEx employee during the canceled 2020 season. Those jobs reflected his blue-collar roots and the small-town upbringing that shaped his work ethic in the NFL.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a roller coaster for Kendell Brooks with the Tennessee Titans. He was waived as part of final roster cuts on August 26, 2025, then quickly re-signed to the practice squad the following day. A September 1 release followed, before he was brought back again on October 2 and promoted to the active roster eight days later.
His role with the Titans has continued to center on special teams, the same phase of the game where he made his NFL debut in 2024. The repeated transactions reflect the typical life of a young safety fighting to establish himself, and Brooks has continued to earn chances through his tackling and energy on coverage units.
Looking ahead, Brooks’ outlook in Tennessee depends on staying healthy and continuing to deliver on special teams while developing into a reliable backup safety. With the Titans giving him multiple opportunities already in 2025, his path to a more permanent roster spot remains open if his production holds steady.