Kendrick Green Bio
Kendrick Green is an American professional football center for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 141 kilograms, Green has built his career around positional versatility, lining up at center and guard since his first professional season.
Early Life and Background
Kendrick Green was born on December 22, 1998, in Peoria, Illinois. He grew up in Peoria and attended Peoria High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete in baseball, football, and wrestling. His football career quickly became the centerpiece of his athletic identity, and he developed into one of the most productive defensive players in the state during his high school years.
As a senior, Green was named first-team All-State after recording 113 tackles, including 33 tackles for a loss, 15 sacks, and four forced fumbles. He led Peoria to the 2016 IHSA 5A state championship, a performance that established him as a priority recruit for several Big Ten programs. Following that championship season, Green committed to play college football at Illinois, choosing the Fighting Illini over an offer from Iowa.
Path to American Football
Green arrived at the University of Illinois as a defensive tackle, but the program asked him to make a significant position change early in his college career. He redshirted his true freshman season and moved from defensive tackle to the offensive line, a transition that reshaped the trajectory of his football future. The switch required him to learn a new craft while preserving the physical toughness that had defined his high school play.
As a redshirt freshman, Green started all 12 of the Illini’s games at left guard, an immediate contribution that demonstrated his readiness for Big Ten competition. He returned as the starting left guard in his redshirt sophomore season and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference recognition, along with an honorable mention All-American nod from Pro Football Focus (PFF). Those honors confirmed that the position change had been a successful one and set the stage for a defining junior year.
Kendrick Green Career
Early Career (2021)
Kendrick Green was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round, 87th overall, of the 2021 NFL draft, marking him as one of the program’s prized offensive line prospects. On July 20, 2021, he signed his four-year rookie contract with Pittsburgh. Heading into organized team activities and his first NFL training camp, Green was listed as the starting center on the Steelers’ training camp depth chart, where he faced minor competition from veteran J. C. Hassenauer. At the conclusion of the NFL preseason, head coach Mike Tomlin officially named Green the Steelers’ starting center.
Green made his first career start and NFL debut in the Steelers’ Week 1 victory over the Buffalo Bills. He played in 95 percent of the offensive snaps in that game, 100 percent in Week 2, and 89 percent in Week 3. From Weeks 4 through 15, he played 100 percent of the Steelers’ offensive snaps in every contest, posting a 53.1 grade from PFF for his rookie season. Overall, Green finished his first year appearing in 15 games with 15 starts, logging 96 percent of the offensive snaps and committing six penalties, including four holding calls. He suffered an injury in Week 16 against the Kansas City Chiefs that kept him out of the final two games of the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2021–2022)
The Steelers moved Green from center to guard in his second professional season, asking him to demonstrate the same positional flexibility that had defined his college career. He competed with Kevin Dotson for the starting left guard position throughout the preseason, but Dotson ultimately won the job. Green spent the entire 2022 season on the active roster, but he was a game-day inactive for all 17 games as he waited for an opportunity to return to the field.
Houston Texans Era (2023–2024)
On August 29, 2023, the Steelers traded Green to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick, opening a new chapter in his professional career. His tenure in Houston, however, was interrupted by injury. On October 4, 2023, Green was placed on injured reserve after suffering a torn meniscus in Week 4, forcing him to miss the remainder of that season. He remained with the Texans through 2024 before reaching the end of his time in Houston.
Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns Era (2025–Present)
On March 14, 2025, Green signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills, returning to the field in a new setting. He was released on August 26 as part of final roster cuts and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. On December 24, 2025, Green was signed by the Cleveland Browns off the Bills practice squad, joining the AFC North franchise where he continues his career at the center position.
Notable Events and Milestones
Green’s career has been defined by adaptability, including a college transition from defensive tackle to offensive line and an NFL shift from center to guard and back to center. His recognition as a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2020 and a second-team All-American by USA Today in the same COVID-19 shortened season stands as his most decorated collegiate achievement. He has now appeared on the rosters of four NFL franchises, beginning with his third-round selection in the 2021 draft.
Kendrick Green Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Kendrick Green’s immediate family is limited. He was raised in Peoria, Illinois, and his early football development was shaped in that community. The details of his parents, siblings, or extended relatives have not been widely documented in verified sources.
Personal Life
Kendrick Green has maintained a relatively private personal life. Verified public records do not confirm a spouse, children, or marital status. His professional social media presence, including an Instagram account under the handle kjgreen_53, has been his primary public-facing platform.
2025 Season Performance
Kendrick Green’s 2025 season has reflected the journeyman phase of his career. He began the year by signing a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills on March 14, 2025, hoping to carve out a role on their offensive line. After competing through the spring and summer, he was released on August 26 as part of final roster cuts before re-signing with the Bills’ practice squad the following day.
Green remained on the Buffalo practice squad through the bulk of the regular season. On December 24, 2025, the Cleveland Browns signed him off the Bills practice squad, giving him a late-season opportunity to contribute. The Browns’ decision to add a third-round talent from the 2021 draft underscores the value teams still place on his positional flexibility and experience.
Looking ahead, Green’s pathway back to a steady starting role will depend on his performance in Cleveland’s offensive line room. With prior starting experience at both center and guard, he offers the Browns a versatile interior option. His 2025 journey from a one-year deal in Buffalo to a late-season call-up in Cleveland illustrates both the volatility of an NFL career and the durability that has allowed him to remain in the league into his fifth professional season.