Peyton Hendershot Bio
Peyton Hendershot (born April 23, 1999) is an American professional football tight end who has competed at the highest level of the sport in the National Football League. He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers and has suited up for the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs since entering the league as an undrafted free agent. Listed at 193 centimeters and 115 kilograms, Hendershot is recognized for his combination of size, reliability as a blocker, and pass-catching instincts at the tight end position.
After developing into one of the most productive tight ends in Indiana Hoosiers history, Hendershot transitioned to the NFL, where he earned a place on a 53-man roster out of training camp and immediately contributed as a rookie. His career has been defined by perseverance through injuries and a willingness to embrace special teams and blocking responsibilities to stay on the field.
Early Life and Background
Peyton Hendershot was born on April 23, 1999, in Lizton, Indiana, a small town located in Hendricks County. He grew up in the same community where he would later build his athletic foundation, attending Tri-West Hendricks High School. From a young age, he showed the kind of multi-sport versatility that would later help him adjust to the demands of professional football.
As a sophomore, Hendershot contributed to the Tri-West Hendricks team that won the 2014 3A state championship. As a junior, he emerged as a two-way player at tight end and defensive end, posting 51 receptions for 685 yards and eight touchdowns on offense, along with 30 tackles, four sacks, and three pass breakups on defense. As a senior, he produced 67 receptions for 896 yards and nine touchdowns, finishing his high school career with 157 catches for 2,170 yards and 22 touchdowns.
His efforts in high school earned him All-county, All-conference, 6A All-state, Indiana Football Coaches Association Top 50, and Indianapolis Star position award recognition. In addition to football, he also played basketball, averaging 12.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.9 blocks as a junior, demonstrating the same athleticism that would later serve him well as a tight end.
Path to American Football
Hendershot’s progression from a small-town high school athlete to a college recruit reflected his steady development as a tight end. After a productive senior season at Tri-West Hendricks, he accepted a football scholarship from Indiana University Bloomington, where he would go on to become the most productive tight end in the program’s history.
His move to the Big Ten Conference represented a significant step up in competition. Hendershot used his freshman year to adjust to the speed and complexity of college football, appearing in the first four games of the 2017 season before a season-ending injury led to a medical redshirt. The setback did not derail his development; instead, it set the stage for an extended run of productive seasons in Bloomington.
Peyton Hendershot Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Hendershot’s college career at Indiana University Bloomington began in 2017, when he appeared in the first four games as a backup tight end before suffering a season-ending injury that led to a medical redshirt. In 2018, as a redshirt freshman, he started 10 of 11 games while rotating with Austin Dorris, finishing the year with 15 receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns, including two receptions for 47 yards against Rutgers University.
In 2019, as a sophomore, Hendershot started all 13 games and set the school’s single-season tight end record with 52 catches for 622 yards. He posted seven games with 50-or-more receiving yards and six contests with five-or-more catches, including four receptions for 70 yards against Ohio State University, six receptions for 95 yards against the University of Maryland, and seven receptions for 51 yards against Penn State University. By the end of his college career, he had appeared in 32 games and finished as Indiana’s career leader for tight ends with 136 receptions for 1,479 yards, ranking second in program history with 14 receiving touchdowns.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2022–2023)
Following the 2022 NFL Draft, Hendershot signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent on April 30. He made the initial 53-man roster out of training camp as the team’s third-string tight end, working behind Dalton Schultz and fellow rookie Jake Ferguson. In Week 7 of the 2022 season, he scored his first NFL touchdown on a two-yard reception in a 24–6 victory over the Detroit Lions, a milestone moment in his rookie year. He went on to appear in all 17 games and start two, finishing with 11 receptions for 103 yards, two touchdowns, and three special teams tackles.
In 2023, Hendershot faced a more difficult situation after Schultz left in free agency and the Cowboys used a second-round pick on Luke Schoonmaker, pushing Hendershot back to a third-string role. He suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 and was placed on injured reserve on October 12, 2023, before being activated on December 6. He appeared in eight games with one start, registering four receptions for 38 yards, and later required offseason surgery on the ankle.
Kansas City Chiefs Era (2024)
Hendershot was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2026 conditional seventh-round pick on August 27, 2024. After being waived on September 17, he was re-signed to the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on November 2, 2024. He was placed on injured reserve on November 26 before being activated on December 23, appearing in seven games as a backup and recording five receptions for 51 yards. He also played in all three of the Chiefs’ playoff games, though he was not re-signed after the season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hendershot is valued primarily as a blocking tight end who can also contribute as a pass catcher. His combination of size, length, and willingness to engage defenders at the point of attack has allowed him to hold a roster spot throughout his career, while his reliable hands make him a useful target on play-action and underneath routes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hendershot’s first NFL touchdown, which came on a two-yard reception against the Detroit Lions in 2022, stands as one of the signature moments of his young career. His status as Indiana’s all-time career leader in receptions by a tight end and his 2021 third-team All-Big Ten selection represent additional milestones that underscore his college legacy.
Peyton Hendershot Career Wins
While Hendershot is a tight end rather than a primary scorer, his career has featured a series of verified statistical milestones and team accomplishments. At Tri-West Hendricks High School, he was part of the 2014 3A state championship team, and at Indiana, he became the program’s all-time leader in tight end receptions.
Indiana Hoosiers Highlights
Across his college career at Indiana University Bloomington, Hendershot appeared in 32 games and finished as the school’s career leader for tight ends with 136 receptions for 1,479 yards, ranking second in program history with 14 receiving touchdowns. In 2019, he set the school’s single-season tight end record with 52 catches for 622 yards, and in 2021 he earned third-team All-Big Ten honors while leading the team in receiving yards with 543.
Other Wins and Performances
At the high school level, Hendershot helped Tri-West Hendricks win the 2014 3A state championship and finished with 157 receptions for 2,170 yards and 22 touchdowns over his career. In the NFL, he appeared in all three of the Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff games in 2024.
Peyton Hendershot Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Peyton Hendershot was raised in Lizton, Indiana, where he attended Tri-West Hendricks High School and developed into a multi-sport athlete. Specific details about his parents and immediate family have not been publicly verified.
Personal Life
Public information about Hendershot’s personal life is limited. He has not publicly confirmed a spouse or children, and his primary focus throughout his career has been on football and his ongoing efforts to remain healthy and productive at the professional level.
2025 Season Performance
Following the 2024 campaign, Hendershot was not re-signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving his status for the 2025 season uncertain. As of early 2025, he remained a free agent, and any return to an NFL roster would likely depend on his recovery from past injuries and his ability to contribute on special teams and as a depth tight end.
If he returns to the field in 2025, Hendershot will be looking to recapture the form that allowed him to play all 17 games as a rookie with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. His experience as both a starter and a special teams contributor could make him an attractive option for a team in need of tight end depth during training camp.
His career arc, from undrafted free agent to all-time leading tight end at Indiana to a contributor on a Super Bowl contender in Kansas City, suggests that Hendershot still has value as a depth piece and locker-room presence heading into the 2025 season.