Eric Kendricks

• Named Vikings 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee.

• Took leadership role on Vikings Social Justice Committee following the killing of George Floyd in Spring 2020, calling for action and leading team and nationwide discussion.

• Named to his 1st Pro Bowl and earned Associated Press 1st-Team All-Pro honors following the 2019 season.

• Since entering the league in 2015, he ranks 3rd with 639 tackles (league stats).

• The highest-graded LB in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus in 2019, boasting a score of 90.5.

• Tied for 2nd-most career INT Return TDs (2) in team history by a LB, trailing only Rip Hawkins (3).

• Named Vikings 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee.

• Took leadership role on Vikings Social Justice Committee following the killing of George Floyd in Spring 2020, calling for action and leading team and nationwide discussion.

• Named to his 1st Pro Bowl and earned Associated Press 1st-Team All-Pro honors following the 2019 season.

• Since entering the league in 2015, he ranks 3rd with 639 tackles (league stats).

• The highest-graded LB in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus in 2019, boasting a score of 90.5.

• Tied for 2nd-most career INT Return TDs (2) in team history by a LB, trailing only Rip Hawkins (3).

OFF THE FIELD

• Earned his degree from UCLA in political science.

• Auctioned his original paintings and matched the purchase price for donations to food shelves during Covid19 shutdown.

• Father, Horace, was a RB at UCLA and played in the CFL.

• Brother, Mychal, attended California and was drafted by Philadelphia in the 2nd round (#46 overall) in 2012 NFL Draft, 1 pick lower than younger brother Eric would go 3 years later.

• "Leap Year" baby born on 2/29/92 in Clovis, CA.

• Has 7 siblings.

• Has regularly met with youth at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center and worked with Twin Cities-based nonprofit All Square, a counseling and support group for people with police records re-entering society.

• Visited pediatric patients at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital during the 2019 offseason, playing video games, doing arts and crafts and talking football with the kids.

• College roommate of 2014 1st-round selection Anthony Barr.

HONORS

• Named Vikings 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee.

• Earned AP 1st-Team All-Pro honors in 2019.

• Named to his 1st career Pro Bowl in 2019.

• Recognized as Vikings Defensive MVP for 2019 as part of MN Football Honors program.

• NFC Defensive Player of the Week at Tennessee (9/11/16).

• Named to PFWA All-Rookie Team for 2015.

• Earned NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month for October 2015.

PRO

• Has led the Vikings in tackles each season he has been in the NFL and can tie the Vikings record by leading the club in stops for the 6th straight season in 2020.

• Has a pair of INT return TDs, tied for 2nd-most by a Vikings LB in team history and 1 shy of the club record held by Rip Hawkins.

• Led 2017 team in tackles as defense ranked #1 in the NFL for the 1st time since 1992 and ranked #1 in scoring defense.

• Selected in the 2nd Round (#45 overall) of 2015 NFL Draft.

2020: MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Started the first 11 games of the season before missing Weeks 13-17 with an injury. His 107 tackles ranked 2nd on the team while his 3 INTs were a career-high and tied for 1st by NFL LBs.

• Finished 2nd on the team in total tackles with 107 after missing Weeks 13-17 with an injury and tied for the NFL lead with teammate Eric Wilson among NFL LBs with 3 INTs.

• Minnesota last had 2 LBs with at least 3 INTs each in a season in 1988 when Jesse Solomon notched 4 picks and David Howard had 3. It's only the 4th time in team history (also in 1969 and 1961) 2 LBs had at least 3 INTs.

• Led the defense with 10 tackles and tallied a tackle for loss in the season opener vs. Green Bay (9/13).

• His 12 tackles (11 solo) ranked first on the team and added a tackle for loss at Indianapolis (9/20).

• Led Vikings with 10 tackles and added a pass defensed in Week 3 (9/27).

• Recorded 12 tackles at Houston to lead Minnesota in stops for fourth straight week. Also had a pass defensed.

• Tallied eight tackles at Seattle to lead Vikings defense for fifth straight week (10/11).

• Led the team with 13 tackles vs. Atlanta (10/18).

• With a team-leading 12 tackles at Green Bay, Kendricks surpassed 600 career tackles to become the 24th player in the league since 1970 to record 600 or more tackles in 81 career games or less (according to league stats).

• Recorded the fifth interception of his career, an end zone grab of a Matthew Stafford pass, and finished with six tackles vs. Detroit (11/8).

• Tallied second interception of 2020 to set a season high and recorded seven tackles and tied his single-game high of two passes defensed vs. Dallas (11/22).

• Led Minnesota with 12 tackles, season-high 2 TFL and recorded his 3rd INT of the season as Minnesota had a comeback victory over Carolina in Week 12 (11/29).

• Suffered a calf injury in warmups vs. Jacksonville (12/6) and did not play in Weeks 13-17.

2019: MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Started all 15 games he played, making 130 total tackles (88 solo) to lead team for the 5th consecutive season.

• Earned AP 1st-Team All-Pro honors following the 2019 season, becoming the 1st Vikings LB to be named All-Pro since Chad Greenway (2nd Team) in 2012. Matt Blair in 1980 was the last 1st-Team AP All-Pro honoree at LB.

• Named to Pro Bowl for the 1st time in his career.

• Tied a career high with 2 passes defensed in his 60th career game to open the season vs. Atlanta (9/8).

• Led the team with 13 total tackles at Green Bay (9/15), surpassing the 500 career tackles mark.

• Notched a season-high 14 tackles (9 solo) at Chicago (9/29).

• Was all over the field vs. Philadelphia (10/13), tying for the team lead with 11 total tackles (8 solo) and adding 1 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 QBH, 1 FF and tying a career high with 2 PD.

• Led the team with 14 total tackles (8 solo) at Detroit (10/20), adding 1 TFL, 1 QBH and recording his 3rd consecutive game with 2 PD, matching a career high.

• Came up with a crucial late-game 4th-down PD at Dallas (11/10), halting a Cowboys drive in the red zone to seal the win.

• Recorded his 12th PD of the season vs. Denver (11/17), tying Ben Leber (2008) and Matt Blair (1981) for the Vikings single-season record among LBs.

• Recorded his 2nd FF of the season at the LA Chargers (12/15) to go along with a team-leading 8 total tackles.

• Set a single-game career-high with 2 FRs vs. Green Bay (12/23) before exiting with an injury at the end of the 1st half.

• Made 5 total tackles (1 solo) in the Wild Card playoff win at New Orleans (1/5/20).

• Wrapped up 8 total tackles (4 solo) and recorded the 1st postseason INT of his career in the Divisional game at San Francisco, finishing with 2 PBUs.

2018: MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Started 14 consecutive games to begin the season before missing the final 2 due to a hamstring injury.

• Despite missing time, led the team in tackles for the 4th consecutive season, finishing with 122.

• Played in his 50th career game at Philadelphia (10/7), leading the team with 8 tackles (4 solo) and recovering a Jay Ajayi fumble at the goal line.

• Broke a career-high set 2 weeks prior by recording 18 total tackles (11 solo) at New England (12/2). Also intercepted Tom Brady for the 3rd INT of his career.

• At Seattle (12/10), marked his 2nd straight game with an INT, picking off Russell Wilson in the red zone (3-yard return) to become the 1st Vikings LB with multiple INTs in a single season since Chad Greenway (3) and Erin Henderson (2) in 2013.

• Wrapped up his 1st sack of the season vs. Miami (12/16).

• Inactive Weeks 16-17 with a hamstring injury.

2017: MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Led Vikings with career-high 136 tackles, starting all 16 games for the 1st time in his career for the #1 defense in the NFL.

• Compiled 9 tackles (5 solo), his 1st sack of the season along with 2 TFL and 2 QBH vs. Detroit (10/1).

• Led the team in tackles for the 3rd consecutive week, totaling 13 tackles (8 solo) with a TFL, 2 QBH and 2 PD vs. Cleveland (10/29) at Twickenham Stadium in London, England.

• Recorded a career-high 4 QBH at Detroit (11/23) on Thanksgiving Day while also tallying 3 tackles (1 solo).

• Led the team with 11 solo tackles at Atlanta (12/3).

• Totaled 10 tackles (6 solo) at Carolina (12/10) for his 7th double-digit tackles game of season.

• Led the team with 6 tackles and his 2nd career INT, which he returned 31 yards for his 2nd career INT TD vs. Cincinnati (12/17) to clinch the NFC North for the 2nd time in 3 seasons.

• Made 8 tackles (5 solo) and a PD at Green Bay (12/23) as the Vikings shut out the Packers at Lambeau for the 1st time ever.

• Had a team-high 10 tackles (7 solo) and 2 QBH in the Vikings Divisional Round win vs. New Orleans (1/14/18).

• Had 6 tackles and 2 PD at Philadelphia (1/21/18) in NFC Championship Game.

2016: MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Totaled a career-high 126 tackles (86 solo) – including 49 in the final 4 games of the season – 10 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 4 QBHs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT and 11 PD.

• Became the 2nd Viking and 1st LB in team history to record at least 10 TFL and 10 PD in the same season.

• Scored his 1st-career TD, returning an INT 77 yards, to give the Vikings their 1st lead of the day in the season opener at Tennessee (9/11). Posted 7 tackles, including 1 TFL, against the Titans en route to winning NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

• Inactive (concussion) vs. Detroit (11/6).

• Tabbed 1 tackle and 1 PD before leaving the game with a hip injury in the 1st quarter at Washington (11/13).

• Tallied 8 tackles and recovered a WR Lucky Whitehead fumble forced by DE Everson Griffen vs. Dallas (12/1).

• Had team-high 11 tackles, 1 TFL and 1 PD at Jacksonville (12/11).

• Led Minnesota's LBs with 12 tackles, reaching the 100-tackle mark for the 2nd time in his career, vs. Indianapolis (12/18).

• Registered career highs in tackles (13, tied), sacks (2.5) and TFL (4), adding 3 QBHs, at Green Bay (12/24). Tied for 2nd among LBs in team history with his 2.5 sacks against the Packers.

• Matched a career high with 13 tackles (8 solo), adding 1 TFL and 1 QBH, vs. Chicago (1/1/17).

2015: MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Stepped into starting role early in rookie campaign and went on to lead team in tackles with 105, the 2nd time in team history a rookie led the team in stops (Rip Hawkins, 1961).

• Honored with spot on the PFWA/PFW All-Rookie Team.

• Selected as NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month for October 2015 when he had 25 tackles and 4 sacks in a 3-game span.

• Tied for 2nd in Vikings history with 4.0 sacks by a rookie LB and ranks tied for 4th in club history for starts by a rookie LB.

• Took over starting duties at MLB at Denver (10/4) and notched 1st career sack when he caught Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.

• Had season-high 2.0 sacks at Detroit.

• Notched season-best 13 tackles vs. Kansas City (10/18).

• Missed 2 games, vs. St. Louis (11/8) and at Oakland (11/15) with injury.

• Had 3-game streak with a sack: at Denver, vs. Kansas City and at Detroit.

• Part of rookie group that tied a team record by starting 6 players in a game when Kendricks joined T T.J. Clemmings, WR Stefon Diggs, LB Edmond Robinson, CB Trae Waynes and S Anthony Harris in the starting lineup at Arizona (12/10).

COLLEGE

• All-time leading tackler in UCLA history with 481 tackles and started 42 career games for the Bruins.

• Became UCLA's 1st Butkus Award winner in 2014.

• Won the Lott IMPACT Trophy, the 2nd straight season a Bruin won that award (Anthony Barr, 2013).

• Earned All-America as a senior.

• Led UCLA in tackles each season from 2012-14.

• Presented at team banquet with Best Leadership Award, Heart Award and Most Valuable Player Award.

• Co-Captain in 2013, earning honorable mention all-conference and all-academic team.

• Started all 14 games as a sophomore and earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 and academic all-conference as sophomore.

• Started 3 of his 14 contests as a freshman, 2nd on the team in tackles (76), earned the Bruins Rookie of the Year award.

• Redshirt in 2010 and UCLA's Outstanding Scout Team Player.

PREP

• 3-year letter winner at Herbert Hoover HS in Fresno, CA.

• Saw action at LB, QB, RB, K and P.

• Served as team captain during his junior and senior seasons.

• Notched 117 tackles scored 14 TDs on offense as a senior.

• Standout in basketball and baseball.

• Team captain and 1st-Team All-League in 2009 in basketball.