Cassanova McKinzy facts for kids

Cassanova McKinzy (born November 17, 1992) is an American football player. He plays as a linebacker, which is a defensive position. He is currently a free agent, meaning he is not signed to a team. Cassanova played college football for Auburn University. In 2016, he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.

Early Life and High School Football

Cassanova McKinzy was born to Joann Brown and Charles Drake. He grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. He went to Woodlawn High School. There, he played high school football for the Woodlawn Colonels team.

College Football Career

Cassanova was a highly-rated football player in high school. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. He chose to play for Auburn University. He played under head coach Gus Malzahn.

He had offers from other big schools like Alabama and Florida State. A funny story is that he once said he didn't pick one school because it didn't have a nearby Chick-fil-A restaurant. He was mistaken, as there was one on campus! Cassanova played for Auburn for three seasons, from 2012 to 2015.

Professional Football Journey

After college, Cassanova McKinzy began his professional football career. He played for several teams in different leagues.

Playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 2016, after the 2016 NFL draft, Cassanova was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He joined them as an undrafted free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the draft but was still offered a contract. He was with the team for a short time before being released in August 2016.

Time with the Los Angeles Rams

In January 2017, Cassanova signed a contract with the Los Angeles Rams. He was part of their team for a while. He was later moved to their practice squad. The practice squad is where players train with the team but are not on the main roster. He left the Rams in September 2017.

Years with the Washington Redskins

Cassanova joined the Washington Redskins in January 2018. He signed a reserve/future contract with them. He was released and re-signed a few times that year. He was promoted to the main team roster in October 2018.

In November 2018, he suffered a serious injury. He tore a muscle in his chest, which is called a pectoral muscle. This injury meant he could not play for the rest of that season. He was released by the Redskins in October 2019. He then rejoined their practice squad. His contract with them ended in January 2020.

Playing in the CFL with Calgary

In June 2021, Cassanova McKinzy signed with a new team. He joined the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). This league is similar to the NFL but has slightly different rules. He played for them until 2022.

Joining the Vegas Vipers

Cassanova was chosen by the Vegas Vipers in the 2023 XFL draft. The XFL is another professional football league in the United States. He played for the Vipers in 2023.