Kendal Thompson facts for kids

Kendal Thompson, born on May 14, 1992, is a former American football player. He played for three seasons as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). His teams were the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Rams. Before joining the NFL, Kendal played college football as a quarterback. He played for the Oklahoma Sooners and the Utah Utes. He later changed his position to wide receiver for the NFL. Kendal signed with the Washington Redskins in 2016. He is the son of Charles Thompson, who was also a famous quarterback for the University of Oklahoma.

Kendal Thompson's Early Life

Kendal Thompson was a star player at Southmoore High School. He was chosen as an "Elite 11" finalist. This honor goes to some of the best high school quarterbacks. He also earned "all-America" honors. This means he was recognized as one of the top players in the country. Kendal played in the "Under Armour All-America Game." He finished high school early in December 2010. Then, he started college at the University of Oklahoma in January 2011.

Kendal Thompson's College Football Career

Playing for the Oklahoma Sooners

Kendal Thompson was "redshirted" in 2011. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in any games. It allowed him to gain experience without using up a year of his college playing eligibility. He also did not play in any games in 2012.

In 2013, Kendal was a redshirt sophomore. He was set to compete for the starting quarterback job. However, he broke his right foot during the first practice. This injury forced him to stop competing for the starting role. He was able to return later in the 2013 season. Kendal played in two games as a backup quarterback. One of these games was against the #6 ranked Oklahoma State team. On January 21, 2014, Kendal announced he would graduate from Oklahoma. He planned to transfer to another college to continue playing football.

Playing for the Utah Utes

After graduating from Oklahoma, Kendal Thompson transferred to the University of Utah. He was allowed to play right away. At Utah, he competed with junior Travis Wilson for the starting quarterback position. Wilson had already started 16 games for Utah in the two seasons before. Most people expected Wilson to win the starting job. He was indeed named the starting quarterback.

In a game against the #8 ranked UCLA on October 4, 2014, Kendal took over for Wilson. The offense had struggled at the start of the game. Kendal then led Utah to an exciting 30-28 victory over UCLA. In the next game against Oregon State, Kendal started as quarterback. But he was replaced by Wilson at halftime. Wilson then led Utah to a win in double overtime. On November 8, Kendal started a game against the #4 ranked Oregon. Sadly, he left the game after tearing his ACL. This knee injury ended his 2014 season.

Kendal Thompson's Professional Football Career

With the Washington Redskins

Kendal Thompson signed with the Washington Redskins on July 27, 2016. He was an "undrafted free agent." This means he was not chosen in the NFL draft but was still signed by a team. On September 3, 2016, he was released by the team. But he was signed to their "practice squad" the very next day. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but do not play in games. They can be called up to the main team if needed.

Kendal spent his entire first year on the practice squad. On January 2, 2017, he signed a "reserve/future contract" with the Redskins. This type of contract means a player is signed for the next season. On August 13, 2017, Kendal was released by the Redskins due to an injury. He was then placed on "injured reserve." This list is for players who are too injured to play. He was released from the team completely on August 18, 2017.

With the Los Angeles Rams

On July 30, 2018, Kendal Thompson signed with the Los Angeles Rams. On August 31, 2018, he was again released due to an injury. He was placed on injured reserve. He was released from the Rams on December 4, 2018.

Kendal Thompson's Personal Life

Kendal Thompson is a member of the Kiowa tribe. He became a member through his mother's family. In 2014, he took part in a special naming ceremony. During this ceremony, he received the name "Little Wolf." Kendal is the older brother of Casey Thompson. Casey is also a quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners.