Khalil Mack facts for kids
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Mack with the Chicago Bears in 2019
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| No. 52 – Los Angeles Chargers | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | February 22, 1991 Fort Pierce, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 269 lb (122 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Fort Pierce Westwood | ||||||||||||
| College: | Buffalo (2009–2013) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024 | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Khalil Delshon Mack (KAH-leel; born February 22, 1991) is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Buffalo Bulls. The Oakland Raiders picked him fifth overall in the 2014 NFL draft.
Mack holds the all-time NCAA record for forcing fumbles. He is also tied for the most career tackles for loss in the NCAA. In 2015, he made history. He became the first NFL player ever to be named first-team All-Pro at two different positions in the same season. These positions were defensive end and outside linebacker. In 2018, Mack was traded to the Chicago Bears. He signed a huge contract, becoming the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history at that time. He joined the Chargers in 2022.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Khalil Mack grew up in Fort Pierce, Florida. His parents, Yolanda and Sandy Mack Sr., introduced him to sports early on. He enjoyed baseball and basketball most. He also played Pop Warner football.
Mack went to Fort Pierce Westwood High School. He planned to play basketball in college. But a knee injury before his sophomore year changed things. His high school football coach, Waides Ashmon, convinced him to try football. The coach promised it could still get him a scholarship.
In his only year of high school football, Mack was amazing. He made 140 tackles and nine sacks. He was named third-team All-State in Florida. He also helped his team win a district championship. Even though he was new to football, he earned a scholarship. He went to the State University of New York at Buffalo to play Division I football.
College Football Career
After taking a year off from playing (called redshirting) in 2009, Mack became a starter. He was one of the best defenders in the MAC. He had 68 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He chose to wear jersey number 46. This was a reminder that he was rated low (46 out of 99) in a video game. He wanted to prove everyone wrong.
Mack continued to play great in his sophomore year. He led his team in sacks and forced fumbles. He was named first-team All-MAC. In 2012, he set career highs with 94 tackles and 8 sacks. He earned first-team all-conference honors again.
In 2013, Mack played in all 13 games. He made 100 tackles and 10.5 sacks. He also had three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. He won the CFPA Linebacker Trophy. He was named the 2013 MAC Defensive Player of the Year. This made him the first Buffalo player to win this award. He was also named a second-team All-American. Mack finished his college career tied for the most tackles for loss in NCAA history (75). He set a new NCAA record for forced fumbles with 16.
College Statistics
Khalil Mack's college stats show how dominant he was.
| Season | GP | Tackles | Sacks | Interceptions | Fumbles | Blk | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Ast | Comb | TFL | Yds | Sck | Yds | Int | Yds | BU | PD | QBH | FR | Yds | FF | Kick | Saf | ||
| 2010 | 12 | 40 | 28 | 68 | 14.5 | 86 | 4.5 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 12 | 38 | 27 | 65 | 20.5 | 74 | 5.5 | 35 | 1 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 11 | 52 | 42 | 94 | 21.0 | 98 | 8.0 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | 13 | 56 | 44 | 100 | 19.0 | 98 | 10.5 | 79 | 3 | 125 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 48 | 186 | 141 | 327 | 75.0 | 268 | 28.5 | 217 | 4 | 148 | 21 | 12 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
Records Set by Mack
Mack set several records during his college and NFL career.
- Oakland Raiders Records
- Most sacks in a single game (5)
- Buffalo Bulls Records
- Most tackles for loss (75)
- Most sacks (28.5)
- Most forced fumbles (16)
- NCAA Records
- Tied for most tackles for loss (75)
- Most forced fumbles (16)
Professional Football Career
Leading up to the 2014 NFL draft, many experts thought Mack would be picked very early. He was chosen by the Oakland Raiders as the fifth overall pick.
Oakland Raiders (2014–2017)
2014 Season: Rookie Year
Mack signed a four-year contract with the Raiders. He played his first NFL game against the New York Jets. He recorded six tackles. Later in the season, he got his first career sack against the San Diego Chargers. He also had his first game with multiple sacks against the San Francisco 49ers.
Mack finished his first year with 76 tackles and four sacks. Many thought he might win Defensive Rookie of the Year. He ended up third in the voting. However, he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year by ESPN's NFL Live. His fellow players ranked him 49th among the top 100 players in the NFL.
2015 Season: Making History
Before the 2015 season, Mack switched between playing linebacker and defensive end. In Week 15, he had an amazing game against the Denver Broncos. He sacked their quarterback, Brock Osweiler, five times! This tied a Raiders team record. The Raiders won the game, their first win against the Broncos since 2011. The next week, Mack was chosen for his first Pro Bowl.
Mack finished 2015 with 77 tackles and 15 sacks. After the season, he made NFL history. He became the first player ever to be named to the AP All-Pro First Team at two different positions in the same year. These were right defensive end and outside linebacker. His fellow players ranked him 13th among the top 100 NFL players.
2016 Season: Defensive Player of the Year
In 2016, Mack continued to dominate. In Week 12, he had an incredible game against the Carolina Panthers. He got his first career interception and returned it for his first NFL touchdown! He also forced a fumble late in the game to help the Raiders win. Mack was the first player since 2009 to have an interception, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown in one game.
Mack finished the 2016 season with 73 tackles and 11 sacks. He helped the Raiders reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002. He was named to his second Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro. Mack was also named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for 2016. His peers ranked him 5th among all NFL players. He also won the professional Butkus Award.
2017 Season
The Raiders picked up the option to keep Mack for a fifth year. He continued to be a strong force on defense. He had at least one sack in five straight games late in the season. In Week 13, he forced a fumble and recovered it against the New York Giants.
Mack was named to his third straight Pro Bowl. He finished the 2017 season with 78 tackles and 10.5 sacks. His fellow players ranked him 16th among the top 100 NFL players.
Chicago Bears (2018–2021)
2018 Season: Big Trade and Contract
On September 1, 2018, the Raiders traded Mack to the Chicago Bears. This happened after he held out (didn't play) during the preseason. The Bears gave up two first-round draft picks for him. Soon after the trade, Mack signed a huge six-year contract. It was worth $141 million, with $90 million guaranteed. This made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history at the time.
Mack's first game with the Bears was amazing. He had a strip-sack (sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble) and an interception returned for a touchdown! He was the first player since 1982 to do all that in one half. He continued this strong play, getting strip-sacks in his first four games with the Bears. He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September.
Mack missed two games due to an ankle injury. But he returned strong, helping the Bears win the NFC North division. He finished the 2018 season with 47 tackles and 12.5 sacks. This was the most sacks by a Bears player since 1993. He was chosen for his fourth Pro Bowl and third first-team All-Pro. He finished second in voting for Defensive Player of the Year. He also won his second professional Butkus Award. His peers ranked him 3rd among all NFL players.
2019 Season
In Week 2, Mack recorded his first sack of the season. The next week, he had two sacks and two forced fumbles. He continued to make big plays throughout the season. He had a strip-sack against the New York Giants. He also had a diving sack against the Dallas Cowboys.
Mack was named a starter for the 2020 Pro Bowl. He finished the season with 47 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. He was also named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decades Team for the 2010s. His fellow players ranked him 19th among all NFL players.
2020 Season
Mack started the 2020 season with a sack and a fumble recovery in Week 2. In Week 5, he sacked Tom Brady twice. In Week 10, he got his first interception of the season. In Week 14, he had a safety (sacking the quarterback in the endzone) and forced a fumble.
Mack was named to the Pro Bowl for the sixth year in a row. He finished the season with eight sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception. His fellow players ranked him 23rd among all NFL players.
2021 Season
Mack started the 2021 season strong. He had a sack in Week 2 and two sacks in Week 3. In Week 5, he had a sack against his former team, the Las Vegas Raiders.
Unfortunately, Mack played in only seven games in 2021. He had to have season-ending foot surgery in November. He finished the season with 19 tackles and six sacks.
Los Angeles Chargers (2022–present)
On March 16, 2022, the Bears traded Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers. This trade reunited him with Chargers coach Brandon Staley, who was his coach with the Bears. In his first game with the Chargers, against his old team the Raiders, Mack had three sacks and a forced fumble! This was his best sack performance since 2015. He became only the fifth player ever to have three or more sacks in their debut with a new team.
In Week 4 of the 2023 season, Mack had an incredible game against the Raiders. He recorded six sacks, which is a Chargers team record! This was just one sack shy of tying the NFL record. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for this amazing performance. In December 2023, he reached his 100th career sack. He is only the 19th player to reach this milestone in their first ten seasons.
NFL Career Statistics
Khalil Mack's stats show his consistent high-level performance.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| NFL Defensive Player of the Year | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | FF | FR | Yds | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | ||
| 2014 | OAK | 16 | 16 | 76 | 59 | 17 | 4.0 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2015 | OAK | 16 | 16 | 77 | 57 | 20 | 15.0 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2016 | OAK | 16 | 16 | 73 | 54 | 19 | 11.0 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 6T | 1 | 3 |
| 2017 | OAK | 16 | 16 | 78 | 61 | 17 | 10.5 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2018 | CHI | 14 | 13 | 47 | 37 | 10 | 12.5 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 | 27T | 1 | 4 |
| 2019 | CHI | 16 | 16 | 47 | 40 | 7 | 8.5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2020 | CHI | 16 | 16 | 50 | 29 | 21 | 9.0 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 33.0 | 33 | 0 | 3 |
| 2021 | CHI | 7 | 7 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | LAC | 17 | 17 | 50 | 33 | 17 | 8.0 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023 | LAC | 17 | 17 | 74 | 57 | 17 | 17.0 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2024 | LAC | 16 | 16 | 39 | 20 | 19 | 6.0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Career | 167 | 166 | 630 | 462 | 168 | 107.5 | 142 | 32 | 13 | 90 | 3 | 66 | 22.0 | 33 | 2 | 43 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TfL | FF | FR | Yds | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | ||
| 2016 | OAK | 1 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | CHI | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | CHI | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | LAC | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | LAC | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 5 | 5 | 28 | 19 | 9 | 3.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
Awards and Honors
Khalil Mack has received many awards for his outstanding play.
NFL Awards
- NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2016)
- 4× First-team All-Pro (2015, 2016, 2018)
- Second-team All-Pro (2020)
- 9× Pro Bowl (2015–2020, 2022–2024)
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2014)
- 2× Butkus Award (pro) (2016, 2018)
- 100 Greatest Bears of All-Time
College Awards
- MAC Defensive Player of the Year (2013)
- Jack Lambert Trophy (2013)
- First-team All-American (2013)
- 3× First-team All-MAC (2011–2013)
Personal Life
Khalil Mack taught himself to play guitar when he was a freshman at the University at Buffalo. His teammates even tried to get him to sing songs! He enjoys music from artists like Tim McGraw and Hanson.
Mack is a dedicated Christian. He spent a lot of his childhood attending church. His father and mother both served as deacons there.
In 2017, Mack's younger brother, LeDarius, joined the University at Buffalo football team. LeDarius later joined his brother on the Bears in 2020.
Images for kids
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Mack with the Chicago Bears in 2019
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Mack at the University at Buffalo
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Mack in 2013
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Mack in 2015
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Mack sacking Kirk Cousins in 2017
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Mack in 2018
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Mack during a 2019 game against the Washington Redskins
