A two-time Super Bowl champion edge rusher who has become one of Kansas City's most consistent pass rushers.
George Karlaftis has been a fixture on the Chiefs' defensive line since arriving as a first-round pick out of Purdue in 2022. Known for his relentless motor and physicality off the edge, he has developed into a double-digit sack threat and a key piece of two championship defenses.
Path to the league
Karlaftis played three seasons at Purdue from 2019 to 2021, establishing himself as one of the top edge rushers in the Big Ten. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the first round, 30th overall, in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Karlaftis has won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, capturing rings in Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LVIII, and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2022. He broke out in 2023 with a career-high 10.5 sacks, tying Chris Jones for the team lead, then led Kansas City in sacks again in 2024 with 8.0. For his career he has amassed more than 160 tackles and over 30 sacks.
2025 season recap
Karlaftis remained a starter along Kansas City's defensive line in 2025, appearing in all 16 games and recording 48 tackles, 6.0 sacks, two pass deflections and a fumble recovery.
Sources
- Wikipedia: George Karlaftis
- Pro Football Reference: George Karlaftis III
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
16 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | chiefs | 16 | 48 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024 | chiefs | 16 | 35 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2023 | chiefs | 16 | 47 | 29 | 10.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2022 | chiefs | 17 | 33 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive End
- Group
- defense
- College
- Purdue
- Hometown
- West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
