An FCS record-setter at San Diego who took a winding road through the XFL before finally sticking as a Denver wide receiver.
Michael Bandy is a wide receiver and punt returner for the Denver Broncos whose journey to the NFL ran through the FCS ranks and the XFL. Undrafted out of the University of San Diego, he has bounced between practice squads and active rosters before carving out a role in Denver's receiving corps.
Path to the league
Bandy starred at the University of San Diego from 2016 to 2019, catching 192 passes for 3,294 yards and 28 touchdowns. He was a two-time First-team FCS All-American and two-time First-team All-Pioneer Football League selection, and he set an NCAA FCS record for yards per reception at 32.4 on a minimum of 10 catches. He went undrafted in 2020 and kept his career alive by playing for the TSL Conquerors in The Spring League.
Career highlights
Bandy signed with the Los Angeles Chargers and made his NFL debut in December 2021 against Houston. After stints on and off NFL rosters, he played for the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL in 2023 before joining the Denver Broncos, where he has remained since 2023 as a depth receiver and punt returner.
2025 season recap
Bandy caught 14 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown in 2025, along with 117 return yards. His touchdown came on a Bo Nix pass in a Week 15 win over Green Bay, and he recorded his first reception since 2022 in a November game against Houston, a sign of his gradual climb back into Denver's offensive game plan.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Michael Bandy
- ESPN: Michael Bandy
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Receiving
4 games played▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | broncos | 4 | 4 | 50 | 12.5 | 1 | 20 |
| 2022 | chargers | 10 | 10 | 89 | 8.9 | 0 | 25 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- San Diego
- Hometown
- La Mirada, CA, USA
- Age
- 28
- Status
- active