A former Ohio State pass rusher whose winding path through four different rosters finally landed him a spot on Kansas City's active roster.
Tyreke Smith's NFL career has been defined by persistence more than production so far. Originally a fifth-round pick out of Ohio State, he has bounced between Seattle, Arizona and now Kansas City, working his way off practice squads and onto game-day rosters as he chases a foothold at defensive end.
Path to the league
Smith played defensive line at Ohio State from 2018 to 2021, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior and leading the conference with 21 quarterback hits over his final two seasons despite battling injuries. The Seattle Seahawks selected him in the fifth round, 158th overall, in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Smith's early career was slowed by a hip injury that put him on injured reserve for his entire rookie season in Seattle. He has since cycled through practice squads with the Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, signing and being waived multiple times as he searched for a steady roster spot.
2025 season recap
Smith signed to Kansas City's practice squad in August 2025 after being cut by Seattle, and the Chiefs promoted him to the active roster in late December. His NFL playing time has remained limited, with career totals still reflecting a player working to establish himself rather than a full-time contributor.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Tyreke Smith
- Pro Football Reference: Tyreke Smith
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | seahawks | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive End
- Group
- defense
- College
- Ohio State
- Hometown
- Cleveland, OH, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- active
