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Kevin Minter
Kevin Minter
from Wikipedia

Kevin Christopher Minter (born December 3, 1990) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning first-team all-Southeastern Conference honors and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.

Key Information

Early life

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Minter was born in Suwanee, Georgia, the son of Leonard Minter and Willie Mae Hollis. Minter attended Berkmar High School in Lilburn, Georgia for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee for his junior and senior seasons. He was a starter for all four years of his high school career. In his junior year, he had 137 tackles. In his senior year, he had 113 tackles and was named to the Class 5A all-state first-team.[1][2]

College career

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Minter enrolled in Louisiana State University, and played for coach Les Miles's LSU Tigers football team from 2009 to 2012. He redshirted the 2009 season. The following year, he had 15 tackles. In 2011, he had 61 tackles and one sack. He had five tackles and a sack in the BCS Championship Game.[1]

In 2012, Minter had 130 tackles, which led the team and was the third-best total in the SEC. He also had 4.0 sacks. He had a career-best 20 tackles and two sacks against Florida, and his 17 solo tackles versus Florida was an LSU single-game record. In the Chick-fil-A Bowl, he set an LSU bowl game record with 19 tackles. Minter was a Butkus Award finalist, a first-team All-SEC selection, and the LSU team MVP.[1][3] Sports Illustrated named him to their All-American first-team. He left LSU after the season to enter the 2013 NFL draft. He ended his collegiate career with 206 tackles and 5.0 sacks.[1]

In 2012, he graduated from LSU with a bachelor's degree in general studies.[1][4]

Professional career

[edit]
Minter with the Arizona Cardinals in 2014
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 11+34 in
(1.82 m)
246 lb
(112 kg)
32 in
(0.81 m)
9+38 in
(0.24 m)
4.81 s 33 in
(0.84 m)
9 ft 11 in
(3.02 m)
25 reps
All values from NFL Combine[5][6]

Arizona Cardinals

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Minter was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round, with the 45th overall pick, of the 2013 NFL draft.[7][8] In his rookie season, Minter contributed as a special teams player as he only played two defensive snaps while making four tackles.

The following year, Minter appeared in all 16 games, starting four and totaling 44 tackles. The next two seasons, he started in all 32 games at linebacker, recording a combined 175 tackles and four sacks.

Cincinnati Bengals

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On March 18, 2017, Minter signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.[9] He played in nine games, starting seven, before suffering a hamstring injury in Week 14. He was placed on injured reserve on December 15, 2017.[10]

New York Jets

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On April 9, 2018, Minter signed with the New York Jets.[11] He was released on August 31, 2018.[12]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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On October 23, 2018, Minter signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but was released eight days later.[13][14] He was re-signed on November 13, 2018.[15] He was placed on injured reserve on December 11, 2018.[16]

On March 13, 2019, Minter re-signed with the Buccaneers.[17]

On March 25, 2020, Minter re-signed with the Buccaneers.[18] He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on January 11, 2021,[19] and activated on January 20.[20]

On March 20, 2021, Minter re-signed with the Buccaneers.[21]

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Bold Career high

Regular season

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Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TFL Int Yds TD Lng PD FF FR Yds TD
2013 ARI 13 0 4 4 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2014 ARI 16 5 44 39 5 1.0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2015 ARI 16 16 94 72 22 0.5 8 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0
2016 ARI 16 16 81 59 22 3.5 9 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
2017 CIN 9 7 32 16 16 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2018 TAM 5 0 10 8 2 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019 TAM 16 2 34 21 13 0.0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0
2020 TAM 16 1 15 10 5 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
2021 TAM 16 5 40 26 14 1.0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
123 52 354 255 99 7.0 27 0 0 0 0 7 1 1 0 0

Playoffs

[edit]
Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TFL Int Yds TD Lng PD FF FR Yds TD
2014 ARI 1 0 2 2 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2015 ARI 2 2 12 6 6 0.0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020 TAM 3 1 6 3 3 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
2021 TAM 2 0 2 1 1 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 3 22 12 10 0.0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Personal life

[edit]

He has been married since 2019 to Sydne Rie Minter, a Real Estate Agent in Atlanta.[22] They have a son, Kevin Minter Jr and daughter, Santana Minter.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Kevin Minter is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the () from 2013 to 2021. Born on December 3, 1990, in , he attended (LSU), where he earned recognition as a 2012 consensus All-American and set a school record with 19 tackles in the 2012 Bowl. Selected by the in the second round (45th overall) of the , Minter appeared in 123 games over his career, recording 354 combined tackles, 7 sacks, and one safety, while contributing to the ' victory in following the 2020 season. At LSU, Minter played in 38 games with 24 starts from 2010 to 2012, amassing 206 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks, earning first-team All-SEC honors in 2012 along with multiple national defensive player of the week awards. His college performance highlighted his skills as an inside linebacker, leading to his early entry into the NFL Draft after graduating with a degree in . In the , Minter's professional journey began with the Cardinals, where he played from 2013 to 2016, transitioning from a rotational player to a starter. He later joined the for the 2017 season, signed with the in 2018 but was released prior to the regular season, before signing with the Buccaneers, where he served primarily as a special teams contributor and depth defender through 2021, helping secure the franchise's second title. Standing at 6 feet tall and weighing 246 pounds, Minter's career exemplified resilience in a competitive position, though he never achieved status.

Pre-professional career

Early life

Kevin Minter was born on December 3, 1990, in . He is the son of Leonard Minter and Willie Mae Hollis. Minter attended in , for his freshman and sophomore years, where he played defensive end and recorded 154 tackles, before transferring to Peachtree Ridge High School in , at the request of his parents ahead of his junior season. At Peachtree Ridge, he played as a middle linebacker and earned first-team All-Region honors as a junior after recording 137 tackles and six sacks. He also received honorable mention on the Class 5A all-state team as a junior. As a senior, he tallied 113 tackles over 10 games despite an injury that sidelined him for the playoffs, helping lead the team to the postseason, and earned first-team Class 5A all-state honors. A highly recruited prospect, Minter committed to (LSU) in April 2008, choosing the Tigers over offers from schools including USC and NC State. He graduated early from Peachtree Ridge to enroll at LSU in the spring semester of 2009.

College career

Kevin Minter enrolled at (LSU) in January 2009 after graduating high school early, majoring in . He redshirted his true season that fall, participating in spring practice to prepare for future contributions to the Tigers' defense. Minter graduated with a in in December 2012, prior to declaring for the NFL Draft. As a redshirt in 2010, Minter appeared in 10 games, recording 15 tackles while adjusting to the college level under coach . His role expanded significantly in 2011 as a , when he started at middle linebacker and tallied 61 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovery returned for a in a win over Ole Miss. Minter's efforts helped anchor LSU's defense during a 13-1 season that included an SEC Championship and a appearance against , where the Tigers' unit limited the Crimson Tide to just 9 points in . Minter's junior year in 2012 marked his breakout as a defensive leader, starting all 13 games and posting career highs of 130 tackles (fourth-most in LSU history for a single season), 15 tackles for loss, and 4 sacks. Standout performances included a school-record 17 solo tackles (20 total) in a loss to —earning him SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors—and 19 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack in the Chick-fil-A Bowl loss to Clemson. These contributions solidified his role as the anchor of an LSU defense that ranked among the nation's top units in scoring defense. Across his three playing seasons, Minter accumulated 206 total tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks, establishing himself as one of the SEC's premier linebackers. He received first-team All-SEC honors in , consensus first-team recognition from outlets including the , and was a finalist for the as the nation's top linebacker. Teammates voted him a permanent team captain for that season, highlighting his leadership on a squad that contended for the national title. Following the 2012 campaign, Minter entered the as an underclassman. At the , he clocked a 4.81-second and completed 25 repetitions at 225 pounds, showcasing his strength and speed for a middle linebacker prospect. Pre-draft evaluations projected him as a first-round talent, often in the mid-to-late range, due to his tackling prowess and instincts.

Professional career

Arizona Cardinals

Kevin Minter was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round (45th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University. He signed a four-year rookie contract worth $4.39 million, including a $1.57 million signing bonus, on May 13, 2013. As a rookie in 2013, Minter primarily contributed on special teams and as a backup inside linebacker, appearing in 13 games without a start and recording 4 tackles. His role expanded in 2014 when injuries to starters elevated him to the lineup, where he started 5 games and tallied 44 tackles and 1 sack while playing through a significant pectoral injury sustained in preseason. By 2015, Minter had developed into a full-time starter at inside linebacker, logging 16 starts, 94 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 safety during the regular season. Minter's contributions peaked in 2016, his final season with the Cardinals, as he started all 16 games and achieved career highs with 81 tackles and 3.5 sacks, alongside 2 pass deflections. Over his four seasons in , he appeared in 61 games with 37 starts, accumulating 223 total tackles and 5.0 sacks. Notable performances included his play in the 2015 playoffs, where the Cardinals advanced to the ; Minter started both postseason contests, recording 12 combined tackles against the and . Despite no missed regular-season games due to injury, Minter dealt with setbacks such as a mild in October 2016 and a knee issue late in the year, though he returned for the finale. Following the Cardinals' 7-8-1 finish in 2016, Minter became an unrestricted in March 2017 under head coach , who opted not to re-sign him amid roster rebuilding efforts at linebacker. The team instead signed veteran to replace him, prioritizing experience in the defensive scheme. Minter expressed interest in staying but ultimately departed after four seasons that solidified his growth from a rotational player to a reliable starter.

Cincinnati Bengals

In March 2017, Kevin Minter signed a one-year contract with the worth up to $4.5 million, including incentives, as a following his departure from the . The deal filled the void left by the departure of veteran linebacker , positioning Minter as a key addition to bolster the Bengals' linebacker corps amid ongoing defensive uncertainties. Minter quickly integrated into the Bengals' defense as the starting inside (MIKE) linebacker, lining up alongside outside linebacker Vontaze Burfict to form a core tandem aimed at stabilizing the unit. His role drew on prior starting experience from Arizona, where he had developed as a reliable run defender, but the Bengals' scheme emphasized his tackling prowess in a defense plagued by injuries and inconsistencies. Over the first half of the season, Minter contributed steadily, recording 32 tackles (16 solo) across nine games with seven starts, helping to anchor the middle against the run despite the team's broader defensive lapses that saw them allow 349 points over 16 games. Minter's tenure was cut short by injuries, including an elbow issue that sidelined him for Weeks 7-10, followed by a strain in Week 14 against the . He was placed on injured reserve on December 15, 2017, ending his season prematurely and limiting his impact on a Bengals defense that ranked 17th in points allowed (21.8 per game) but struggled with run defense and turnover creation amid multiple key absences.

New York Jets

On April 9, 2018, following the expiration of his contract with the Cincinnati Bengals after a 2017 season limited by injuries that restricted him to nine games, Kevin Minter signed a one-year contract with the New York Jets worth $880,000. The signing reunited Minter with Jets head coach Todd Bowles, under whom he had played during his four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals from 2013 to 2016. Minter joined the team as a veteran inside linebacker to provide depth behind starters Darron Lee and Demario Davis, aiming to compete for a backup role amid a crowded position group. Throughout the and preseason, Minter received limited snaps as he acclimated to the Jets' defensive scheme, which emphasized speed and coverage at the linebacker position. He appeared in all four preseason games, logging 6 total tackles (4 solo) across 45 defensive snaps, with no starts or interceptions. Observers noted his experience in run defense from prior schemes but highlighted challenges in adapting to the Jets' needs for versatile coverage linebackers, where younger players like Neville Hewitt showed more explosiveness. Minter's tenure ended on August 31, 2018, when the Jets released him as part of their final cuts to reach the 53-man roster limit, amid competition from established backups and at inside linebacker. The decision left the Jets with , Davis, Hewitt, and as their primary options at the position.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After being released by the in August 2018, Minter signed with the on October 23, 2018, to bolster their linebacker depth amid injuries. He appeared briefly before being released on October 31, only to be re-signed to the active roster on November 13, where he contributed in five games that season with 10 tackles and 1.0 sack. Minter remained with the Buccaneers through multiple one-year contracts, establishing himself as a reliable depth linebacker and special teams player. He re-signed on March 13, 2019, ahead of free agency, followed by extensions in March 2020 and March 2021 for $1.212 million, the latter including a $137,500 signing bonus. Over four seasons (2018–2021), he appeared in 53 regular-season games, recording 99 total tackles (65 solo) and 2.0 sacks, often rotating behind starters like and while logging significant special teams snaps. A key reserve on Tampa Bay's stout defense, Minter played in five playoff games across 2020 and 2021, tallying eight tackles, and was part of the roster that defeated the 31–9 in on February 7, 2021, securing the franchise's second championship. His tenure ended after the 2021 season, as he entered free agency in 2022 without securing another contract.

Career statistics

Regular season

Kevin Minter's regular-season defensive statistics span nine NFL seasons from 2013 to 2021, during which he transitioned from a special teams role to a rotational linebacker contributor across multiple teams. His career highlights include a peak of 94 combined tackles in 2015 with the , reflecting increased defensive snaps that year. Early in his career, particularly as a , Minter's limited tackles stemmed largely from special teams play, where he logged 207 snaps in 2013 compared to just one defensive snap. The following table details his year-by-year regular-season statistics, including games played (G), combined tackles (Comb), solo tackles (Solo), assisted tackles (Ast), sacks (Sk), interceptions (Int), forced fumbles (FF), and fumble recoveries (FR).
YearTeamGCombSoloAstSkIntFFFR
2013ARI134400.0000
2014ARI16443951.0000
2015ARI169472220.5010
2016ARI168159223.5000
2017CIN93216160.0000
2018TB510821.0000
2019TB163421130.0001
2020TB16151050.0000
2021TB164026141.0000
Career-123354255997.0011
Over his career, Minter's sack totals peaked at 3.5 in 2016 with the Cardinals, underscoring his pass-rushing impact in rotational duties.

Playoffs

Kevin Minter appeared in eight NFL playoff games across four seasons, primarily serving as a rotational linebacker with limited starting opportunities. His postseason contributions were modest, totaling 22 combined tackles, no sacks, and one pass deflection, while being part of the ' LV-winning roster in the 2020 season. Minter's playoff debut came with the in the 2014 season, where he recorded two tackles in a single game. In 2015, he started both postseason contests for Arizona, including a standout performance with eight tackles in the loss to the . With the , his 2020 campaign included six tackles in the Wild Card round victory over the Washington Football Team, though he saw no defensive snaps in the subsequent Divisional round and win against the [Kansas City Chiefs](/page/Kansas_City Chiefs). In the 2021 playoffs, Minter added two tackles in the Wild Card win over the but did not play in the Divisional round defeat to the .
YearTeamGamesStartsComb. TacklesSoloAst.SacksTFLPDFF
2014ARI112200.0000
2015ARI2212660.0200
2020TB316330.0010
2021TB202110.0000
Career Total842212100.0210
Note: Statistics sourced from Pro-Football-Reference.com, reflecting defensive snaps and contributions only.

Life and retirement

Personal life

Kevin Minter married Sydne Rie Darbone in February 2019 in a ceremony documented through wedding registries and media coverage. The couple has three children: sons Kevin Jr. and Saint Christian (born July 19, 2025), and daughter Santana (born in 2019). Minter has described his family as a key source of support during his career transitions, including attending together in 2021. Minter and his family reside in the Atlanta area of Georgia, where his wife Sydne operates Minter Real Estate Group as CEO, focusing on properties in Georgia and . Beyond his LSU degree in earned in 2012, Minter has pursued interests, including early investments in and becoming a regional developer for The Joint Chiropractic, a national wellness franchise, to promote and recovery services.

Retirement

After concluding the 2021 NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he appeared in all 16 games, started five, and recorded 40 combined tackles along with one sack, Kevin Minter did not return for another campaign. His one-year contract with the Buccaneers expired, making him an unrestricted free agent in March 2022, but he remained unsigned throughout the offseason and subsequent years. With no further NFL transactions or team affiliations recorded after 2021, Minter has been regarded as a former player, and as of November 2025, there have been no public announcements or attempts indicating a potential return to professional football. In the years following his playing career, Minter has shifted focus to entrepreneurial pursuits, notably continuing his involvement as a regional developer and multi-unit franchise owner with The Joint Chiropractic, a wellness business he invested in during his tenure to promote accessible care. Throughout his nine-season NFL career, Minter solidified his reputation as a dependable inside linebacker, contributing across four teams and culminating in a victory with after the 2020 season.

References

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