Nikola Kalinic (gridiron football)

Nikola Kalinic (Serbian: Kalinić; born January 21, 1997) is a Canadian gridiron football tight end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He has previously played in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Nikola Kalinic
refer to caption
Kalinic with the Tiger-Cats in 2019
No. 83 – Los Angeles Rams
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1997-01-21) January 21, 1997
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:253 lb (115 kg)
Career information
High school:Etobicoke (ON) Silverthorn
College:York
CFL Draft:2019 / Round: 2 / Pick: 10
Undrafted:2019
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Practice squad
Career NFL statistics
Games:7
Career CFL statistics
Receptions:23
Receiving yards:192
Receiving touchdowns:2
Return yards:36
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR · CFL.ca

University career

Kalinic played U Sports football for the York Lions from 2015 to 2018.[1] In his four years with the team, he had 38 catches for 416 yards and two touchdowns and was the first York football player to be named an OUA All-Star twice in one season (on offence and on special teams).[1]

Professional career

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Kalinic was drafted in the second round, tenth overall, by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 2019 CFL Draft and he signed with the team on May 17, 2019.[2] After making the team following training camp, he played in his first professional game on June 13, 2019 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.[3] In his second game, on June 22, 2019, against the Toronto Argonauts, he scored his first career CFL touchdown on his first career reception on a 31-yard pass from Jeremiah Masoli.[4] Overall, Kalinic played in 16 regular season games for the Tiger-Cats in 2019 where he recorded 12 receptions for 106 yards and one touchdown.[5] He played in his first career post-season game, against the Edmonton Eskimos, in the East Final win that sent the Tiger-Cats to the 107th Grey Cup. Kalinic played in his first Grey Cup game, but the Tiger-Cats lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.[5]

Due to the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season, Kalinic did not play in 2020. In 2021, he played in all 14 regular season games as he had 11 catches for 86 yards and one touchdown with eight special teams tackles.[5] He also played in all three post-season games that year, including his second consecutive Grey Cup game where the Tiger-Cats again lost to the Blue Bombers in the 108th Grey Cup.[5] He was scheduled to become a free agent in 2022, but was granted an early release on January 22, 2022, so that he could sign with a team in the National Football League.[6]

Indianapolis Colts

Kalinic signed with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL).[7] He was waived on August 30, 2022, and signed to the practice squad the next day.[8][9] He was promoted to the active roster on December 13.[10] He was waived on May 4, 2023.[11]

Los Angeles Rams

On July 14, 2023, Kalinic signed with the Los Angeles Rams.[12] He was waived on August 29, 2023 and re-signed to the practice squad.[13][14]

Personal life

Kalinic is of Serbian descent.[15]

References
  1. "Three Lions selected in 2019 CFL Draft". Canadian Football League. May 3, 2019.
  2. "Tiger-Cats sign entire 2017 draft class". Canadian Football League. May 17, 2019.
  3. "Saskatchewan Roughriders vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats". Canadian Football League. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  4. "Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs Toronto Argonauts". Canadian Football League. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  5. "Nikola Kalinic". Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  6. "Ticats release TE/FB Nikola Kalinic to pursue NFL opportunities". Canadian Football League. January 22, 2022.
  7. "Colts Sign TE Nikola Kalinic To Reserve/Future Contract". Colts.com. January 26, 2022.
  8. "Colts Announce Final 2022 Roster Cuts". Colts.com. August 30, 2022.
  9. "Colts Sign 13 Players To Practice Squad". Colts.com. August 31, 2022.
  10. "Colts Sign TE Nikola Kalinic to the 53-man Roster From The Practice Squad, Waive WR Keke Coutee, Sign WR Robert Foster To The Practice Squad". Colts.com. December 13, 2022.
  11. "Colts waive DE Kameron Cline, TE Nikola Kalinic, LB Forrest Rhyne, DT Chris Williams, TE Jalen Wydermyer". Colts.com. May 4, 2023.
  12. "Rams sign Canadian TE Kalinic". tsn.ca. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  13. Jackson, Stu (August 29, 2023). "Rams waive 36 players ahead of Tuesday's 53-man roster deadline". TheRams.com.
  14. Jackson, Stu (August 31, 2023). "Rams sign 16 players to initial practice squad for 2023 season". TheRams.com.
  15. Espreso.rs (2019-06-23). "Nikola Kalinić dobio pesmu: Grme sa tribina reči posvećene Velikom Srbinu!" (in Serbian). Retrieved 2020-10-19.
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