McKenzie joined Cincinnati as a free agent late in 2020 training camp, and he went on to play in seven games and serve as a rotational defensive lineman ... Played DT in college at the University of Tennessee, then transitioned to G at his previous NFL stops in Seattle and Kansas City before moving back to DT in Cincinnati ... Saw 101 snaps on defense for Cincinnati in 2020, and recorded eight tackles ... Helped fill void along interior of defensive line, as Bengals dealt with opt-outs and a wave on injuries at that position ... Originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Chiefs in 2018.
Career transactions: Selected by Kansas City in sixth round of 2018 NFL Draft (198th overall) ... Signed with Chiefs on 5-15-18 ... Waived by Chiefs on 8-31-19 ... Signed to Seattle practice squad on 9-3-19 ... Seahawks practice squad contract expired on 1-20-20 ... Signed with Seahawks as free agent on 4-20-20 ... Waived by Seahawks on 7-26-20 ... Signed with Cincinnati as free agent on 8-25-20 ... Waived by Bengals on 9-5-20 ... Signed to Bengals practice squad on 9-6-20 ... Signed to Bengals roster on 10-17-20 ... Waived by Bengals on 10-24-20 ... Signed to Bengals practice squad on 10-27-20 ... Signed to Bengals roster on 1-2-21.
2020 highlights: Played in seven games (no starts) for the Bengals, and recorded eight tackles ... Saw action on 101 defensive snaps ... Spent offseason with Seattle, then was waived during training camp and signed with Cincinnati in late August ... Had been listed at G in each of his two previous NFL stops, but Bengals moved him to DT, which he played in college ... Spent majority of the season on Cincinnati's practice squad ... Bengals listed him as a practice squad protected player six times, and he played five games as a standard elevation (two) or COVID-19 replacement (three) ... Made Bengals debut on Sept. 27 at Philadelphia (no statistics) ... Made four tackles in season finale vs. Baltimore.
Previous seasons: 2018—Did not play as a rookie with Kansas City ... Inactive for all 16 regular-season games and two postseason games ... Listed at G by Chiefs. 2019—Did not play ... Waived by Kansas City at final cuts, then signed Sept. 3 to Seattle's practice squad, where he spent all 16 regular-season games and two postseason games ... Listed at G by Seahawks.
College: Spent three seasons (2015-17) at Tennessee ... Played in 31 career games (all at DT), and recorded 72 tackles, 5.5 tackles for losses, three sacks, two PDs and a FF ... Missed most of 2016 season due to pectoral injury suffered against Alabama.
Personal: Hometown is Green Bay, Wisc. ... Attended three different high schools during his prep career — Southwest (Wisc.) High School in 2012, De La Salle High School (Concord, Calif. in '13, and Clayton Valley Charter High School (Concord, Calif.) from '14-15 ... Did not play as a senior in 2014 while attending Clayton Valley Charter High School, but was still considered one of the top players in the '15 recruiting class ... Played in the 2015 U.S. Army All-American Game ... Was a standout in track and field (shot put) at De La Salle in 2013 ... His father, Reggie McKenzie, was a star LB at the University of Tennessee from 1981-84 and in the NFL with the L.A. Raiders, Phoenix Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers from '85-92. He served in various front office roles in Green Bay (1994-2011), then was GM of the Oakland Raiders ('12-18) before joining the Miami Dolphins as senior personnel executive ('19-present) ... First name is pronounced "kah-LEEL."
NOTE ABOUT NFL EXPERIENCE: McKenzie did not earn an accrued year of experience toward NFL free agency in 2019 because he was not on a 53-player roster, a Reserve/Injured list or a Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list for the required minimum of six games.
