K. J. Hamler

K. J. Hamler
refer to caption
Hamler playing for Penn State in 2019
No. 19 – Buffalo Bills
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1999-07-08) July 8, 1999 (age 25)
Pontiac, Michigan, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:178 lb (81 kg)
Career information
High school:St. Mary's Preparatory
(Orchard Lake Village, Michigan)
College:Penn State (2017–2019)
NFL draft:2020 / round: 2 / pick: 46
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Practice squad
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 7, 2024
Receptions:42
Receiving yards:620
Receiving touchdowns:3
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Kahlee Jacoby Hamler (born July 8, 1999) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State.

Early life

Hamler moved from his hometown, Pontiac, Michigan, to Florida to play his final year of high school football as a senior at IMG Academy.[1] Before his first career game at IMG Academy, he tore his ACL.[2] Prior to transferring to IMG Academy, Hamler was a two year letterman at St. Mary's Preparatory School in Orchard Lake, Michigan. He was rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals and Scout and a three star prospect by 247Sports. He also ran track for two seasons.

College career

2017 season

Hamler redshirted as a freshman at Penn State due to suffering a torn ACL the previous year.[2]

2018 season

In the first game of his collegiate career against Appalachian State, Hamler returned a kickoff 52 yards with less than two minutes on the clock to help spark Penn State's game-tying drive. He capped the drive off with a 15-yard touchdown reception with under a minute remaining, ending the game with 3 catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.[3] Against Ohio State, Hamler was awarded Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week honors after recording four receptions for 138 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown. Through five games, Hamler recorded 13 receptions for 308 yards and four touchdowns in his first season as a collegiate athlete.[4]

2019 season

In the 2019 season, Hamler recorded 56 receptions for 904 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.[5]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span Bench press Wonderlic
5 ft 8+5⁄8 in
(1.74 m) 		178 lb
(81 kg) 		30+3⁄4 in
(0.78 m) 		9+3⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		 15 reps 15
All values from NFL Combine[6][7][8]

Denver Broncos

2020 season

Hamler was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 46th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.[9]

In Week 2, Hamler made his NFL debut and recorded three receptions for 48 receiving yards in a 26–21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.[10] In Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Hamler recorded his first career touchdown catch with no time remaining on the clock to help the Broncos win the game 31–30.[11] In Week 14 against the Carolina Panthers, Hamler recorded two receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns during the 32–27 victory.[12] On January 2, 2021, Hamler was placed on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury.[13] He finished his rookie season with 30 catches for 381 yards and three touchdowns.[13]

2021 season

Trying to shake off the hamstring issues that plagued his rookie season, Hamler began training camp of his sophomore season in a crowded receiving corps.[14][15] He shone early in preseason, catching a touchdown from Drew Lock during the Broncos' first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.[16] He suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on September 28, 2021.[17]

2022 season

On December 3, 2022, Hamler was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.[18] He played in seven games and recorded seven receptions for 165 yards in the 2022 season.[19] On March 23, 2023, Hamler was ruled out for 4–6 months after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn pectoral muscle he suffered while training on his own.[20]

On July 31, 2023, Hamler announced he was diagnosed with pericarditis. Hamler was then waived by the Denver Broncos with a non-football illness designation.[21]

Indianapolis Colts

Hamler signed with the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts on September 30, 2023.[22] He was not signed to a reserve/future contract after the season and thus became a free agent upon the expiration of his practice squad contract.[23]

Buffalo Bills

Hamler signed a reserve/future contract with the Buffalo Bills on January 20, 2024.[24] He was released as part of final roster cuts on August 27 and signed back to the practice squad the following day.[25][26]

References

  1. ^ Dellenger, Ross (February 20, 2016). "One-stop shop IMG Academy, rapidly becoming college football recruiting mecca, unlike any other high school in world". The Advocate. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Murphy, Dan (September 28, 2018). "Meet the offensive stars leading Penn State in the post-Saquon era". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  3. ^ Bodani, Frank (September 2, 2018). "Penn State finds a hero and more in fast-talking, big-play K.J. Hamler". YDR.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  4. ^ Slanina, Jared (October 1, 2018). "KJ Hamler Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week". Black Shoe Diaries. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "KJ Hamler 2019 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  6. ^ "KJ Hamler Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  7. ^ "2020 Draft Scout KJ Hamler, Penn State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  8. ^ "Broncos select KJ Hamler with No. 46 overall pick in Round 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft". NFL.com. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  9. ^ Gantt, Darin (April 24, 2020). "Broncos double up at receiver, take K.J. Hamler 46th". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  10. ^ "Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers - September 20th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  11. ^ "Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos - November 1st, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  12. ^ "Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers - December 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  13. ^ a b DiLalla, Aric (January 2, 2021). "Broncos promote Josh Watson to active roster, place KJ Hamler on IR". DenverBroncos.com. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  14. ^ O'Halloran, Ryan (July 30, 2021). "Broncos receiver KJ Hamler looks to add (More) sizzle in second year: "I can be a big playmaker"". Denver Post. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  15. ^ Richards, Joey (June 23, 2021). "What must K.J. Hamler do to separate himself in a loaded Broncos wide receiver room? -". Mile High Sports. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  16. ^ "Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings 2021 PRE 1 - Game Center". NFL.com. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  17. ^ DiLalla, Aric (September 28, 2021). "Broncos sign WR David Moore off Raiders' practice squad, promote QB Brett Rypien to active roster". DenverBroncos.com. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  18. ^ DiLalla, Aric (December 3, 2022). "Broncos activate RB Mike Boone from IR, place WR KJ Hamler on IR". DenverBroncos.com. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  19. ^ "KJ Hamler 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  20. ^ Heath, Jon (March 23, 2023). "Broncos WR KJ Hamler out 4-6 months after pec surgery". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  21. ^ Legwold, Jeff (July 31, 2023). "Broncos' Hamler stepping away for heart issue". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  22. ^ "Colts elevate G Ike Boettger, WR Amari Rodgers to active roster from practice squad; sign WR K.J Hamler to practice squad, release CB Darren Hall from practice squad". Colts.com. September 30, 2023.
  23. ^ "Colts sign 9 to reserve/future contracts, 4 to one-year contract extensions, waive CB Tony Brown". Colts.com. January 8, 2024.
  24. ^ White, Alec (January 22, 2024). "Bills sign 11 players to Reserve/Futures contracts". BuffaloBills.com.
  25. ^ White, Alec (August 27, 2024). "Buffalo Bills made these moves to get to initial 53-man roster". Buffalo Bills. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  26. ^ Collegian, Lyle Alenstein | The Daily (August 28, 2024). "Former Penn State WR KJ Hamler re-signed to Buffalo Bills practice squad". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved August 29, 2024.