Kevin Minter

Kevin Minter

Minter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021
No. 51, 41
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1990-12-03) December 3, 1990 (age 33) Suwanee, Georgia, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	246 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school:	Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee)
College:	LSU
NFL draft:	2013  / Round: 2 / Pick: 45
Career history
Arizona Cardinals (2013–2016) Cincinnati Bengals (2017) New York Jets (2018)* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2018–2021)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LV) First-team All-SEC (2012)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 354 Sacks: 7.0 Forced fumbles: 1 Fumble recoveries: 1
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Kevin Christopher Minter (born December 3, 1990) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU, where he earned first-team all-Southeastern Conference honors.

Early years

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

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

Arizona Cardinals

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+3⁄4 in (1.82 m)	246 lb (112 kg)	32 in (0.81 m)	9+3⁄8 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]

Minter was drafted 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

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

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

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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

Legend
Bold	Career high

Regular season

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

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

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

1. "Kevin Minter Bio" Archived June 28, 2013, at the Wayback Machine . lsusports.net. February 4, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
2. "Kevin Minter Profile". recruiting.scout.com. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
3. "LSU's Reid, Simon, Wing, Ware headed to NFL draft". SI.com. January 4, 2013.
4. "Kevin Minter". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
5. "Kevin Minter". nfl.com.
6. "Kevin Minter". nfldraftscout.com.
7. "2013 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
8. "Arizona Cardinals select Kevin Minter in the second round of NFL draft". azcentral.com. April 26, 2013.
9. Shook, Nick (March 18, 2017). "Kevin Minter joining Bengals on one-year deal". NFL.com.
10. Marcum, Jason (December 15, 2017). "Bengals place Kevin Minter on injured reserve; sign Brandon Bell off practice squad". CincyJungle.com.
11. Allen, Eric (April 9, 2018). "Jets Sign LB Kevin Minter". NewYorkJets.com.
12. Lange, Randy (August 31, 2018). "Jets Cut 18 Players on Their Way to 53-Player Active Roster". NewYorkJets.com.
13. Arcia, Gil (October 23, 2018). "Bucs add a veteran linebacker and cornerback". Bucsnation.com.
14. Smith, Scott (October 31, 2018). "Bucs Promote Javien Elliott, Release LB Kevin Minter". Buccaneers.com.
15. Smith, Scott (November 13, 2018). "Bucs Promote Ogunbowale, Re-Sign Minter as Two Land on IR". Buccaneers.com.
16. Smith, Scott (December 11, 2018). "Bucs Put LB Kevin Minter on IR, Promote TE Tanner Hudson". Buccaneers.com.
17. Vitali, Carmen (March 13, 2019). "Buccaneers Re-Sign LB Kevin Minter". Buccaneers.com.
18. Smith, Scott (March 21, 2020). "Bucs Keep Kevin Minter in the Fold". Buccaneers.com.
19. Smith, Scott (January 11, 2021). "Kevin Minter Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 List". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
20. Smith, Scott (January 20, 2021). "Kevin Minter Activated from Reserve/COVID-19 List". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
21. Smith, Scott (March 20, 2021). "Kevin Minter Re-Signs with Bucs Again". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
22. "Appy Couple - Interactive Wedding Website and App".

External links

• LSU Tigers bio