Christian Davon Kirk (born November 18, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft.

Christian Kirk
refer to caption
Kirk at Luke Air Force Base in 2018
No. 13 – Jacksonville Jaguars
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1996-11-18) November 18, 1996 (age 28)
Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:Saguaro (Scottsdale)
College:Texas A&M (2015–2017)
NFL draft:2018 / round: 2 / pick: 47
Career history
Roster status:Injured reserve
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Receptions:404
Receiving yards:5,176
Receiving average:12.8
Receiving touchdowns:29
Return yards:402
Rushing yards:159
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Kirk attended Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he played high school football.[1] He played both wide receiver and running back for the Sabercats. He gained over 3,000 all-purpose yards as a senior and 2,000 as a junior. Kirk was rated by Rivals.com as a five-star recruit and was ranked among the top overall prospects in his class.[2] He committed to Texas A&M University to play college football.[3][4]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight 40 Commit date
Christian Kirk
WR
Scottsdale, Arizona Saguaro HS 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 192 lb (87 kg) 4.48 Dec 17, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 1 (WR)   Rivals: 3 (WR)  ESPN: 4 (WR)
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Texas A&M Football Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  • "2015 Texas A & M College Football Recruiting Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  • "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved November 3, 2015.

College career

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Kirk attended and played college football at Texas A&M under head coach Kevin Sumlin.[5] Kirk earned a starting job at receiver as a true freshman in 2015.[6] In his first game, he had 6 receptions for 106 yards with a touchdown and also returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown.[7][8] As a freshman in 2015, Kirk played 13 games with 1,009 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He also had two return touchdowns on 14 punt returns for 341 yards and 20 kickoff returns for 385 yards. As a sophomore in 2016, Kirk played 13 games with 928 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He also had three return touchdowns on 13 punt returns for 282 yards and 6 kickoff returns for 173 yards. In 2017, as a junior, he played in 13 games, catching 71 passes for 919 yards and 10 touchdowns, along with one touchdown on 10 punt returns for 191 yards and one touchdown on 22 returns for 490 yards. After the season, Kirk declared for the 2018 NFL draft.[9]

Collegiate statistics

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Season Team Conf Class Pos GP Receiving
Rec Yds Avg TD
2015 Texas A&M SEC FR WR 13 80 1,009 12.6 7
2016 Texas A&M SEC SO WR 13 83 928 11.2 9
2017 Texas A&M SEC JR WR 13 71 919 12.9 10
Career 39 234 2,856 12.2 26

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 10+38 in
(1.79 m)
201 lb
(91 kg)
30+38 in
(0.77 m)
9+78 in
(0.25 m)
4.47 s 1.54 s 2.59 s 4.45 s 7.09 s 35+12 in
(0.90 m)
9 ft 7 in
(2.92 m)
20 reps
All values from NFL Combine[10][11]

Arizona Cardinals

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Kirk was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round (47th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.[12] He was the fifth wide receiver to be selected that year.[13] In the Cardinals' season-opening loss to the Washington Redskins, Kirk had a four-yard reception to go along with two punt returns for 44 net yards in his NFL debut.[14] In Week 3, he recorded a solid game with seven receptions for 90 yards in the 16–14 loss to the Chicago Bears.[15] In Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers, he caught a 75-yard touchdown bomb from fellow rookie Josh Rosen to help the Cardinals earn their first win of the season by a score of 28–18.[16] He played in 12 games, starting seven, recording 43 receptions for 590 yards and three touchdowns.[17] He suffered a broken foot in Week 13 and was placed on injured reserve on December 3, 2018.[18] He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[19]

 
Kirk playing against the Washington Football Team in 2020.

In Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens in 2019, Kirk caught six passes for 114 yards as the Cardinals lost 23–17.[20] In Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kirk caught 6 passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns in the 30–27 loss.[21] Overall, Kirk finished the 2019 season with 68 receptions for 709 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.[22]

In Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, Kirk had two receptions for 86 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in the 38–10 victory.[23] In the following game, a 37–34 overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks, he again recorded two receiving touchdowns.[24] In a Week 9 loss to the Miami Dolphins, he had five receptions for 123 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[25] He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Cardinals on January 2, 2021,[26] and activated on January 13.[27] Overall, in the 2020 season, Kirk finished with 48 receptions for 621 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns in 14 games.[28]

Kirk entered the 2021 season third on the Cardinals wide receiver depth chart.[29] He finished the season as the Cardinals leading receiver with a career-high 77 catches for 982 yards and five touchdowns.[30][31]

Jacksonville Jaguars

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Kirk playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022.

On March 16, 2022, Kirk signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.[32] In his Jaguars debut, Kirk had six receptions for 117 yards in the 28–22 loss to the Washington Commanders.[33] In the following game, he recorded two receiving touchdowns in the 24–0 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.[34] In Week 10, against the Kansas City Chiefs, he had nine receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns in the 27–17 loss.[35] In the 2022 season, Kirk achieved career-highs with 84 receptions, 1,108 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions.[36] Kirk scored receiving touchdowns in both of the Jaguars' postseason games.[37][38]

In the 2023 season, Kirk had 57 receptions for 787 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games.[39] Kirk missed the last five games of the 2023 season with a core muscle injury.[40]

NFL career statistics

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Regular season

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Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Att Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2018 ARI 12 7 43 590 13.7 75 3 3 35 11.7 23 0 0 0
2019 ARI 13 13 68 709 10.4 69 3 10 93 9.3 28 0 0 0
2020 ARI 14 10 48 621 12.9 80 6 2 3 1.5 3 0 1 0
2021 ARI 17 11 77 982 12.8 50 5 1 11 11.0 11 0 0 0
2022 JAX 17 17 84 1,108 13.2 49 8 5 11 2.2 5 0 1 0
2023 JAX 12 7 57 787 13.8 45 3 1 6 6.0 6 0 2 2
Career 85 65 377 4,797 12.7 80 28 22 159 7.2 28 0 4 3

Personal life

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On May 14, 2018, it was revealed that Kirk was arrested for disorderly conduct and causing property damage in Scottsdale, Arizona, which occurred on February 3, more than two months prior to the draft. Kirk allegedly threw rocks at cars while attending the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Kirk was deemed to be intoxicated during the incident. On May 29, 2018, all charges against Kirk were dropped.[41]

References

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  1. ^ Dale, Shane (April 28, 2018). "Welcome home! Cardinals draft Scottsdale native Christian Kirk in Round 2". KNXV. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  2. ^ "Christian Kirk, 2015 Wide Receiver". Rivals.com. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  3. ^ "Five-star wide receiver Christian Kirk selects Texas A&M over ASU, UCLA". USA TODAY High School Sports. December 17, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  4. ^ Bordow, Scott (December 17, 2014). "Bordow: Strength of SEC lures Saguaro star Christian Kirk to Texas A&M". AZ Central. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  5. ^ Bratton, Michael Wayne (November 8, 2017). "Kevin Sumlin shares his thoughts on what makes Christian Kirk so special". Saturday Down South. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  6. ^ Obert, Richard (July 14, 2015). "Ex-Saguaro WR Christian Kirk first team on Texas A&M's depth chart for 2015 season". AZ Central. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  7. ^ Bloom, Aubrey (September 6, 2015). "Arizona native enjoys special debut with Aggies". theeagle.com. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  8. ^ Ardaya, Fabian (September 6, 2015). "ASU football falls to a pair of local products against Texas A&M". The State Press. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  9. ^ Baby, Ben (January 2, 2018). "Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk to skip senior year, declares for NFL draft". Sports Day. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  10. ^ "NFL Draft Prospect Profile – Christian Kirk". NFL.com. March 1, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  11. ^ "Texas A&M Christian Kirk : 2018 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile". NFLDraftScout.com. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  12. ^ Patra, Kevin (April 27, 2018). "Arizona Cardinals select Christian Kirk in 2nd round of 2018 Draft". NFL.com. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  13. ^ "2018 NFL Draft Listing". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  14. ^ "Cardinals' Christian Kirk: Records one catch in pro debut". CBSSports.com. September 11, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  15. ^ Odegard, Kyle (September 23, 2018). "Christian Kirk Emerges Against Bears". Arizona Cardinals. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  16. ^ McManaman, Bob (October 7, 2018). "Cardinals get five takeaways, convert three of them into touchdowns in ugly win over 49ers". Arizona Republic. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  17. ^ "Christian Kirk 2018 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  18. ^ Urban, Darren (December 3, 2018). "Christian Kirk, Mike Iupati Latest Cardinals Headed To Injured Reserve". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  19. ^ "2018 NFL All-Rookie Team". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  20. ^ "Lamar Jackson helps Ravens run over Cardinals 23–17". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 15, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  21. ^ "Winston throws for 358 yards, Bucs beat Cardinals 30–27". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 10, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  22. ^ "Christian Kirk 2019 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  23. ^ "Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – October 19th, 2020". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  24. ^ "Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals - October 25th, 2020". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  25. ^ "Miami Dolphins at Arizona Cardinals - November 8th, 2020". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  26. ^ Urban, Darren (January 2, 2021). "Cardinals Place Christian Kirk On COVID List". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  27. ^ "Cardinals' Christian Kirk: Comes off COVID-19 list". CBSSports.com. January 13, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  28. ^ "Christian Kirk 2020 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  29. ^ "Arizona Cardinals Depth Chart Archive". www.ourlads.com. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  30. ^ "2021 Arizona Cardinals Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  31. ^ "Christian Kirk 2021 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  32. ^ Oehser, John (March 16, 2022). "Official: Kirk agrees to terms". Jaguars.com. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  33. ^ "Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Commanders - September 11th, 2022". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  34. ^ "Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars - September 18th, 2022". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  35. ^ "Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs - November 13th, 2022". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  36. ^ "Christian Kirk 2022 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  37. ^ "Wild Card - Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars - January 14th, 2023". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  38. ^ "Divisional Round - Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs - January 21st, 2023". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  39. ^ "Christian Kirk 2023 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  40. ^ Simmons, Myles (August 15, 2024). "Christian Kirk dealing with mild calf injury". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  41. ^ Bergman, Jeremy (May 14, 2018). "Christian Kirk arrested in February for disorderly conduct". NFL.com. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
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