KhaDarel Hodge Bio
KhaDarel Jamal Hodge (born January 3, 1995) is an American professional football wide receiver currently playing for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) and listed at 210 lb (95 kg), he has built a reputation as a reliable special teams contributor and a dependable pass catcher in clutch moments. Hodge earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2024 as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, capping a career arc that began as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018.
Early Life and Background
KhaDarel Jamal Hodge was born on January 3, 1995, in D’Lo, Mississippi, a small town in Simpson County. He was raised there along with three siblings by his single mother, Michelle Hodge, and by his grandfather, who served as a preacher. Growing up in a close family with deep community roots helped shape his disciplined approach to the game.
Hodge attended Mendenhall High School, where he quickly emerged as one of the most dynamic athletes on the roster. He became the starting quarterback at Mendenhall during his sophomore season, a promotion that gave him control of the offense at a young age. Across his junior and senior seasons, he threw for more than 3,000 passing yards and added over 2,000 rushing yards, finishing with 68 total touchdowns.
His senior year performance was strong enough to earn him second-team All-State recognition. Those numbers also hinted at the versatility that would later allow him to transition from quarterback to wide receiver at the college level.
Path to Professional Football
Hodge began his college career as a quarterback at Alcorn State, where he redshirted during his one season on campus. He then transferred to Hinds Community College for a year, a step that became the turning point of his career. It was at Hinds that the coaching staff moved him to wide receiver, betting that his athleticism and football IQ would translate to the perimeter.
After one season at Hinds, Hodge transferred to Prairie View A&M, where he played three seasons for the Panthers. Across his Prairie View tenure, he caught 104 passes for 1,797 yards and 21 touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the most productive receivers in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). His senior year was particularly strong, with 48 receptions for 844 yards and 12 touchdowns, numbers that earned him first-team All-SWAC honors and Black College All-America recognition.
KhaDarel Hodge Career
Early Career (2018)
Following the 2018 NFL Draft, Hodge signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent on July 25, 2018, after participating in a team tryout. His initial stay in Los Angeles was brief. He was released at the end of training camp on September 1 and quickly signed to the Rams’ practice squad the following day. Just over two weeks later, on September 19, Hodge was promoted to the active roster, giving him his first regular-season opportunity.
Hodge made his first career catch, a 14-yard reception, on October 7 against the Seattle Seahawks. He went on to play in 14 regular-season games during his rookie year, finishing with two receptions for 17 yards while also making five tackles on special teams. He appeared in three postseason games that season, including Super Bowl LIII. After the season, Hodge signed an exclusive rights contract with the Rams on March 12, 2019, but was waived during final roster cuts on August 31.
Cleveland Browns Era (2019–2021)
The Cleveland Browns claimed Hodge off waivers on September 1, 2019, launching the most stable stretch of his early career. Hodge appeared in all 16 Browns games that season, catching four passes for 76 yards while leading the team with 13 special teams tackles. That dual-threat production as both a receiver and a core special-teams player made him a valuable reserve.
In 2020, Hodge was tendered by the Browns and signed the one-year deal on April 16, 2020. His season was disrupted when he was placed on injured reserve on October 6, though he returned on October 31. Later in the year, he was twice placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list in late December and early January, navigating protocols before returning to the active roster. Hodge finished the 2020 campaign with 11 receptions for 180 yards on 17 targets across nine games. The Browns placed a restricted free agent tender on him in March 2021, which he signed in May, before being waived on August 31, 2021.
Detroit Lions Era (2021)
Hodge was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2021, giving him another immediate landing spot. He appeared in 16 games for Detroit with one start, recording 13 receptions for 157 yards. Although his receiving totals were modest, his special-teams reliability kept him on the field as a rotational piece.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2022–Present)
On March 25, 2022, Hodge signed with the Atlanta Falcons, beginning the longest and most productive chapter of his professional career. In his first season with Atlanta, he played all 17 games and recorded 13 receptions for 202 yards and one touchdown. He re-signed with the Falcons on a one-year contract on April 11, 2023, and again appeared in all 17 games, logging 14 receptions for 232 yards.
On March 14, 2024, Hodge re-signed with Atlanta once more on a one-year deal, and that season produced his breakthrough moment. In Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he caught the game-winning 45-yard receiving touchdown in a 36–30 overtime victory. In a Week 15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, he blocked one punt and tipped another, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Hodge played all 17 games that year, finishing with seven receptions for 131 yards and one touchdown, and was named the NFC Special Teamer for the Pro Bowl at the end of the 2024 season, the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.
On March 17, 2025, Hodge re-signed with the Falcons on a two-year, $6 million contract that runs through 2026. During the 2025 season, he made 12 appearances with one start and posted three receptions for 31 yards. On December 19, he was placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a shoulder injury. He was released by the Falcons on March 9, 2026.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hodge’s signature moment came in Week 5 of the 2024 season, when his 45-yard overtime touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sealed a 36–30 victory. Earlier that same year, in a Week 15 win over the Raiders, he blocked a punt and tipped another, an effort that earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He was also part of the Rams roster that played in Super Bowl LIII.
KhaDarel Hodge Career Wins
Although Hodge has not been a prolific touchdown scorer, his career has been defined by timely plays rather than volume statistics. Through the 2025 season, he has recorded 67 career receptions for 1,026 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, with his two scores both arriving in high-leverage moments. His biggest victories have come on special teams and in clutch receiving situations rather than in weekly win columns.
NFL Highlights
Hodge’s two NFL receiving touchdowns both came with the Atlanta Falcons. His first Falcons touchdown arrived during the 2022 season, and his most memorable score came in Week 5 of the 2024 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a 45-yard overtime catch that earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after he also produced a blocked punt and tipped punt later that same season. The 2024 season concluded with his first Pro Bowl selection as the NFC’s special teams representative.
Other Performances
At the college level, Hodge’s senior season at Prairie View A&M stood out as his most decorated campaign. He was named first-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in 2017 and earned Black College All-America recognition after posting 48 receptions for 844 yards and 12 touchdowns.
| Series | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Receiving TDs |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL (Regular Season) | 67 | 1,026 | 2 |
KhaDarel Hodge Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
KhaDarel Jamal Hodge was raised in D’Lo, Mississippi, alongside three siblings by his mother, Michelle Hodge, a single parent, and by his grandfather, who served as a preacher. That family foundation, rooted in faith and resilience, has been a recurring theme in his personal story as he moved from a small Mississippi town to the NFL.
Personal Life
Hodge attended Mendenhall High School in Mississippi before beginning his college journey at Alcorn State, later transferring to Hinds Community College and then Prairie View A&M. Public details about his marital status, spouse, and children are not widely confirmed, and those aspects of his personal life are kept private.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked the first year of Hodge’s two-year, $6 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, a deal signed on March 17, 2025, and running through 2026. He appeared in 12 games with one start and finished with three receptions for 31 scoreless yards. Despite the modest receiving totals, his role on special teams remained a key part of his value to the roster.
Hodge’s season came to an abrupt end on December 19, when he was placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a shoulder injury. The timing of the injury, late in the schedule, ended any chance of a late-season surge in production. On March 9, 2026, the Falcons released Hodge, opening the next chapter of his career.
