Khalil Davis Bio
Khalil Davis (born August 22, 1996) is an American former professional football defensive tackle. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and went on to spend several seasons in the National Football League (NFL) before moving to spring football. Davis is widely recognized as a Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and as a United States Football League (USFL) champion with the Birmingham Stallions. He is also the twin brother of fellow defensive lineman Carlos Davis.
Listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 308 pounds, Davis built his career on the interior defensive line, where he logged 46 total tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 pass deflections across his NFL stops. After a brief retirement in 2025, he returned to the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL) later that same year.
Early Life and Background
Khalil Davis was born on August 22, 1996, in Blue Springs, Missouri, United States. He grew up alongside his twin brother, Carlos Davis, in a tight-knit household shaped by Carl and Tracy Davis, the parents who adopted both boys when they were nine months old. The twins were raised in the Kansas City metropolitan area, where football quickly became a central part of family life.
Carl and Tracy Davis encouraged their sons to pursue athletics from a young age, and the brothers often trained together. Khalil attended Blue Springs High School in Blue Springs, Missouri, where he developed into a four-star recruit and a highly regarded defensive line prospect. His size, quickness off the ball, and ability to play through contact drew attention from multiple college programs.
Path to American Football
Coming out of Blue Springs High School, Davis was courted by several programs, including Arkansas, Indiana, and Oregon. He ultimately committed to the University of Nebraska, joining his twin brother Carlos on the Cornhuskers roster. The decision to play together at the same college allowed both brothers to push each other through demanding college schedules.
Davis spent five seasons with the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 2015 through 2019, appearing in 47 games and making 11 starts along the defensive line. He developed into one of the conference’s most disruptive interior players, recording 11.0 career sacks and 26 tackles for loss. He was also a standout thrower on the Nebraska Cornhuskers track and field team, qualifying for the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the discus throw, which showcased the athletic foundation that translated to his football career.
Khalil Davis Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Davis enrolled at Nebraska in 2015 and redshirted his first year before working his way into the rotation along the defensive line. He became a reliable contributor for the Cornhuskers, learning under experienced defensive line coaches and competing alongside his twin brother Carlos in the trenches.
In his final two seasons, Davis elevated his play, earning the Cornhuskers’ Defensive Lineman of the Year award in both 2018 and 2019. As a senior, he led Nebraska with 45 tackles and added eight sacks, performances that helped him earn Third-team All-Big Ten recognition in 2019. His combination of production and measurables positioned him as a legitimate NFL prospect heading into the 2020 draft cycle.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Breakthrough (2020–2021)
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.75 seconds, the sixth-fastest time among defensive linemen at the event. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him with the 194th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, bringing him into a defensive line room that was built to win immediately.
Davis contributed to a Buccaneers defense that reached the pinnacle of the league, earning a Super Bowl championship ring when Tampa Bay defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. He appeared in games across the 2020 and 2021 seasons before being waived on October 2, 2021, beginning a stretch of quick roster moves across the league.
Indianapolis Colts (2021)
On October 5, 2021, the Indianapolis Colts claimed Davis off waivers, adding interior defensive line depth to their roster. His time in Indianapolis was brief, as the Colts waived him on October 30, 2021. The short stint nonetheless kept Davis active in the NFL and allowed him to gain additional insight into opposing offensive line schemes.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2021–2022)
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Davis to their practice squad on November 2, 2021, where he continued to develop and stay prepared for game action. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Steelers on January 18, 2022, which kept him in the organization through the offseason program and into training camp. The Steelers waived Davis on August 30, 2022, ending his time on the active roster.
Los Angeles Rams (2022–2023)
Davis signed with the practice squad of the Los Angeles Rams on December 14, 2022, joining a defending-style defensive line room late in the regular season. His practice squad contract expired when the Rams’ season ended on January 9, 2023. Although he did not appear in regular season games for Los Angeles, the experience added another perspective to his growing NFL résumé.
Birmingham Stallions Era (2023, 2026–Present)
On March 28, 2023, Davis signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL), a spring league that gave him a chance to play a featured role. He helped the Stallions capture the 2023 USFL championship, adding a second professional title to his résumé. Davis was released from his contract on July 27, 2023, to pursue an NFL opportunity.
After announcing his retirement from professional football on July 21, 2025, Davis came out of retirement on September 3, 2025, signing again with the Birmingham Stallions, now competing in the United Football League (UFL). The reunion allowed him to play alongside his twin brother Carlos Davis once more and to chase another spring football championship.
Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers (2023–2024)
On August 6, 2023, Davis signed with the Houston Texans, beginning the most stable NFL stretch of his later career. He was waived on August 29, re-signed to the practice squad, and promoted to the active roster on September 30, 2023. Davis contributed on special teams and defensive line rotations for the Texans through the 2023 season and into 2024.
On November 5, 2024, the Texans traded Davis to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. In three appearances with the 49ers, he recorded three combined tackles, finishing his NFL career on a contending roster before stepping away from the league in 2025.
Notable Events and Milestones
Davis is a Super Bowl champion, having been part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl LV. He is also a USFL champion, having helped the Birmingham Stallions claim the 2023 USFL title. Across his career, he was named Third-team All-Big Ten in 2019, earned the Cornhuskers’ Defensive Lineman of the Year award in both 2018 and 2019, and qualified for the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the discus throw.
Khalil Davis Career Wins
Across his professional career, Khalil Davis has compiled a résumé marked by two team championships and steady production as an interior defensive lineman. His Super Bowl LV ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his USFL championship with the Birmingham Stallions stand as the headline wins of his career, complemented by consistent tackling and pass-rushing contributions at the NFL level.
Championship Highlights
Davis earned his first major championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV to cap the 2020 NFL season. He later added a USFL championship in 2023 as a member of the Birmingham Stallions, a spring league title that reinforced his reputation as a productive interior defender. These two titles form the cornerstone of his professional résumé.
Other Performances
Beyond his championships, Davis recorded 46 total tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 pass deflections across his NFL career. He also made 11 starts in 47 games at Nebraska, recording 11.0 career sacks and 26 tackles for loss, while leading the Cornhuskers with 45 tackles as a senior in 2019.
Khalil Davis Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Khalil Davis and his twin brother Carlos Davis were adopted by their parents, Carl Davis and Tracy Davis, when the twins were nine months old. The brothers grew up together in the Blue Springs, Missouri, area, where their parents encouraged athletic development from an early age. Carl and Tracy Davis supported both sons through high school, college, and professional careers, providing a stable foundation that helped shape their paths in football.
Personal Life
Davis is the twin brother of Carlos Davis, a fellow defensive lineman who has also played professionally, including time with the Birmingham Stallions. The twins have remained close throughout their careers, famously reuniting on the Birmingham Stallions roster in 2025 after Khalil came out of retirement. Their shared journey from Blue Springs High School to Nebraska and into professional football has been a defining theme of Khalil’s personal story.
2025 Season Performance
After announcing his retirement from professional football on July 21, 2025, Khalil Davis reversed course and signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League on September 3, 2025. The move reunited him with twin brother Carlos Davis on the same defensive line and added veteran leadership to a Birmingham team chasing another spring football title.
Coming out of retirement, Davis joined a Stallions program with championship expectations, providing interior line depth and a veteran presence in the locker room. His experience across multiple NFL organizations, combined with his prior USFL championship run with Birmingham, positioned him as a stabilizing contributor for the 2025 UFL campaign.
The 2025 season storyline for Davis centers on the emotional reunion with his brother, the pursuit of another spring football crown, and the opportunity to finish his playing career on his own terms. With the regular season underway and the postseason in sight, Davis’s role on the Stallions’ defensive line offers a fitting closing chapter to a career that began in Blue Springs and grew through Nebraska, Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Houston, and San Francisco.
