Kyle Peko Bio
Kyle Peko (born July 23, 1993) is an American professional football player who serves as a nose tackle in the National Football League. Peko played college football for the Cerritos Falcons and the Oregon State Beavers and entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2016 when he signed with the Denver Broncos.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Peko was born in La Habra, California. He attended La Habra High School and began his college career at Cerritos College, playing there from 2011 to 2012 before transferring to Oregon State, where he played in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Raised in Southern California, Peko followed the junior college to Division I path that many players use to reach the NFL. His progression through Cerritos and Oregon State prepared him for pro opportunities despite not being selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Path to American Football
Peko developed his early football resume at Cerritos College and at Oregon State, where he completed his collegiate eligibility in 2015. After the 2016 NFL Draft, he signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent on May 3, 2016, beginning his professional career.
His route to the NFL reflects a common path for players who move from junior college to a Power Five program and then into the professional ranks via free agency. The move to Denver launched a multi-year career of active-roster promotions, practice-squad assignments and several team stints.
Kyle Peko Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Peko signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in May 2016 and was rostered on and off between the active roster and the practice squad during his first season. He was promoted to Denver’s active roster on December 28, 2016.
The 2017 season featured multiple transactions for Peko with the Broncos organization, and he remained part of the team’s depth chart through 2018. He was waived by Denver on September 1, 2018, and had a brief practice squad stint with the team in early September before moving on to the Buffalo Bills later that month.
Buffalo Bills (2018–2019)
On September 12, 2018, Peko was signed to the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad and later signed a reserve/future contract with the Bills on December 31, 2018. He experienced the common roster churn of depth defensive linemen: he was waived on August 31, 2019, re-signed to the practice squad on September 1, promoted to the active roster on September 24, and waived again on November 2, 2019.
During his time with Buffalo, Peko continued to build NFL experience through practice-squad play, short active-roster stints and preparation for game-day duty when called upon by the coaching staff.
Indianapolis Colts and Return to Denver (2019–2020)
The Indianapolis Colts claimed Peko off waivers on November 4, 2019; he was waived five days later and returned to that organization’s practice squad. On December 14, 2019, Denver signed Peko off the Colts’ practice squad, returning him to the Broncos.
Peko announced he was opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was released by Denver after the season on February 18, 2021. That opt-out is a documented decision that paused his on-field work for the 2020 campaign.
Tennessee Titans Era (2021, 2023)
Kyle Peko signed with the Tennessee Titans on July 26, 2021. Early roster moves placed him on injured reserve on August 26, and then on September 6 he was released and later rejoined the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on November 17, 2021.
With the Titans, Peko produced the only two sacks recorded in his career to date by registering 1.0 sack in each of the final two games of that season. He also recorded his lone forced fumble in the first of those contests, a 34–3 win against the Miami Dolphins.
Las Vegas Raiders (2022)
Peko signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on March 22, 2022. He was released at the end of training camp on August 30, re-signed to the practice squad on September 5, released on September 13, re-signed on October 26 and was promoted to the Raiders’ active roster on December 6, 2022.
His time in Las Vegas followed the familiar pattern of practice-squad depth players providing roster flexibility across the regular season and being elevated when teams required interior defensive-line help.
Return to Tennessee and Detroit Lions (2023–2024)
Peko re-signed with the Tennessee Titans on August 14, 2023, was released at the end of the preseason and returned to the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on September 19. He was placed on injured reserve on December 13, 2023, ending his season early.
On May 7, 2024, Peko signed with the Detroit Lions. He was released on August 27, re-signed to the practice squad and promoted to the active roster on September 11, 2024. On October 13, 2024, Peko suffered a torn pectoral muscle in a Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys and underwent season-ending surgery, after which he was placed on injured reserve.
New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers (2025–Present)
In 2025 Peko signed with the New England Patriots on August 11 and was released on August 22. Later in 2025 he joined the Los Angeles Chargers, signing with their practice squad on October 28, 2025, continuing to pursue active-roster opportunities in the NFL.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a nose tackle, Peko’s role centers on interior gap control, run defense and occupying blockers to free linebackers. His skill set emphasizes strength at the point of attack, leverage against double teams and situational pass-rush snaps on early downs and short-yardage situations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key moments in Peko’s career include signing with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2016, opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recording back-to-back sacks and a forced fumble late in a Titans season, and returning from multiple practice-squad and active-roster transactions to remain in NFL service through 2025.
Kyle Peko Career Wins
In an NFL context, Peko’s career contributions are measured by defensive statistics and roster impact. As of 2025, official NFL totals list 2.0 sacks, 58 total tackles, 1 forced fumble and 2 pass deflections across his professional appearances.
NFL Highlights
Peko’s most notable statistical highlights came during the 2021 tenure with the Tennessee Titans, when he recorded his only two career sacks and his lone forced fumble. Those plays stand out as direct game-impacting moments in regular-season action.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Peko has frequently contributed by providing roster depth, practice-squad availability and short-notice game-day elevations across multiple teams. Those performances allowed several organizations to manage injuries and in-season roster needs while keeping veteran interior defensive-line experience available.
Kyle Peko Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kyle Peko is the younger cousin of longtime NFL nose tackle Domata Peko, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006; the two were teammates on the Denver Broncos in 2017. This family connection ties Kyle to an established NFL lineage at the defensive line position.
Personal Life
Peko is married to his wife, Giuliana. In 2019 Giuliana was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma; she completed treatment and was later reported to be cancer-free. The couple have two children together.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season included brief stints with the New England Patriots in August and a practice-squad signing with the Los Angeles Chargers on October 28, 2025. Those moves indicate ongoing interest from NFL clubs in veteran interior-line depth and suggest Peko remains in contention for active-roster opportunities.
Looking ahead, Peko’s immediate outlook centers on practice-squad availability with the Chargers and readiness for elevation if injuries or roster needs arise. His experience across multiple organizations positions him as a reliable depth option for teams seeking nose-tackle minutes.