Mason Kinsey Bio
Mason Shane Kinsey is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). Born on August 29, 1998, in Demorest, Georgia, Kinsey has built his career as an undrafted specialist who has spent multiple seasons shuttling between the Titans’ practice squad and active roster. He wears jersey number 12 and is listed at 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) and 200 lb (91 kg).
Kinsey played college football at Berry College, where he developed into one of the most productive receivers in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA). His path to the NFL was unconventional, as he entered the league without a draft selection in 2020 and has since remained with the Titans organization across two separate stints, with a brief stop on the New England Patriots’ practice squad in between.
Early Life and Background
Mason Shane Kinsey was born on August 29, 1998, in Demorest, Georgia, a small community in Habersham County in the northeastern part of the state. He grew up in the region and attended Habersham Central High School in nearby Clarkesville, Georgia, where he began his football career. His early athletic life was rooted in the same northeast Georgia communities that shaped his youth and his early approach to the sport.
During his time at Habersham Central, Kinsey developed the receiving and return skills that would later define his professional role. Coming from a small-town program, he had limited national exposure heading into college, which is part of why he ultimately chose to compete at the Division III level. The combination of small-town roots and a willingness to refine his craft in a less-heralded program became a defining part of his football identity.
Path to American Football
After completing his high school career at Habersham Central, Kinsey committed to Berry College in Mount Berry, Georgia, an NCAA Division III program competing in the Southern Athletic Association. He joined the Berry Vikings and spent four seasons with the program from 2016 through 2019, gradually building a reputation as a dynamic pass catcher and return threat.
At Berry, Kinsey piled up 203 receptions for 3,343 yards and 50 touchdowns across his four collegiate seasons. He was a central figure for the Vikings, helping them win four consecutive SAA championships and earn three straight NCAA Division III playoff bids. His play earned him three All-SAA first-team selections (2017, 2018, and 2019) and a third-team D3football.com All-American nod as a senior, establishing him as one of the conference’s most decorated receivers of his era despite playing at the Division III level.
Mason Kinsey Career
Early Career (2020)
Kinsey declared for the 2020 NFL Draft and went undrafted. Shortly after the draft concluded, he signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent on April 25, 2020. His first stint with Tennessee was brief, as he was waived on September 5, 2020, during the league’s final roster cuts, just days before the regular season began.
Three days after being released by the Titans, Kinsey was signed by the New England Patriots to their practice squad on September 8, 2020. His time in New England included multiple transactions: he was released on October 1, 2020, re-signed on October 19, and released a second time on November 18, 2020. The Patriots stint gave Kinsey his first exposure to a different NFL organization’s system and culture, even though he never appeared in a regular-season game for the club.
Tennessee Titans Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Kinsey returned to the Tennessee Titans on January 21, 2021, when he signed a reserve/futures contract with the team. He was again cut at the end of the 2021 preseason on August 31, 2021, but was re-signed to the practice squad the following day. On October 24, 2021, he was elevated to the Titans’ active roster, and after the team’s Divisional Round playoff exit, he signed another reserve/future contract on January 24, 2022. This period marked his first sustained presence on an NFL active roster.
The 2022 season brought more of the same back-and-forth pattern: Kinsey was waived on August 30, 2022, signed to the practice squad the next day, and elevated to the active roster on October 21, 2022. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 10, 2023. During the 2022 season, Kinsey appeared in two games, taking his first regular-season snaps as a Tennessee Titan.
Tennessee Titans Era (2023–Present)
In 2023, Kinsey was again waived on August 29 and re-signed to the practice squad, then promoted to the active roster on September 22, 2023. After another waiver on October 2 and a return to the practice squad, he was promoted back to the active roster on December 16, 2023. He played in six games during the 2023 season, recording 11 punt returns and continuing to serve in his specialist role.
The 2024 season followed a similar rhythm: Kinsey was waived on August 27, 2024, re-signed to the practice squad, promoted to the active roster on October 26, waived again on October 29, and brought back to the practice squad two days later. He was promoted once more on December 7, 2024, and appeared in six games that season, finishing with two receptions for 17 yards and six punt returns. Heading into the 2025 campaign, he was waived on August 26 and re-signed to the practice squad the next day, before being signed back to the active roster on October 24.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most consistent themes of Kinsey’s professional career is his repeated movement between the active roster and the practice squad with the Titans, a cycle that has played out in nearly every season since 2020. He made his first regular-season appearances in 2021 and has been a steady presence on special teams ever since, logging 11 punt returns in 2023 and adding six more in 2024, along with his first NFL receptions. Through the 2025 season, his career NFL statistics include 6 receptions for 74 receiving yards and 139 return yards.
Mason Kinsey Career Highlights
Tennessee Titans Highlights
Kinsey’s tenure with the Tennessee Titans has spanned two stints: an initial undrafted free agent signing in 2020, and a longer run beginning in January 2021 that has continued to the present. Across his time on the active roster, he has contributed primarily as a punt returner and depth wide receiver, logging 11 punt returns in 2023 and six in 2024, plus his first two career receptions for 17 yards that same season. His career totals in the NFL stand at 6 receptions for 74 receiving yards and 139 return yards, reflecting his role as a depth and special teams contributor rather than a primary offensive target.
Mason Kinsey Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Mason Kinsey’s family background is limited. He grew up in the Demorest and Clarkesville area of northeast Georgia and attended Habersham Central High School, the same region that produced his football foundation.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season began with another familiar transaction for Kinsey, as the Titans waived him on August 26 as part of final roster cuts and re-signed him to the practice squad the following day. He continued in his typical specialist role through the early part of the season before being signed to the active roster on October 24, 2025, giving him another opportunity to contribute in the latter portion of the schedule.
Throughout 2025, Kinsey has continued to serve as a depth wide receiver and return specialist, providing veteran practice-squad value for the Titans while being ready to step in when injuries or roster moves created openings. His value to the organization remains tied to his reliability on special teams and his familiarity with Tennessee’s offensive system across multiple coaching cycles.
With the Titans’ playoff picture still unfolding, Kinsey’s 2025 outlook centers on whether he can lock in a more permanent spot on the active roster and continue to expand his regular-season production after years of practice-squad shuttling. His longevity with one organization, despite going undrafted, underscores the trust the Titans have placed in his preparation and special teams work.