Takk McKinley Bio
Takkarist Jaune McKinley, known professionally as Takk McKinley, is an American professional football defensive end. Born on November 2, 1995, in Oakland, California, he rose through high school and junior college ranks before starring at UCLA and being chosen in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. He has since played for multiple franchises across the league as a pass rusher.
McKinley is listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 250 pounds, a build that has allowed him to line up on the edge against both offensive tackles and tight ends. After spending his first four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, he has continued his career with several teams, most recently the New York Jets.
Early Life and Background
Takkarist Jaune McKinley was born and raised in Oakland, California, before attending John F. Kennedy High School in nearby Richmond, where he played for the Eagles football team. As a junior, he posted 50 tackles and 15 sacks, and as a senior he added 60 tackles and 11 sacks, showing the pass-rushing traits that would later define his career. He also ran track in high school, an experience that contributed to his speed and explosiveness off the edge.
Coming out of high school, McKinley originally committed to the University of California, Berkeley, but academic eligibility issues led to him being ruled a non-qualifier. He spent the 2013 season at Contra Costa College, a junior college in the Bay Area, where he recorded 33 tackles and 10 sacks, which helped him attract attention from major four-year programs.
Path to American Football
McKinley’s path to major-college football began in earnest when he transferred to UCLA in September 2014. As a freshman in 2014, he played in 10 games with one start and finished the year with 2.5 sacks, learning the defensive system while contributing as a rotational pass rusher. In 2015, he became a full-time starter, opening 12 of 13 games and recording 35 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
His senior season in 2016 was his breakout year, as he piled up 10 sacks and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors. That production, combined with his size and length, made him one of the top edge rushers on the 2017 draft board heading into the NFL Combine, where he tested as an outside linebacker before undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum and a fracture in his shoulder socket.
Takk McKinley Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
McKinley was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. He signed a four-year, $10.21 million rookie contract that included $7.89 million in guarantees and a $5.57 million signing bonus, then played in all 16 games as a rookie. He finished that debut season with 20 tackles and 6 sacks, ranking fourth among rookies league-wide and second on the Falcons behind Adrian Clayborn.
In 2018, McKinley recorded a career-high three sacks in a Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and finished the year with 22 combined tackles and a team-leading 7 sacks, cementing his status as a building block for Atlanta’s defense.
Atlanta Falcons Breakthrough (2017–2019)
McKinley’s most productive stretch came during his first three seasons in Atlanta. After a strong 2017 debut, he led the 2018 Falcons in sacks with 7, providing consistent pressure opposite Clayborn. In 2019, he played in 14 games with 13 starts, recording 29 tackles and 3.5 sacks before a shoulder injury in Week 15 sent him to injured reserve on December 17 of that year.
His time with the Falcons ended on April 29, 2020, when the team declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Later that November, McKinley publicly requested a trade after the Falcons had previously turned down multiple offers, and he was waived shortly after. He was claimed off waivers by both the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers but had his contracts with each team voided due to failed physicals.
Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns Era (2020–2021)
McKinley was claimed off waivers by the Las Vegas Raiders on November 23, 2020, and placed on injured reserve four days later. He was designated to return on December 15 and began practicing again, but head coach Jon Gruden announced on December 30 that he would not be activated, ending his Raiders tenure without appearing in a game.
On March 17, 2021, McKinley signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns, where he played 11 games and recorded 18 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. In a Week 14 win over the Baltimore Ravens, he had two tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble on Tyler Huntley, but he suffered a torn Achilles in the same game and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on December 21, 2021.
Journeyman Years (2022–2023)
McKinley signed with the Tennessee Titans practice squad on September 16, 2022, before being signed off that practice squad by the Los Angeles Rams on September 21, 2022. The Rams terminated his contract on October 18, and he then signed with the Dallas Cowboys practice squad on November 16, 2022, reuniting with former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, who was then the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator.
The Cowboys re-signed McKinley to a one-year deal on March 22, 2023, but released him on June 9 of that year, leaving him to search for his next opportunity.
New York Jets Era (2024)
On June 13, 2024, McKinley signed with the New York Jets. He was released on October 23, signed to the practice squad on October 31, and released again on December 13, 2024, finishing his time with the Jets without a regular-season appearance.
Driving Style and Strengths
McKinley is known as an edge rusher with the length and quickness to threaten offensive tackles, and his best work has come on passing downs where he can use his hands and first-step burst. Coming out of UCLA, he was praised for his motor, hand use, and ability to bend around the edge, traits that translated into 6 sacks as a rookie and 7 sacks the following season for the Falcons.
Notable Events and Milestones
McKinley’s most memorable NFL moment came in Week 4 of the 2018 season, when he recorded a career-high three sacks against the Cincinnati Bengals. He also earned first-team All-Pac-12 recognition in 2016 and was selected 26th overall in the 2017 draft, both signature milestones in his career.
Takk McKinley Career Wins
McKinley’s professional career has been defined more by individual production than by team championships. Through the 2024 season, he has recorded 107 total tackles, 20.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 pass deflections across his time with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, and other stops.
NFL Highlights
His most productive NFL season came in 2018, when he led the Atlanta Falcons with 7 sacks and posted a career-high three sacks in a single game against Cincinnati. In 2017, he added 6 sacks as a rookie, and in 2021 with Cleveland he finished with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble before his season-ending Achilles injury. In the 2019 season, he played in 14 games with 13 starts and recorded 3.5 sacks before a shoulder injury ended his year in mid-December.
Other Wins and Performances
At the college level, McKinley earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2016 after posting 10 sacks as a senior at UCLA. His 10-sack junior college season at Contra Costa College in 2013 also marked him as one of the top junior college pass rushers in California that year.
Takk McKinley Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about McKinley’s immediate family is limited. He grew up in the Oakland area and attended Kennedy High School in nearby Richmond, California, where he developed into a top-tier pass rusher before beginning his college path at Contra Costa College.
Personal Life
Details about McKinley’s personal life, including marital status and children, have not been publicly confirmed. He is widely known by the nickname Takk, and his full given name, Takkarist Jaune McKinley, reflects his family heritage rooted in the Oakland, California, community.
2025 Season Performance
As of early 2025, McKinley is a free agent after being released by the New York Jets in December 2024. His most recent NFL action came during the 2024 offseason and preseason, with the Jets as a pass-rushing depth piece. Without a confirmed team for the upcoming season, his 2025 outlook depends on finding a roster opportunity.
Heading into 2025, McKinley owns career NFL totals of 107 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 pass deflections, numbers that suggest he could still contribute as a situational pass rusher. His track record of 6 sacks as a rookie and 7 sacks in 2018 remains his benchmark for potential production.
The 2025 season represents an opportunity for McKinley to extend a career that has already included a first-round selection, an All-Pac-12 nod at UCLA, and stops with multiple NFL franchises. Whether he returns to a defensive end rotation or transitions out of the league will likely depend on the market for veteran edge rushers in the coming months.