Former UCLA Football Star Takkarist McKinley Tears Achilles, Out For Season
After finally finding consistent playing time, one Bruin alumnus suffered an injury halting the rest of his season.
Contributing to the defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest yards in the NFL, defensive end Takkarist McKinley looked primed to play a major role as the Cleveland Browns tried to sneak into the postseason picture. However, during Monday night’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, McKinley went down with a non-contact injury in the third quarter and was carted off the field, with reports Tuesday morning confirming it was a torn Achilles that would end his season.
If the Browns make the playoffs this season – which is becoming increasingly unlikely as they currently sit five spots behind the final wild card position– McKinley would be unable to play and would instead have to watch from the sidelines. Former UCLA running back/wide receiver Demetric Felton, meanwhile, is still representing the school on the Browns roster, and he played a career-high 52% of offensive snaps on Monday.
In his efforts this season, the 6-foot-2 McKinley recorded 18 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, eight QB hits and a forced fumble. But before he inked a one-year deal with Cleveland in March, McKinley had been bouncing around without direction for well over a year.
McKinley started his career with the Atlanta Falcons, who selected him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft following his All-Pac-12 level season in Westwood the year prior. The former Bruin racked up 16.5 sacks and 21.0 tackles for loss across his first three seasons in Atlanta, only missing three games total, but things went south fast.
Heading into his contract year, McKinley made his intentions clear that he wanted to be traded. In tweets during November 2020, he claimed the Falcons had declined a trade in 2019 in which a team would receive a second round pick in return for him, and then in 2020, they declined a trade where they would receive a fifth and sixth round pick.
Unable to get his trade request granted, McKinley was placed on waivers, where he was claimed by both the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers, but he failed physicals with both. The Las Vegas Raiders claimed McKinley not long after, but he was immediately placed on the injury reserve, never seeing any game action. Released to free agency after playing just four games in 2020, he finally landed in Cleveland.
McKinley was one of the best pass rushers to come through Westwood in the modern era before injuries and drama defined his pro career, and Bruin fans will surely remember him for his performances at the Rose Bowl from 2014 to 2016.
During his three years in blue and gold, McKinley accumulated 102 tackles, 29.0 tackles for loss, 17.0 sacks, 10 pass deflections and six forced fumbles.
McKinley has been unable to match those collegiate numbers at the next level, and a long-term injury will set him back yet again.
McKinley will be up for free agency again in March unless he earns a contract extension with Cleveland.
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