Nikola Kalinic (gridiron football)
{{Short description|Canadian gridiron football player (born 1997)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Nikola Kalinic
| image = 84, Nikola Kalinic, June 22, 2019.jpg
| caption = Kalinic with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2019
| current_team = Atlanta Falcons
| number =
| position = Tight end
| high_school = Silverthorn (Toronto)
| cis = York (2015–2018)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|1|21}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 248
| cfldraftyear = 2019
| cfldraftround = 2
| cfldraftpick = 10
| undraftedyear = 2019
| pastteams =
- Hamilton Tiger-Cats ({{CFL Year|2019}}–{{CFL Year|2021}})
- Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|2022}})
- Los Angeles Rams ({{NFL Year|2023|2024}})
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| pfr = K/KaliNi00
| cfl = nikola-kalinic/164868
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 7
| cflstatlabel1 = Receptions
| cflstatvalue1 = 23
| cflstatlabel2 = Receiving yards
| cflstatvalue2 = 192
| cflstatlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| cflstatvalue3 = 2
| cflstatlabel4 = Return yards
| cflstatvalue4 = 36
}}
Nikola Kalinic ({{langx|sr|Kalinić}}; born January 21, 1997) is a Canadian professional football tight end for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He has previously played in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams, and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
University career
Kalinic played U Sports football for the York Lions from 2015 to 2018.{{cite web|url=https://yorkulions.ca/news/2019/5/3/football-three-lions-selected-in-2019-cfl-draft.aspx|title=Three Lions selected in 2019 CFL Draft|date=May 3, 2019|publisher=Canadian Football League}} In his four years with the team, he had 38 catches for 416 yards and two touchdowns and was the first York football player to be named an OUA All-Star twice in one season (on offence and on special teams).
Professional career
=Hamilton Tiger-Cats=
Kalinic was selected in the second round, tenth overall, by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 2019 CFL Draft and he signed with the team on May 17, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2019/05/17/tiger-cats-sign-entire-2019-cfl-draft-class/|title=Tiger-Cats sign entire 2017 draft class|date=May 17, 2019|publisher=Canadian Football League}} After making the team following training camp, he played in his first professional game on June 13, 2019 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/2561/saskatchewan-roughriders-vs-hamilton-tiger-cats/|title=Saskatchewan Roughriders vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats|publisher=Canadian Football League|access-date=September 8, 2019}} In his second game, on June 22, 2019, against the Toronto Argonauts, he scored his first career CFL touchdown on his first career reception on a 31-yard pass from Jeremiah Masoli.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/games/2567/hamilton-tiger-cats-vs-toronto-argonauts/|title=Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs Toronto Argonauts|publisher=Canadian Football League|access-date=September 8, 2019}} Overall, Kalinic played in 16 regular season games for the Tiger-Cats in 2019 where he recorded 12 receptions for 106 yards and one touchdown.{{cite web|url=https://ticats.ca/players/164868/bio |title=Nikola Kalinic |publisher=Hamilton Tiger-Cats |access-date=January 22, 2022}} He played in his first career post-season game, against the Edmonton Eskimos, in the East Final win that sent the Tiger-Cats to the 107th Grey Cup. Kalinic played in his first Grey Cup game, but the Tiger-Cats lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season, Kalinic did not play in 2020. In 2021, he played in all 14 regular season games as he had 11 catches for 86 yards and one touchdown with eight special teams tackles. He also played in all three post-season games that year, including his second consecutive Grey Cup game where the Tiger-Cats again lost to the Blue Bombers in the 108th Grey Cup. He was scheduled to become a free agent in 2022, but was granted an early release on January 22, 2022, so that he could sign with a team in the National Football League.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2022/01/22/ticats-release-te-fb-nikola-kalinic-pursue-nfl-opportunities/|title=Ticats release TE/FB Nikola Kalinic to pursue NFL opportunities|date=January 22, 2022|publisher=Canadian Football League}}
=Indianapolis Colts=
Kalinic signed with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL).{{cite web|url=https://www.colts.com/news/nikola-kalinic-canadian-football-league-cfl-signed-reserve-future-contract|title=Colts Sign TE Nikola Kalinic To Reserve/Future Contract|website=Colts.com|date=January 26, 2022}} He was waived on August 30, 2022, and signed to the practice squad the next day.{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2022 |title=Colts Announce Final 2022 Roster Cuts |url=https://www.colts.com/news/final-2022-roster-cuts-philip-lindsay-tyson-williams-jack-coan |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Colts.com}}{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Colts Sign 13 Players To Practice Squad |url=https://www.colts.com/news/practice-squad-curtis-brooks-keke-coutee-marcel-dabo-jared-scott |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Colts.com}} He was promoted to the active roster on December 13.{{Cite web |date=December 13, 2022 |title=Colts Sign TE Nikola Kalinic to the 53-man Roster From The Practice Squad, Waive WR Keke Coutee, Sign WR Robert Foster To The Practice Squad |url=https://www.colts.com/news/colts-sign-te-nikola-kalinic-to-the-53-man-roster-from-the-practice-squad-waive- |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Colts.com}} He was waived on May 4, 2023.{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2023 |title=Colts waive DE Kameron Cline, TE Nikola Kalinic, LB Forrest Rhyne, DT Chris Williams, TE Jalen Wydermyer |url=https://www.colts.com/news/waive-roster-moves-jalen-wydermyer-chris-williams-kameron-cline |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Colts.com}}
=Los Angeles Rams=
On July 14, 2023, Kalinic signed with the Los Angeles Rams.{{Cite web|title=Rams sign Canadian TE Kalinic|url=https://www.tsn.ca/los-angeles-rams-sign-canadian-nikola-kalinic-1.1984298?tsn-amp|access-date=July 14, 2023|website=tsn.ca|date=July 14, 2023 |language=en}} He was waived on August 29, 2023 and re-signed to the practice squad.{{Cite web |last=Jackson, Stu |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Rams waive 36 players ahead of Tuesday's 53-man roster deadline |url=https://www.therams.com/news/rams-waive-14-players-ahead-of-tuesday-s-53-man-roster-deadline |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=TheRams.com}}{{Cite web |last=Jackson, Stu |date=August 31, 2023 |title=Rams sign 16 players to initial practice squad for 2023 season |url=https://www.therams.com/news/rams-sign-15-players-to-initial-practice-squad-for-2023-season |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=TheRams.com}}
On January 16, 2024, Kalinic signed a reserve/future contract with the Rams.{{cite news|url=https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2024/01/17/rams-futures-contracts-offseason-signings/|work=USAToday.com|title=Rams sign 4 more players to reserve/futures deals|first=Cameron|last=DaSilva|date=January 17, 2024|accessdate=January 17, 2024}} He was waived on August 27, and re-signed to the practice squad.{{cite web|title=Rams sign 17 players to initial practice squad for 2024 season|url=https://www.therams.com/news/rams-sign-17-players-to-initial-practice-squad-for-2024-season|author=Jackson, Stu|website=TheRams.com|date=August 28, 2024}}
=Atlanta Falcons=
On January 28, 2025, Kalinic signed a reserve/future contract with the Atlanta Falcons.{{cite web|title=Falcons sign 17 players to reserve/future contracts for 2025|url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/atlanta-falcons-reserve-future-contracts-2025|author=Waack, Terrin|website=AtlantaFalcons.com|date=January 17, 2025}}
Personal life
Kalinic is of Serbian descent.{{Cite web |date=2019-06-23 |title=Nikola Kalinić dobio pesmu: Grme sa tribina reči posvećene Velikom Srbinu! |url=https://www.espreso.rs/sport/ostali-sportovi/405017/nikola-kalinic-dobio-pesmu-grme-sa-tribina-reci-posvecene-velikom-srbinu |access-date=2020-10-19 |website=Espreso.rs |language=Serbian}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons}}
- [https://www.therams.com/team/players-roster/nikola-kalinic/ Los Angeles Rams bio]
- [http://ticats.ca/players/164868/ Hamilton Tiger-Cats bio]
- [https://yorkulions.ca/roster.aspx?rp_id=6225 York Lions bio]
{{Atlanta Falcons roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalinic, Nikola}}
Category:Canadian football people from Toronto
Category:Canadian football fullbacks
Category:Hamilton Tiger-Cats players
Category:York Lions football players
Category:Players of Canadian football from Ontario
Category:Canadian people of Serbian descent
Category:Indianapolis Colts players
Category:Los Angeles Rams players
Category:American football tight ends