Chris Odom (born September 16, 1994) is an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...

for the

Arlington Renegades The Arlington Renegades are a professional American football team based in Arlington, Texas. The Renegades compete in the United Football League (UFL) as a member of the XFL Conference. The team was founded as the Dallas Renegades by Vince McMah ...

of the United Football League (UFL). He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

Arkansas State Arkansas State University (A-State or ASU) is a public research university in Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States. It is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System and the second-largest university in the state. The university ...

. Odom has also been a member of the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...

Salt Lake Stallions The Salt Lake Stallions were a professional American football franchise based in Salt Lake City, and one of the eight members of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), which began play in February 2019. The Stallions were the northernmost tea ...

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division (CFL), West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium a ...

, Houston Roughnecks, and

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...

. With the

Houston Gamblers The Houston Gamblers were an American football team that competed in the United States Football League in 1984 and 1985. The Gamblers were coached by veteran NFL head coach Jack Pardee in both their seasons. They were noteworthy for introducin ...

, he led the

USFL The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...

in sacks and was named its Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.

Early life

Odom played

high school football High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by High school (North America), high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular high school sports, interscholastic sports in both c ...

at Martin High School in

Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal c ...

. He recorded 32

tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position) A tackle is a playing position in American football. Historically, in the one-platoon system prevalent ...

his senior year, earning all-district honors as a

. He also participated in the school's

track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

program.

College career

Odom played for the

Arkansas State Red Wolves The Arkansas State Red Wolves are the athletic teams of Arkansas State University. They are a member of the Sun Belt Conference in all sports except women's Ten-pin bowling, bowling, a sport not sponsored by that league, competing at the National ...

from 2013 to 2016. He played in all 13 games in 2013, recording 8 solo tackles, 9 tackle assists and 3 sacks. He played in all 13 games, starting 3, in 2014, totaling 12 solo tackles, 2 tackle assists, 1 sack, 2

pass breakups In American football, a pass deflected, also known as a pass deflection, a pass defended, a pass , a pass knockdown, or a pass breakup, is an incomplete pass that is caused by a defensive player. This is done by slapping or blocking the ball with ...

and 1 blocked kick. Odom played in 11 games in 2015, recording 1 solo tackles, 2 tackle assists and 3 blocked kicks. His three blocked kicks were tied for the third most in school history for a single season. He played in all 13 games in 2016, totaling 28 solo tackles, 25 tackle assists, 12.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 4 forced fumbles and 1 blocked kick, earning First-team All-

Sun Belt Conference The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference that has been affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA's NCAA Division I, Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football confe ...

honors. Odom participated in the

College Gridiron Showcase The College Gridiron Showcase (CGS) is an independently operated annual post-season college football event hosted each January in Fort Worth, Texas. The event consists of NFL draft prospects who have completed their eligibility in NCAA Division ...

in January 2017. His five career blocked kicks were the second most in school history. He majored in Sport Management at Arkansas State.

Professional career

Pre-draft

Odom was rated the 41st best defensive end in the

2017 NFL draft The 2017 NFL draft was the 82nd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It was held in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27–29, returning to Philadelphia f ...

by NFLDraftScout.com.

Atlanta Falcons (first stint)

After going undrafted, Odom signed with the

on May 1, 2017. He was waived by the Falcons on September 2, 2017.

Green Bay Packers

Odom was claimed off waivers by the

on September 3, 2017. On September 1, 2018, Odom was waived by the Packers.

Salt Lake Stallions

In late 2018, Odom joined the

of the

Alliance of American Football The Alliance of American Football (AAF) was a professional American football minor league. The AAF consisted of eight centrally owned and operated teams in the southern and western United States, seven of which were located in metropolitan area ...

(AAF). Odom recorded 7 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 8 quarterback hits, and 2 pass knockdowns during his time in the AAF.

Atlanta Falcons (second stint)

On April 15, 2019, Odom signed a two-year contract with the Falcons. He was waived on August 31, 2019.

Washington Redskins

Odom signed with the

' practice squad on September 2, 2019. He was released on October 8, 2019. He was re-signed on November 20. He was promoted to the active roster on November 30, 2019. In week 13 against the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...

, Odom sacked quarterback

Kyle Allen Kyle Allen may refer to: * Kyle Allen (American football) * Kyle Allen (actor), American actor and ballet dancer See also * Allen (surname) {{human name disambiguation ...

twice, one of which was a strip sack which was recovered by teammate

Nate Orchard Nathaniel Fakahafua Orchard (born Napa'a Lilo Fakahafua on January 5, 1993) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Utah Utes and was s ...

late in the fourth quarter to seal a 29–21 win. Odom finished the season with 10 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced

fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...

in only 47 defensive snaps. He was released on February 14, 2020.

Calgary Stampeders

Odom signed with the

of the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

on February 2, 2021. Odom made the practice roster and did dress for three games for Calgary, but was ultimately released on November 29, 2021.

Houston Gamblers (first stint)

Odom was drafted by the

by the

United States Football League The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...

(USFL) in the second round (12th overall) of the

2022 USFL draft The 2022 USFL draft, also known as the 2022 USFL player selection meeting, was the player selection process to fill the rosters of the eight teams for the 2022 USFL season. The draft was held on February 22–23, 2022, with results released thro ...

. While the Gamblers did not qualify for the playoffs, Odom had a successful season by leading the league in sacks and forced fumbles (12.5 and 6 respectively) and was named Defensive Player of the Year. Odom also earned two distinct Player of the Week honors; following a 3 sack performance against Tampa Bay, Odom was named Defensive Player of the Week, and after blocking two field goals in one game, Odom was named Special Teams Player of the Week for week 10. In total, Odom blocked a league best 4 field goals for the 2022 season.

Cleveland Browns

Odom was signed by the

on August 5, 2022. He was placed on

injured reserve The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in ...

with a torn

anterior cruciate ligament The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formation. In ...

on August 29.

Houston Gamblers / Roughnecks (second stint)

On December 26, 2023, Odom re-signed with the Gamblers. Odom and all other Gamblers players and coaches were all transferred to the Houston Roughnecks after it was announced that the Gamblers took on the identity of their XFL counterpart, the Roughnecks. He was named to the 2024 All-UFL team on June 5, 2024.

Arlington Renegades

On February 24, 2025, Odom signed with the

of the United Football League (UFL). Odom recorded another 5 sacks, scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery, and led the league in tackles for a loss with 12.

Career statistics

NFL

CFL

AAF/USFL/UFL

Personal life

Odom's father,

Cliff In geography and geology, a cliff or rock face is an area of Rock (geology), rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. ...

, also played in the NFL and was drafted by the Browns in the 3rd round of the

1980 NFL draft The 1980 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1980, at the New York Sh ...

References

External links

College stats
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Odom, Chris Living people 1994 births American football defensive ends American football linebackers Arkansas State Red Wolves football players Atlanta Falcons players Washington Redskins players Green Bay Packers players Salt Lake Stallions players Players of American football from Arlington, Texas Calgary Stampeders players Martin High School (Arlington, Texas) alumni 21st-century African-American sportsmen Houston Gamblers (2022) players Cleveland Browns players Canadian football defensive linemen Players of Canadian football from Texas Houston Roughnecks (2024) players Arlington Renegades players