DeForest Buckner
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DeForest George Buckner (born March 17, 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 tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...
for the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL). 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 ...
for the
Oregon Ducks The Oregon Ducks are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon, Eugene. The Ducks compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCA ...
, and was selected by the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
in the first round of the
2016 NFL draft The 2016 NFL draft was the 81st annual draft of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft beg ...
. With the 49ers, Buckner made a
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
and was a second-team
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
selection in 2019. With the Colts, he was selected to the first-team All Pro in 2020 and made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2023.


Early life

Buckner was born to a Samoan mother and an
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
father. He attended
Punahou School Punahou School (known as Oahu College until 1934) is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school in Honolulu, Hawaii. More than 3,700 students attend the school from kindergarten through 12th grade. The school was established by P ...
in
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
, Hawaii, where he was rated as a four-star recruit. Buckner also was a teammate of
Kaʻimi Fairbairn John Christian Kaiminoeauloamekaikeokekumupaa Fairbairn (born January 29, 1994) is an American professional football placekicker for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Playing college football for the UCLA Bruins, he was a ...
, currently the kicker of the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
. In January 2012, Buckner committed to the
University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a Public university, public research university in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1876, the university is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and gra ...
to play
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 ...
. Buckner also played basketball in high school. He was the Hawaii
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Player of the Year in basketball in 2012.


College career

Buckner played in all 13 games as a
true freshman The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see '' Glossary of Canadian football''. 0–9 ...
in 2012, making two starts. He finished his freshman season with 29
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 ...
, 2.5 for a loss, and 1.0
sack A sack usually refers to a rectangular-shaped bag. Sack may also refer to: Bags * Flour sack * Gunny sack * Hacky sack, sport * Money sack * Paper sack * Sleeping bag * Stuff sack * Knapsack Other uses * Bed, a slang term * Sack (band), ...
. As a sophomore in 2013, Buckner started eight of 13 games, recording 39 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks. As a junior in 2014, he finished the year with 81 tackles, 13 for a loss, and 4.0 sacks. Buckner was considered a possible first-round pick in the
NFL draft The NFL draft, officially known as the Annual Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the most common source of player recruitment in the National Football League. Each team is given a position in the drafting order in reve ...
but chose to return for his senior season to graduate and improve his draft stock. As a senior in 2015, Buckner improved even further, achieving career highs in tackles with 83,
tackles for loss The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see '' Glossary of Canadian football''. 0–9 ...
with 17, and sacks with 10.5. Buckner was voted the 2015 Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year by the Pac-12 coaches, joining
Haloti Ngata Etuini Haloti Ngata (; born January 21, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, earning consensus All-American ho ...
as the second Oregon Duck to ever win the award. He was awarded the
Morris Trophy Coaches of the Pac-12 Conference bestow the following awards at the end of each football season. The conference was founded in its current form as the Athletic Association of Western Universities in 1959, but traces its roots to the Pacific Coast C ...
for best Pac-12 defensive lineman (voted on by opposing players) and was named a first-team
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
. Following his senior season, Buckner officially announced he would enter the
2016 NFL draft The 2016 NFL draft was the 81st annual draft of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft beg ...
. He was considered one of the top-ranked
defensive ends 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 formations over the years have substantially changed how the position is ...
in the draft.


Professional career


San Francisco 49ers


2016 season

The
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
selected Buckner with the seventh overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was the second consecutive Oregon defensive end selected in the first round by the 49ers, joining Arik Armstead who was selected 17th overall in 2015. They went on to draft
Solomon Thomas Solomon Christopher Thomas (born August 26, 1995) is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal and was selected third ove ...
who was another Pac-12 defensive end in 2017. Buckner made his NFL debut in the season-opener against the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
, recording one tackle in the 28–0 shutout victory. During a Week 6 45–16 road loss to the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
, he recorded nine tackles and his first two NFL sacks on quarterback
Tyrod Taylor Tyrod Di'allo Taylor (born August 3, 1989) is an American professional football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies and was selected by the Baltimore Rav ...
and recovered a
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 ...
forced by former college teammate Arik Armstead on Taylor. During Week 14 against the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
, Buckner recorded a team-high 11 tackles and sacked
Bryce Petty Bryce William Petty (born May 31, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was selected by the New York Jets in t ...
twice in the 23–17 overtime loss. Buckner finished his rookie season with 73 tackles, six sacks, two fumble recoveries, and a
pass deflection 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 ...
in 15 games and starts. He led all NFL
defensive linemen In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line (D ...
with 1,108 snaps on the season and ranked second with his 73 tackles. Buckner's six sacks ranked fourth among rookies. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.


2017 season

Buckner and the defense played well 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 ...
in the season opener, holding quarterback
Cam Newton Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers. He is the NFL le ...
to only 171 yards passing and three yards rushing despite losing 23–3. Three weeks later against the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
, Buckner recorded four tackles and his first sack of the year on
Carson Palmer Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played college football for the USC Trojans, winning the Heisman Trophy as ...
during the 18–15 overtime road loss. During Week 15 against the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
, Buckner recorded a season-high nine tackles and half a sack on former college teammate
Marcus Mariota Marcus Ardel Taulauniu Mariota (born October 30, 1993) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks footb ...
in a narrow 25–23 victory. Buckner finished his second professional season with 61 tackles, five pass deflections, three sacks, and a forced fumble in 16 games and starts.


2018 season

During the season-opener against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
, Buckner recorded seven tackles and sacked
Kirk Cousins Kirk Daniel Cousins (born August 19, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans football, Mi ...
2.5 times in the 24–16 road loss. In the next game against the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
, he recorded five tackles and sacked
Matthew Stafford John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georg ...
once in a narrow 30–27 win. After the first two games of the season, Buckner eclipsed his 2017 sack total. During a Week 13 43–16 road loss the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
, Buckner recorded seven tackles and sacked
Russell Wilson Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He has primarily played for the Seattle Seahawks. With the Sea ...
twice. Two weeks later against the Seahawks, Buckner recorded a season-high 11 tackles and sacked Wilson twice more during the 26–23 overtime victory. Buckner finished his third season with 67 tackles, three pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and a career high 12 sacks, the most by a 49ers player since
Aldon Smith Aldon Jacarus Smith (born September 25, 1989) is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the sev ...
had 19.5 during the 2012 season. Buckner was named to his first
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
as a result.


2019 season

On April 24, 2019, the 49ers exercised the fifth-year option on Buckner's contract. During Week 2 against the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
, Buckner recorded a tackle and his first sack of the season on
Andy Dalton Andrew Gregory Dalton (born October 29, 1987) is an American professional football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "the Red Rifle", he played college football for the TCU Horned Frogs, wher ...
in the 41–17 road victory. In the next game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
, Buckner recorded a season-high 10 tackles, sacked Mason Rudolph once, and recovered a fumble forced by teammate Arik Armstead on James Conner late in the fourth quarter to help seal a 24–20 victory. After a Week 4 bye, the 49ers hosted the
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 ...
on ''
Monday Night Football ''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
''. In that game, Buckner recorded five tackles and a strip sack on
Baker Mayfield Baker Reagan Mayfield (born April 14, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Oklahoma Sooners ...
which was recovered by teammate
Nick Bosa Nicholas John Bosa (born October 23, 1997) is an American professional American football, football defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes football, O ...
as the 49ers won by a score of 31–3. During a Week 9 28–25 road victory over the Cardinals, Buckner recorded four tackles and a sack. In the next game against the Seahawks on ''Monday Night Football'', he recorded five tackles and recovered a fumble forced by teammate K'Waun Williams on running back
Rashaad Penny Rashaad Armein Penny (born February 2, 1996) is an American former professional football running back who played for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for the San D ...
. Later in the game, Buckner recovered a fumble lost by offensive tackle
Germain Ifedi Germain Ifedi (born June 2, 1994) is an American professional football offensive tackle. He played college football at Texas A&M and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft. Early life A native of Houston, ...
and returned it for a 12-yard touchdown during the 27–24 overtime loss. Three weeks later against the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
, Buckner sacked
Lamar Jackson Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. (born January 7, 1997) is an American professional football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals, winning the Heisman T ...
once during the 20–17 road loss. With this sack, Buckner recorded at least one sack in every game against the American Football Conference (AFC) North during the season. Buckner finished the 2019 season with 61 tackles, 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, two pass deflections, and a touchdown in 16 games and starts. On January 3, 2020, he was named as a Second-team
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
. Buckner made his playoff debut in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Vikings. In that game, he recorded two tackles and sacked
Kirk Cousins Kirk Daniel Cousins (born August 19, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans football, Mi ...
once in the 27–10 win. During the NFC Championship Game against the
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 ...
, Buckner recorded four tackles and recovered a fumble lost by
Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears foo ...
in the 37–20 victory. During
Super Bowl LIV Super Bowl LIV was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2019 NFL season, 2019 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2019 Kansas City Chiefs season, Kansas City ...
against the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
, Buckner recorded six tackles and sacked
Patrick Mahomes Patrick Lavon Mahomes II ( ; born September 17, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Mahomes has led the Chiefs to seven consecutive AFC Championship Game app ...
1.5 times in the 31–20 loss. He was ranked 56th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 The NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 is the tenth season in the NFL Top 100 series. It premiered on July 26, 2020 and the final episode aired on July 29, 2020. It started later than in previous years, and the show was shown in 4 consecutive days inste ...
.


Indianapolis Colts


2020 season

On March 18, 2020, the 49ers traded Buckner to the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
in exchange for their first round pick in the
2020 NFL draft The 2020 NFL draft was the 85th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2020 NFL season. The first round was held on April 23, followed by the second and third rounds on April 24. The ...
. He then signed a four-year, $84 million contract extension, making him the second-highest paid defensive tackle. During a Week 2 28–11 over the Vikings, Buckner recorded his first sack of the season on
Kirk Cousins Kirk Daniel Cousins (born August 19, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans football, Mi ...
in the end zone for a safety. During Week 11 against the Packers, Buckner recovered a fumble forced by teammate Julian Blackmon on wide receiver
Marquez Valdes-Scantling Marquez Reshard Valdes-Scantling (born October 10, 1994), also known by his initials MVS, is an American professional football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the NC St ...
early in overtime to help the Colts win the game 34–31. Buckner was placed on the reserve/
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
list after testing positive for the virus on November 25, 2020. and activated on December 4. During Week 15 against the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
he had a career-high three sacks on
Deshaun Watson Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers, leading the team to a national ...
, including a strip sack that was recovered by the Colts, during the 27–20 road victory, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week. Buckner was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for his performance in December. Buckner finished his first season with the Colts with 58 tackles, 9.5 sacks, three pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 15 games and 14 starts. On January 8, 2021, Buckner was named a first-team All-Pro for the 2020 season. He was ranked 27th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2021 The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
.


2021 season

During the season-opener against the Seahawks, Buckner recorded six tackles and sacked
Russell Wilson Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He has primarily played for the Seattle Seahawks. With the Sea ...
once in the 28–16 loss. During a Week 6 31–3 victory over the Texans, he recorded five tackles and a sack. In the next game against the 49ers, Buckner recorded six tackles and a sack in the 30–18 road victory. The following week against the Titans, Buckner recorded two tackles and a sack in the 34–31 overtime loss. During a Week 12 38–31 loss to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
, Buckner recorded three tackles and a sack. Three weeks later against the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
, he recorded four tackles and a sack in the 27–17 victory. On December 22, 2021, Buckner was named to his second Pro Bowl. Buckner finished the 2021 season with 68 tackles, seven sacks, and three pass deflections in 17 games and 16 starts. He was ranked 66th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022.


2022 season

Buckner played in all 17 games for the Colts in 2022, starting 16, and tallying 74 combined tackles, 8 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Following the season, Buckner revealed that he played the entire year with a UCL tear in his left elbow. He was ranked 71st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.


2023 season

In Week 1 against the Jaguars, Buckner had a 26-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Buckner once again played in all 17 games, recording a career-high 81 tackles (fifth on the team) and finished third on the team with eight sacks. He earned his third Pro Bowl nomination.


2024 season

On April 15, 2024, the Colts signed Buckner to a two-year, $46 million contract extension through the 2026 season. In the 2024 season, he finished with 6.5 sacks, 61 tackles, and one pass defended.


NFL career statistics


Personal life

Buckner is married to Ashlyn Buckner. They have two children together.


References


External links


Indianapolis Colts bio

Oregon Ducks bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckner, DeForest 1994 births Living people Players of American football from Honolulu County, Hawaii American sportspeople of Samoan descent American football defensive tackles American football defensive ends Oregon Ducks football players Punahou School alumni Indianapolis Colts players San Francisco 49ers players 21st-century African-American sportsmen 21st-century American sportsmen American Conference Pro Bowl players National Conference Pro Bowl players Pacific Islander American players of American football