NFL CAREER – Entering his fifth NFL season, Ty Chandler has a unique skillset that has allowed him to be a speedy runner with ability to contribute in the return game during his NFL career. He has appeared in 40 career regular season contests with four starts for the Minnesota Vikings (2022-25), carrying 181 times for 710 yards with three touchdowns, caught 30 passes for 212 yards and returned 15 kickoffs for 386 yards with nine special teams tackles. In one game in the 2024 postseason, the Nashville, Tenn. native returned two kickoffs for 58 yards. In 2025, he returned to the lineup in Week 17 after suffering a knee injury in Week One, playing in three games and rushing for 47 yards, catching three passes for 11 yards and returning three kickoffs for 84 yards.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed by the New Orleans Saints to a one-year contract (UFA-Min.), 3/17/26; Activated by the Minnesota Vikings from Injured Reserve, 12/23/25; Placed by the Vikings on Injured Reserve (knee), 9/11/25; Activated by the Vikings from Injured Reserve, 12/28/22; Placed by the Vikings on Injured Reserve (broken thumb), 10/11/22; Signed by the Vikings to a four-year contract, 5/12/22; Selected by Minnesota in the fifth round (169th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.
2025 - Played in three games in his final season with Vikings, returning to action in Week 17 after being sidelined for 14 games (knee), carrying 17 times for 47 yards, catching three passes for 11 yards and returning three kicks for 84 yards (28.0 avg.) with one assisted special teams tackle…Vs. Green Bay, 1/4/26, rushed for 23 yards and caught three passes for 11 yards. 2024 – Appeared in each of the Vikings 17 regular season games in 2024, recording 182 rushing yards on 56 carries, 42 receiving yards on six receptions and added four special teams tackles. Made his postseason debut in the Wild Card round vs. the L.A. Rams in Arizona (1/13/25). His 38-yard kickoff return was the longest of his career, including regular season and postseason contests. It was the longest by a Viking in the playoffs since Ameer Abdullah's 39-yard return in 2019 postseason at San Francisco…Returned one kickoff 35 yards in Week 11 at Tennessee, Nov. 17, marking his longest career regular season return. Had a team-high 14 carries for 30 yards in Week Five vs. the New York Jets in London, Oct. 6. Also caught two passes for nine yards. Averaged a single-game career-high 8.2 yards per carry on 10 rushes for a team-high 82 rushing yards vs. San Francisco in Week Two (minimum three carries). Made his season debut in Week 1 at the New York Giants, Sept. 8, rushing for 17 yards on eight carries and hauling in three receptions for 25 yards. 2023 – Appeared in all 17 games for the Vikings in 2023, making four starts. Totaled 461 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 102 carries, adding 159 yards on 21 receptions and adding two special teams tackles…Led team with 69 rushing yards on 12 attempts at Detroit in Week 18, 2/7/24, the second-most rushing yards in a single game in his career…Scored his third touchdown of both the season and his career on a two-yard run in the first quarter against Lions in Week 16, Dec. 24…Carried ball 23 times for 132 rushing yards at Cincinnati in Week 15, Dec. 16 in first-career start, both totals marked career-highs. He also scored the second touchdown of his career. It marked the most rushing yards by a Viking since Week 14 of 2021 (Dalvin Cook, 205), and his 34-yard rush in the fourth quarter was the longest run by a Viking this season…Rushed for 35 yards and added an assisted special teams tackle at Las Vegas in Week 14, Dec. 10…Executed a second successful fake punt in Week 11 at Denver, Nov. 19. The 31-yard run on the fake punt in fourth quarter was the fourth-longest fake punt in Vikings history. Finished with career highs in rushing (73-since broken), receiving yards (37) and all-purpose yards (110)…Against New Orleans in Week Ten, recorded his first-career touchdown, scoring on a two-yard run in the second quarter. He concluded the game with a career-high and team-leading 45 rushing yards on 15 carries. Converted a fake punt on a 15-yard run vs. Kansas City, Oct. 8…Had 27 rushing yards on three attempts vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Sept. 24…Caught two passes, a new career high, at Philadelphia, Sept. 77…Played in the opener Week One vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 10, and caught his first pass of career, an 18-yard screen. 2022 – Spent a majority of his rookie season on injured reserve, appearing in just three games, and was inactive for the team's playoff game during the Wild Card round. Played in three contests during his rookie year, totaling six carries for 20 yards and two special teams tackles…Was inactive for the team's Wild Card matchup vs. New York Giants, 1/15/23…Returned in Week 18 at Chicago, 1/8/23, and had 20 yards rushing…Activated before Week 17 game at Green Bay 1/1/23, but was inactive for the game…Injured his hand vs. Chicago, Oct. 9, and was placed on IR on Oct. 11…Made NFL debut vs. New Orleans, Oct. 2, in London, appearing in 19 special teams snaps…Inactive for the first three games of the season.
COLLEGE – Started all 13 games in 2021 at North Carolina, finishing the season with 1,092 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Added 15 receptions for 216 yards and one TD. Became the 20th player in Carolina history to record a 1,000-yard rushing season as a graduate transfer in 2021. Ranked fourth in the ACC with 84.0 rushing yards per game and third with 13 rushing TDs in 2021 to earn second-team All-Conference. Also seventh with 106.0 all-purpose yards per game Had seven-career rushes of 50-plus yards, including four in 2021 with the Tar Heels…Exploded for a career-high 213 rushing yards on 22 carries and four rushing TDs against Wake Forest….Hit the 3,000-yard career rushing mark against Wofford...At Tennessee, played in 45 games (25 starts) and totaled 2,015 rushing yards. Also posted 3,245 all-purpose yards which ranks fifth in UT history….His 724 career kickoff return yards rank 14th in school history…Earned his bachelor's degree in recreation and sport management from Tennessee.
PERSONAL – Rated as a consensus four-star prospect and one of the nation's top 100 recruits and two-time Division II-AA Tennessee Mr. Football Award winner at Montgomery Bell (Nashville, Tenn.) Academy…MaxPreps 2016 Football All-America Team….Member of ESPN 300….2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl nomination…Candidate for the 2016 All-USA Offensive Player of the Year award…Ranked seventh in TSSAA history in career rushing yards (6,158) and third in career touchdowns (92) at the conclusion of his career…Rushed for 2,252 yards and 39 touchdowns as a senior in 2016, leading the Big Red to an 8-2 record….Rushed for 2,558 yards and 31 touchdowns as a junior in 2015…Father, Chico, played running back at Ole Miss, where he was a teammate of Saints legend Deuce McAllister…Tykevius Chandler was born on May 12, 1998 in Armory, Miss.
