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 the 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…Returned a career-high three kickoffs for a career-best 82 yards in the season opener at Chicago, Sept. 8…Rushed for 24 yards and added an assisted special teams tackle vs. Detroit, Dec. 25…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 yards on 56 carries, 42 yards on six receptions and added four special teams tackles. Made his postseason debut in the Wild Card round vs. the Los Angeles Rams in Arizona (1/13/25), returning two kickoffs for 58 yards and adding a special teams tackle. 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 SF)…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 (min. three carries). Made season debut in Week One at New York Giants, Sept. 8, rushing for 17 yards 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 two special teams tackles…Led team with 69 rushing yards on 12 carries (5.8 avg.) in season finale at Detroit, 1/7/24, the second-most rushing yards in a single game in career…Scored his third touchdown of both season and career on a two-yard run in the first quarter vs. Lions, 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 in 2023…Rushed for 35 yards and added an assisted special teams tackle at Las Vegas, Dec. 10…Executed a second successful fake punt 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)…Vs. New Orleans in Week Ten, Nov. 12, recorded his first-career touchdown, scoring on a two-yard run in second quarter. He concluded the game with a 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…Played in opener vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 10, and caught first career pass, an 18-yard screen. 2022 – Spent majority of rookie season on Injured Reserve, appearing in just three games, and was inactive for the team's Wild Card playoff game. Played in three contests rookie year, totaling six carries for 20 yards and two special teams tackles…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, receiving 19 special teams snaps…Inactive for the first three games of the season.
COLLEGE – Started all 13 games in 2021 at North Carolina, finishing season with 1,092 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Added 15 receptions for 216 yards and a TD. 20th player in Carolina history to record a 1,000-yard rushing season as graduate transfer in 2021. Fourth in ACC with 84.0 rushing yards per game and third with 13 rushing TDs in 2021 to earn second-team All-Conference. 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 career-high 213 rushing yards on 22 carries (9.7 avg.) and four TDs vs. Wake Forest in 58-55 victory….Hit the 3,000-yard career rushing mark vs. Wofford...At Tennessee, played in 45 games with 25 starts and totaled 2,015 rushing yards. Posted 3,245 all-purpose yards which ranks fifth in UT history….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 conclusion of 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 TDs as 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 May 12, 1998 in Armory, Miss.
