Inside The Panthers

Calijah Kancey Closes Dominant First Playoff Run

Former Pitt Panthers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey's first season in the NFL has come to a close.

Stephen Thompson

Calijah Kancey Closes Dominant First Playoff Run
Calijah Kancey Closes Dominant First Playoff Run /
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PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey's impressive rookie season has come to a disappointing end, with his Tampa Bay Buccaneers falling 31-23 to the Detriot Lions in the Divisional round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs. 

But Kancey, Tampa Bay's 2023 first-round pick out of Pitt, can rest assured he did all he could to help keep the Buccaneers alive in the postseason. He recorded six total tackles, including two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pass defended in two games. He recorded his first solo sack this weekend when he wrecked unsuspecting Lions quarterback Jared Goff.  

The Buccaneers' defense was suffocating, especially against the run, in their playoff-opening win over the Philadelphia Eagles but were much less successful against the explosive Lions offense. Still, they held Detroit, the NFL's no. 3 offense by yards, below their season average in total yards. 

Kancey played through an injury-stunted rookie campaign after being selected 19th overall by Tampa Bay in last spring's draft. He still racked up 26 total tackles, 10 for a loss, 12 quarterback hits, four sacks and a pass defended in just 14 games. 

The Buccaneers see great things in Kancey, who earned a starting job coming out of training camp. And as their roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball, continues to age, Kancey represents one of the figures who will lead them into the next generation 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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