An image from the June 8th, 2026 AP Headshots at Reliant Center in Houston, TX.

Sheldon Rankins

DT

#98

Experience: 11 years

Height: 6-2

Age: 32

Weight: 305 lbs

College: Louisville

2026 SEASON

Solo
1
SCK
1
FF
0
INT
--

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Year

Season

Defense

Days

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
Sundays	2	5	1	4	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0

Months

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
September	2	5	1	4	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0

Opponents by Group

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
vs AFC Teams	2	5	1	4	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Outside Own Division	2	5	1	4	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0

Opponents by Team

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
Buffalo Bills	1	3	0	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Cincinnati Bengals	1	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Outcomes

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
Losses	2	5	1	4	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0

Stadiums

	G	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	TDS	YDS	AVG	LNG
Reliant Stadium	2	5	1	4	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0

Biography

TRANSACTIONS: Selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 12th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft...Placed on Reserve/Injured on September 6, 2016...Activated from Reserve/Injured on November 5, 2016...Placed on Reserve/Injured on January 15, 2019...Placed on Reserve/Injured on December 11, 2019...Placed on Reserve/Injured on November 6, 2020...Activated from Reserve/Injured on December 5, 2020...Signed with the New York Jets on March 23, 2021...Signed with the Houston Texans as an unrestricted free agent on March 18, 2023...Signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an unrestricted free agent on March 18, 2024...Placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list on Dec. 30, 2024...Reinstated from the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list on Feb. 10, 2025...Released by the Bengals on Feb. 21, 2025...Re-signed by the Texans on March 14, 2025

Career:

Started in 73-of-116 contests with the Saints (2016-20), Jets (2021-22), Texans (2023) and Bengals (2024). He's totaled 246 tackles (156 solo), 69 quarterback hits, 44 tackles for loss, 30.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one interception.

2024 (Cincinnati 7/7):

Started in all seven games played, notching 18 tackles (10 solo), 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss

2023 (Houston 15/15, 2/2):

Started in all 15 games he appeared in and recorded 37 tackles (29 solo), nine tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, 6.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery that was returned for a touchdown
Played in his 100th career game in the Week 6 win vs. New Orleans (10/15), totaling six tackles (five), 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit and two tackles for loss
Logged five solo tackles, 3.0 sacks, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and one forced fumble in Week 10 at Cincinnati (11/12)
His 3.0 sacks in Week 10 mark a new career-high in a single game and Rankins becomes the sixth Texans player to record 3.0 sacks in a single game since J.J. Watt on (9/23) vs. the Giants
Per NextGenStats, Rankins also generated a career-high seven pressures in addition to his 3.0 sacks against RG Alex Cappa, which are the most sacks given up by a guard to an individual pass rusher in a game this season
Notched two tackles, 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit, two tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one touchdown in the Week 17 win vs. Tennessee (12/31)
Scored his first career touchdown after scooping up a fumble from QB Will Levis, which was forced by DE Jerry Hughes and marks the first fumble return for a touchdown by a Texan since Jadeveon Clowney at Indianapolis on (9/30)
Started in the Wild Card win vs. Cleveland (1/13)
Tallied three solo tackles in the Divisional Round at Baltimore (1/20)

2022 (New York Jets 15/15):

Started all 15 games he appeared in, registering 43 tackles (25 solo), four tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, seven quarterback hits and one forced fumble

2021 (New York Jets 16/3):

Appeared in 16 games (three starts), registering 32 tackles (15 solo), five tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, seven quarterback hits, 22 quarterback pressures and two fumble recoveries

2020 (New Orleans 12/1, 2/0):

Appeared in 12 games (one start) during the regular season, missing four weeks on injured reserve
Registered 20 tackles (12 solo), 1.5 sacks and a pass defensed
Appeared in both postseason games, registering three tackles and 1.0 sack

2019 (New Orleans 10/0, 0/0):

Limited to 10 games after missing the first three weeks and finishing the season on Reserve/Injured list (12/11)
Registered 10 tackles (seven solo) and 2.0 sacks

2018 (New Orleans 16/16, 1/1):

Started in all 16 games for the second consecutive season, registering career-highs in tackles (40) and sacks (8.0), while adding a pass defensed and a forced fumble
Started in divisional round of the playoffs before being placed on Reserve/Injured list prior to the NFC Championship game

2017 (New Orleans 16/16, 2/2):

Started in all 16 games, registering 26 tackles, 2.0 sacks, one interception, one pass defensed and one forced fumble
Made his postseason debut, starting in both the Wild Card and Divisional Round, registering 10 tackles and 1.0 sack

2016 (New Orleans 9/0):

Was limited to nine games after starting the season on Reserve/Injured list
Registered 20 tackles (12 solo), 4.0 sacks and one forced fumble
Recorded the eighth-most sacks (4.0) among rookies that season and was one of just three interior defensive linemen with at least 4.0 sacks on the season

COLLEGE:

Played four years (2012-15) at the University of Louisville in Kentucky
As a senior in 2015, he had 58 tackles, 6.0 sacks and a fumble return touchdown
As a junior in 2014, Rankins started in all 13 games and had 53 tackles, 8.0 sacks and two interceptions
Mostly served as a backup during his freshman and sophomore years, recording 22 tackles and 4.0 sacks

PERSONAL:

Played for Rick Hurst at Eastside High School in Convington, Ga.
Recorded 50 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks as a senior
Two-time second team All-State honoree
Health and human performance major

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