Education
Kalil went to Servite High School in Anaheim, California, where he was teammates with New England Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater.
Kalil went to Servite High School in Anaheim, California, where he was teammates with New England Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater.
He was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Kalil has been selected to the Pro Bowl in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015. He was a Pro Football Weekly All-American choice and a Rivals.com second-team All American and SI.com honorable mention All-American.
Kalil was invited to play in the Senior Bowl prior to the 2007 NFL Draft.
He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.94 seconds at the 2007 NFL Combine and bench pressed 225 pounds 34 times. His performances at the combine and the Senior Bowl impressed scouts and led many analysts to project he would be selected in the first or second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Carolina Panthers Pre-draft predictions turned out to be correct, as Kalil was selected in the second round of the draft with the 59th pick by the Carolina Panthers. He was the first center to be selected in the 2007 draft and joined his teammate from the University of Southern California Trojans, Dwayne Jarrett, who the Panthers also selected in the 2nd round.
In 2007, Kalil started 3 games.
In 2008 Kalil was named the full-time starter at Center. He started in all 12 games that he appeared, missing 4 due to injury. In 2009, Kalil was voted second-alternate to the 2010 Pro Bowl.
He later was given a spot due to an injury by the first alternate.
In 2010, Kalil was named a first alternate, but was added to the roster after Giants center Shaun O"Hara pulled out. In 2011, Kalil received a franchise tag from the Carolina Panthers.
On August 19, 2011, the Carolina Panthers signed Kalil to a 6-year $49 million deal, making him the highest paid center in NFL history. He was selected to the Pro Bowl as the starting center of the NFC team
lieutenant was announced on December 23, 2015 that Kalil was one of ten players on the Carolina Panthers voted into the 2016 Pro Bowl, making it Kalil"s fifth appearance.
Kahil could not play in the Pro Bowl due to the Panthers appearance in Super Bowl 50. The Panthers would lose 24-10 to the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. Kalil"s father Frank played football for the University of Arkansas and the University of Arizona.
He was drafted by the National Football League Buffalo Bills in 1982 and later played in the United States Football League until 1984.
His mother, Cheryl (née Van Cleave), was Mission California in 1981. He is of Lebanese and Mexican heritage, and has two siblings: brother Matt, is a former starting offensive tackle at University of Southern California, and was drafted 4th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2012.
Kalil has interests in the film industry, having made claymation films as a child and worked with fellow University of Southern California-alumnus Will Ferrell on a football training spoof for the NFL Network.