Calijah Kancey notched his sixth sack of the season against Bryce Young on Sunday, and his fifth over the previous four games. His 5.0 sacks since Week Nine are tied for the fourth-most in the NFL during that span. His 6.0 sacks are the second-most among players with 350-or-fewer defensive snaps played this season, trailing only Aidan Hutchinson (7.5). Kancey, along with linemate Vita Vea are 1-of-2 interior duos in the NFL with 5.0-plus sacks each, joining the Los Angeles Rams duo of Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner.
In the fourth quarter against the Panthers, Kancey got home for a sack. The opposing guard thought he had help on the play and opened his hips, then Kancey took advantage moving inside for the takedown.
"They came out in a heavy personnel and we were in a heavy personnel and the guard was definitely heavy, and I guess he thought that the center was going to help him so that is why he was over aggressive towards me and when I saw the space, there was no doubt I was taking it," described Kancey via Bucs Total Access. "I bet on my speed versus anybody else and that is why I play defensive lineman…I shot it and when I saw the running back step up, and he didn't have the ball, I knew it was time and that I had to make that play."
Earlier in the ballgame in the first half, Kancey did not get home but he quickly shed the blocker with quick handwork on a cross-chop maneuver. His reactive athleticism and first-step burst jump off the tape and the former Pittsburgh standout has a vast repertoire of moves in his toolbox. He mixes up the tempo to test offensive linemen and wins with explosion off the line.
"My favorite pass rush move is the cross-chop," noted Kancey. "It is on film. What I like about it is that I can do everything out of it. I can set up the speed around. I can set up the counter and I can go cross-chop into power, so it is three-in-one. You never know what is coming. For me, I am going to give you power and figure you out. It is a chess match. If you do not give me the outside hand then I can use power and work inside or if you jump-set, I can beat it inside or outside. It is a game within a game, and you never know what I am going to do because I am going off of you. It is not like I have a plan and stick with it. I am reacting off of you."
In addition to his six sacks, Kancey has accumulated nine tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2024. As a run defender, he plays with natural leverage, physicality at the point of attack and change-of-direction quickness. Kancey bolsters the Bucs' defensive line and his insatiable desire to beat the man across the line of scrimmage has paid dividends on the field.
