Andrew Sendejo
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Andrew Victor Sendejo (born September 9, 1987) is an
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
free safety who is a free agent. He played college football for the
Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
Owls, and was signed by the
Sacramento Mountain Lions The Sacramento Mountain Lions was a professional American football team based in Sacramento, California that played in the United Football League. The franchise originated as the California Redwoods, and played its home games in San Francisco and ...
of the United Football League (UFL) as a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 2010. Sendejo has also been a member of the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
, New York Jets,
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
,
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
,
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
, and the Indianapolis Colts


Early years

Sendejo is a 2006 graduate of
Smithson Valley High School Smithson Valley High School is a public high school located in unincorporated Comal County, Texas, United States and classified as a 5A school by the UIL. It is part of the Comal Independent School District and is one of seven high schools in ...
in Spring Branch, northeast of
San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...
. He was a two-time All-San Antonio area selection for coach Larry Hill. Also a two-time honorable mention All-State pick, and a two-time All-District 26-5A honoree. As a senior, he had 75
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
(3 for loss), four interceptions, eight pass deflections, one forced and one fumble recovery, helping lead the Rangers to a 13-2 record and the Class 5A semifinals. He was named Comal County defensive player of the year for his senior season efforts. He was also a regional finalist and academic All-district. Sendejo selected Rice over
Tulane Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
,
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
,
North Texas North Texas (also commonly called North Central Texas) is a term used primarily by residents of Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding areas to describe much of the north central portion of the U.S. state of Texas. Residents of the Dallas–Fort Wo ...
, Northwestern and
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
. In addition to football, Sendejo also lettered in soccer, where he was twice a second-team All-district selection and academic All-district pick, helping Smithson Valley to the district and bi-district championships. He also participated in
track & field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
for the Rangers; at the 2004 District 27-5A Championships, he placed third in the 400-meter dash (52.80 seconds), sixth in the
triple jump The triple jump, sometimes referred to as the hop, step and jump or the hop, skip and jump, is a track and field event, similar to the long jump. As a group, the two events are referred to as the "horizontal jumps". The competitor runs down th ...
(12.04m or 39'4") and fifth in the
pole vault Pole vaulting, also known as pole jumping, is a track and field event in which an athlete uses a long and flexible pole, usually made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, as an aid to jump over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the Myc ...
(3.53m or 11'6"). As a junior in 2005, he posted a personal-best time of 52.02 seconds in the
400-meter dash The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1964 for women. On a standard outdoor running track, it is on ...
at the Texas State High School Invitational.


College career

At
Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
, Sendejo saw his senior season come to an early conclusion after suffering a severe high ankle sprain at East Carolina that required surgery. He was a Preseason All
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
pick by conference coaches and a three-year starter who opened the season as the national leader among active players in solo tackles and also ranked in the top 10 among active players in career total tackles, career interceptions and interception returns for touchdowns. He was a Second-team All
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
preseason selection by the media in a poll conducted by the
New Orleans Times-Picayune ''The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate'' is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, since January 25, 1837. The current publication is the result of the 2019 acquisition of ''The Times-Picayune'' (itself a result of th ...
. He also earned an Honorable Mention All
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
honors from league coaches even with a shortened senior season, and was named one of 12 finalist for the 2009
Wuerffel Trophy The Wuerffel Trophy is an award given annually to the college football player "who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement." The trophy, designed by W. Stanley Proctor and named in honor of former Univers ...
, which honors the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with outstanding academic and athletic achievement. He was a three-time
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District VI academic honoree as well as a three-time
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
All Academic Football team with a 3.55
GPA Grading in education is the process of applying standardized measurements for varying levels of achievements in a course. Grades can be assigned as letters (usually A through F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), as a percentage, or as a numbe ...
in sports management.


2006 season

A starter from the first whistle of the season who went on to earn honorable mention freshman All-American recognition from
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and
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
all-freshman honors from the media, Sendejo made 10 starts on the season in 11 played games, missing just the UAB game with an injury. He finished fifth on the team with 49 total
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
from the Spur position, tied for fourth on the squad with seven tackles for loss and was second on the team by forcing three
fumbles A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
. He forced one fumble and recovered a second to set up a touchdown for the Owls against
Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. He opened the season with a 13-yard sack of
Kevin Kolb Kevin Benjamin Kolb (; born August 24, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills ...
of
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
and closed it with a seven-yard sack of Justin Willis of SMU.


2007 season

As a sophomore in 2007, Sendejo led the team with 107
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
and five interceptions. His five interceptions were the most by an Owl since
Dan Dawson Dan Dawson (born December 11, 1981) is a Canadian professional lacrosse player for the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League, Brampton Excelsiors (MSL) of Major Series Lacrosse, and is currently a free agent in Major League Lacrosse. Daws ...
tied the school record with seven in 2000 and match the third-best total by an Owl in a season. He earned honorable mention All
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
honors by the coaches and third-team All conference mention by
Phil Steele Phil Steele (c. 1960) is an American sportswriter and analyst who focuses exclusively on college and professional football. He is considered a "highly respected prognosticator" within the sports media. His company, Phil Steele Publications, pr ...
. Also named Academic All-Conference and All-District VI for his work in the classroom as well. He closed the season strongly, registering back-to-back double figure tackle efforts against
Tulane Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
(11) and
Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
(13). He posted four double figure games on the season, including a career-best 18-tackle day at
Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...
, the most by an Owl since Jeff Vanover was credited with 18 against SMU in 2001. He was named
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
Defensive Player of the Week against
Southern Miss The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a public research university with its main campus located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, ma ...
after picking off a pair of passes, forcing a fumble, and registering seven tackles, becoming the first Owl to pick off more than one pass in a game since Dan Dawson picked off three vs. Hawaii back in 2000. He was credited with eight tackles, shared a tackle for loss, forced and recovered a fumble and broke up a pass at
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
. He returned his interception against SMU 31 yards for a score for his first career
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
.


2008 season

Sendejo was an honorable mention All
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
pick by the coaches, second-team pick by the
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With i ...
, while
Phil Steele Phil Steele (c. 1960) is an American sportswriter and analyst who focuses exclusively on college and professional football. He is considered a "highly respected prognosticator" within the sports media. His company, Phil Steele Publications, pr ...
placed him on his first-team, All-conference unit. He led the Owls with 94 total
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
despite missing nearly three full games with a high ankle sprain. He also totaled 89 yards in returns, bringing back an interception 55 yards for a
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
and returning a fumble 34 yards to set up a second score. That interception return was his second of his career for a score, with both coming against SMU. He was fifth in
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
stats with 8.55 tackles per game (51st nationally) and 22nd in
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
stats with 5.4 solo tackles per game. He opened the year by earning
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
Defensive Player of the Week honors for his game vs. SMU. He had back-to-back 13-tackle efforts at
Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...
and Vanderbilt, then was credited with a season-high 17 tackles at
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
, one shy of his career-high of 18 set in 2007 at
Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...
. He saw his streak of double-figure tackle games end at three when he was credited for three stops against
North Texas North Texas (also commonly called North Central Texas) is a term used primarily by residents of Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding areas to describe much of the north central portion of the U.S. state of Texas. Residents of the Dallas–Fort Wo ...
. In that game, he made his debut as the Owls' punt returner, fielding a pair for no gain, then returned his third for a gain of 21- He got injured early in the
Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
game and did not record a tackle. He missed the
Southern Miss The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a public research university with its main campus located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, ma ...
game, breaking a streak of 24 consecutive games played (23 starts). He also missed the
Tulane Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
game, and then returned to action against
UTEP The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a public research university in El Paso, Texas. It is a member of the University of Texas System. UTEP is the second-largest university in the United States to have a majority Mexican American stu ...
and led the Owls with eight tackles. He closed out the regular season by recording his fifth double-figure tackle game of the year with 13 vs.
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
. It was his ninth career double-figure tackle game.


2009 season

As a senior, Sendejo was named to
Phil Steele Phil Steele (c. 1960) is an American sportswriter and analyst who focuses exclusively on college and professional football. He is considered a "highly respected prognosticator" within the sports media. His company, Phil Steele Publications, pr ...
's Midseason All
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
Third-team. He was able to play in only 7 games, after his season was cut short by a high ankle injury that required surgery. He was tied for sixth in the nation with 6.4 unassisted tackles per game at the time of his injury. He moved into a tie for second on the Owls' career tackle chart with nine stops at ECU, and jumped four spots on the tackling chart with 17 tackles vs.
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
, matching the second highest game total of his career. It was his 11th career double-figure tackle game. He was the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
career active leader with 216 career solo
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
(
Sean Weatherspoon Franklin De'Sean "Sean" Weatherspoon (born December 29, 1987) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at the University of Missouri, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the 19th overall pick in the 2010 N ...
of
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
was second with 199) before he got hurt. He ranked fourth in
C-USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
and 14th in the nation with a 14.3 yard average per punt return before his injury. He returned two punts for 65 yards vs. Vanderbilt, including a career best 47 yarder, the longest by an Owl since 1998 when LaDouphyous McCalla returned one 51 yards against Colorado State. He missed part of the
Texas Tech Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
game after injuring a wrist, but returned to finish the game. He recorded his 10th career double-digit tackle total in the opener at UAB with 15 stops. He finished his college career with 318 tackles (second in school history), 9 interceptions (seventh in school history), 2 sacks and 7 forced fumbles.


Professional career

Sendejo went undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft, and did not receive any offers to sign as an
undrafted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. He attended
rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
minicamp with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, but did not receive a contract offer upon completion. Sendejo also attended a tryout with the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, but did not receive any further interest from the team.


Sacramento Mountain Lions

On August 20, 2010, it was reported that Sendejo signed a contract with the
Sacramento Mountain Lions The Sacramento Mountain Lions was a professional American football team based in Sacramento, California that played in the United Football League. The franchise originated as the California Redwoods, and played its home games in San Francisco and ...
of the United Football League (UFL). He started at safety for the Mountain Lions and finished the
2010 UFL season The 2010 United Football League season was the second season of the United Football League. The regular season ran from September 18 to November 20 and featured five teams playing eight games each (twice against each of the other teams) over a 10 ...
with 48 combined tackles (31 solo), seven pass breakups, and two interceptions in eight games and eight starts. He tied for the second most
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
in the league during the 2010 season and led the Mountain Lions in total tackles and interceptions.


Dallas Cowboys


2010

On November 24, 2010, the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
signed Sendejo to a two-year, $725,000 contract to join their practice squad as an
unrestricted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
. On November 29, 2010, Sendejo was promoted to the active roster. On December 12, 2010, Sendejo made his NFL debut during a 30–27 loss against the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
. On December 19, 2010, Sendejo recorded his first career tackle on kick returner
Brandon Banks Brandon Desean Banks (born December 21, 1987) is an American Canadian football wide receiver and return specialist who is currently a free agent. He was most recently a member of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He wa ...
during a 33–30 victory against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. Sendejo and teammate Sam Hurd tackled Banks on a 22-yard kick return in the second quarter. He finished his rookie season with one tackle in two games.


2011

Throughout training camp, Sendejo competed for a roster spot as a backup safety against Collin Zych and
Danny McCray Danny DeWayne McCray (born March 10, 1988) is a former American football free safety and special teamer. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Louisiana State University. He also p ...
. On September 3, 2011, the Dallas Cowboys waived Sendejo as part of their final roster cuts.


New York Jets

On September 4, 2011, the New York Jets claimed Sendejo off of waivers and signed him to their active roster. His signing was marred in minor controversy as it was speculated the New York Jets signed him in a bid to gain intelligence of the Dallas Cowboys' defense. At the time, the New York Jets' head coach was
Rex Ryan Rex Ashley Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American former football coach and analyst. Ryan was formerly the head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL), and also held various coaching position ...
and his twin brother,
Rob Ryan Robert Allen Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American football coach who is currently the senior defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Ryan has served as a defensive coordinator or assistant co ...
, was the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator. Cowboys' quarterback
Tony Romo Antonio Ramiro Romo (born April 21, 1980) is an American sportscaster and former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Eastern Illino ...
stated during a press conference that Rob Ryan had made minor adjustments to the defense to prevent any information to possibly be passed on to the Jets. On September 13, 2011, the New York Jets waived Sendejo. The following day, Sendejo was signed to the Jets' practice squad after clearing waivers. On September 27, 2011, the Jets released Sendejo from their practice squad. After his release, Sendejo verified that the Jets coaching staff had in fact asked him about the Dallas Cowboys' defense, but mainly asked him to verify some tendencies.


Minnesota Vikings

On November 29, 2011, the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
signed Sendejo to a two-year, $900,000 contract. On December 11, 2011, Sendejo made his Minnesota Vikings' debut and recorded one solo tackle during their 34–28 loss at the Detroit Lions in Week 14. He was inactive as a healthy scratch the following week before appearing in the last two regular season games. He finished the 2011 season with three combined tackles (two solo) in three games and zero starts.


2012

Sendejo entered training camp and competed for a roster spot as a backup safety against
Jamarca Sanford Jamarca Deshaun Sanford (born August 27, 1985) is former American football safety. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the 231st pick. He formerly played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels ...
,
Robert Blanton Robert Jack Blanton (born September 7, 1989) is a former American football strong safety. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Early yea ...
, and
Eric Frampton Eric Ulyssee Frampton (born February 6, 1984) is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, and New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in th ...
. Head coach Leslie Frazier named Sendejo the third strong safety on the depth chart to begin the regular season, behind rookie Harrison Smith and Jamarca Sanford. He was inactive for the Minnesota Vikings' season-opening 26–23 victory against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
after sustaining an ankle injury during the preseason. He missed another two games (Weeks 4–5) after aggravating his ankle injury. In Week 7, he made a solo tackle on
Patrick Peterson Patrick De'mon Peterson Jr. (born July 11, 1990) is an American football cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU, where he won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensiv ...
during a five-yard punt return in the third quarter of a 21–14 win against the Arizona Cardinals. Sendejo played primarily on special teams in 2012 and finished the season with six solo tackles in 13 games and zero starts. The Minnesota Vikings finished second in the
NFC North The National Football Conference – Northern Division or NFC North is one of the four divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed the "Black and Blue Division" for the rough and tough r ...
with a 10-6 record and earned a wildcard berth. On January 5, 2013, Sendejo appeared in his first career playoff game and recorded a season-high two combined tackles during a 24–10 loss at the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wildcard Game.


2013

Sendejo became an exclusive rights free agent in 2013 and was required to re-sign with the Vikings if he was offered a contract. On March 15, 2013, the Minnesota Vikings signed Sendejo to a one-year, $630,000 contract for the required veteran league minimum. Throughout
training camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events, ...
, Sendejo competed to be the starting strong safety against Mistral Raymond, Robert Blanton, Jamarca Sanford, Brandan Bishop, and Darius Eubanks. Head coach Leslie Frazier officially named Sendejo a backup strong safety, behind Jamarca Sanford and Mistral Raymond, to start the regular season. On September 19, 2013, the Minnesota Vikings signed Sendejo to a two-year, $2 million
contract A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties that creates, defines, and governs mutual rights and obligations between them. A contract typically involves the transfer of goods, services, money, or a promise to tr ...
extension that includes $400,000 guaranteed and a signing bonus $200,000. On September 29, 2013, Sendejo earned his first career start in place of Jamarca Sanford, who was inactive due to a
hamstring In human anatomy, a hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in between the hip and the knee (from medial to lateral: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris). The hamstrings are susceptible to injury. In quadrupe ...
injury. Sendejo recorded four solo tackles in a 34–27 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers in London during their Week 4 contest. In Week 7, Sendejo made his first start at free safety and recorded six combined tackles during a 23–7 loss at the New York Giants. He started nine consecutive games at free safety (Weeks 7–15) after Harrison Smtih was placed on injured reserve/designation to return due to a turf toe injury. On November 7, 2013, he collected a career-high 16 combined tackles (eight solo) in the Vikings' 34–27 victory against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
in Week 10. The following week, Sendejo had 11 combined tackles (six solo) during a 41–20 loss at the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11. On December 8, 2013, Sendejo recorded three combined tackles, two pass deflections, and made his first career interception in a 29–26 loss to the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
. He intercepted a pass by quarterback Joe Flacco that was originally intended for tight end Ed Dickson in the fourth quarter. He finished
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
with a career-high 84 combined tackles (52 solo), two pass deflections, and an interception in 16 games and ten starts. On December 30, 2013, the Minnesota Vikings fired head coach Leslie Frazier after they finished fourth in the NFC North with a 5–10–1 record.


2014

On August 4, 2014, the Minnesota Vikings activated Sendejo off of their physically unable to perform list after he fully recovered from back surgery he underwent in April. He competed against
Robert Blanton Robert Jack Blanton (born September 7, 1989) is a former American football strong safety. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Early yea ...
and Antone Exum to be the starting strong safety. Head coach
Mike Zimmer Michael Zimmer (born June 5, 1956) is an American football coach for the Colorado Buffaloes. Prior to this, Zimmer was with Jackson State, both college programs being led by Deion Sanders. He previously also served as the head coach of the Minn ...
named Sendejo the backup free safety, behind Harrison Smith, to start the 2014 regular season. In Week 15, he started in place of Blanton, who was unable to play due to a leg injury. Sendejo recorded six combined tackles, in Blanton's absence, as the Vikings lost 16–14 at the Detroit Lions. Defensive coordinator George Edwards chose to keep Sendejo as the starting strong safety for the remaining two games (Weeks 16–17), although Blanton had recovered from his leg injury. On December 28, 2014, Sendejo collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 13–9 win against the Chicago Bears in Week 17. He finished the season with 27 combined tackles (20 solo) and a forced fumble in 16 games and three starts.


2015

During training camp, Sendejo competed against Robert Blanton, Antone Exum, and Anthony Harris to retain the job as the starting strong safety. Head coach
Mike Zimmer Michael Zimmer (born June 5, 1956) is an American football coach for the Colorado Buffaloes. Prior to this, Zimmer was with Jackson State, both college programs being led by Deion Sanders. He previously also served as the head coach of the Minn ...
named Sendejo the starting strong safety to start the regular season, opposite free safety Harrison Smith. He started in the Minnesota Vikings' season-opener at the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
and made three solo tackles and blocked a field goal in their 20–3 loss. On the 49ers' opening drive, Sendejo blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt by kicker
Phil Dawson Philip Drury Dawson (born January 23, 1975) is a former American football placekicker. He played for the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2012 and holds their franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010. He pl ...
and it was recovered by teammate Marcus Sherels at the Vikings' 44-yard line. He was sidelined for the Vikings' Week 4 loss at the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
due to a knee injury. On November 8, 2015, Sendejo collected seven combined tackles, a pass deflection, and was credited with half a sack to mark the first of his career during a 21–18 overtime victory against the
St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...
in Week 9. He sacked quarterback
Nick Foles Nicholas Edward Foles (born January 20, 1989) is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona and was selected in the third round of the 2012 NFL D ...
for an eight-yard loss with teammate
Linval Joseph Linval Clement Joseph (born October 10, 1988) is an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at East Carolina. He was drafted by the New York Giants in th ...
in the third quarter. Sendejo aggravated his knee injury and was inactive for two more games (Weeks 13–14). In Week 16, he made three solo tackles, a pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Eli Manning during a 49–17 win against the New York Giants. On January 3, 2016, Sendejo collected a season-high 14 combined tackles (nine solo) in the Vikings' 20–13 win against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17. He finished the 2015 season with 74 combined tackles (58 solo), three passes defensed, and one interception in 13 games and 13 starts. He ranked 78th among the 88 qualified safeties in 2015 from Pro Football Focus. The Minnesota Vikings finished the 2015 season first in the
NFC North The National Football Conference – Northern Division or NFC North is one of the four divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed the "Black and Blue Division" for the rough and tough r ...
with an 11–5 record and earned a playoff berth. On January 10, 2016, Sendejo started his first career playoff game and made three solo tackles and a pass deflection during the Vikings' 10–9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wildcard Game.


2016

On March 5, 2016, the Minnesota Vikings signed Sendejo to a four-year, $16 million contract that includes $3.95 million guaranteed. On September 18, 2016, Sendejo collected a season-high 11 combined tackles (nine solo) during a 17–14 against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. In Week 5, he made six combined tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception in the Vikings' 31–13 win against the Houston Texans. The following game, Sendejo deflected a pass and made an interception during a 21–10 loss at the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
in Week 7. He was inactive for the Vikings' Week 8 loss at the Chicago Bears after injuring his ankle the previous week. On December 31, 2016, the Minnesota Vikings placed Sendejo on injured reserve due to a knee injury he sustained in practice. Sendejo finished the 2016 season with 69 combined tackles (45 solo), four pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and was credited with half a sack in 14 games and 14 starts. Sendejo earned an overall grade of 78.6 from Pro Football Focus in 2016.


2017

Sendejo entered training camp slated as the starting strong safety. Head coach Mike Zimmer officially named Sendejo and Harrison Smith the starting safety duo to begin the 2017 regular season. On September 24, 2017, Sendejo recorded five combined tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass attempt by quarterback
Jameis Winston Jameis Lanaed Winston ( ; born January 6, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State, where he became the youngest player to win the He ...
in the Vikings' 34–17 victory against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
. The following week, he collected a season-high 11 combined tackles (five solo) during a 14–7 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 4. He was inactive during a Week 6 win against the Green Bay Packers due to a
groin In human anatomy, the groin (the adjective is ''inguinal'', as in inguinal canal) is the junctional area (also known as the inguinal region) between the abdomen and the thigh on either side of the pubic bone. This is also known as the medial comp ...
injury. In Week 7, Sendejo accidentally delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit while tackling wide receiver
Mike Wallace Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. He interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspo ...
which caused Wallace to exit the game a due to a concussion. The next day, Sendejo was suspended one game for violating the league's player safety rules. On December 10, 2017, Sendejo recorded nine combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made an interception off a pass by
Cam Newton Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He has played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Super Cam", he is the NF ...
in a 31–24 loss at the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
. He completed the 2017 season with 80 combined tackles (54 solo), seven passes defensed, and two interceptions in 13 games and 13 starts.
Pro Football Focus Pro Football Focus (also written as ProFootballFocus, and often referred to by its initials, PFF) is a sports analytics company that focuses on thorough analysis of the National Football League (NFL) and NCAA Division-I football in the United Sta ...
gave Sendejo an overall grade of 86.8, which ranked 11th among all qualified safeties in
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
. The
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
finished atop of their division with a 13–3 record and earned a first round bye. On January 10, 2018, Sendejo collected four solo tackles, deflected two passes, and made an interception during Minnesota's to 29–24 comeback victory against the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
in the NFC Divisional Round. He intercepted a pass attempt thrown by quarterback
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...
in the first quarter that was originally intended for wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. The following week, Sendejo collected four solo tackles as the Minnesota Vikings were routed 38–7 by the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
in the NFC Championship Game.


2018

In 2018, Sendejo started the first five games before suffering a groin injury in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was inactive the next six games before being placed on injured reserve on November 27, 2018. On March 11, 2019, the Vikings declined the option on Sendejo's contract, making him an unrestricted free agent.


Philadelphia Eagles

On March 18, 2019, the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
signed Sendejo to a one-year contract. In week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, he recorded his second career sack on Matt Ryan in the 24-20 loss. In week 6 against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, he recorded an interception off former teammate
Kirk Cousins Kirk Daniel Cousins (born August 19, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan State and was drafted by the team then known as the Washington ...
in the 38-20 loss. He was waived on November 5, 2019.


Minnesota Vikings (second stint)

On November 6, 2019, Sendejo was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings. In Sendejo's first game back with the Vikings, he recorded a team high 7 tackles and intercepted a pass thrown by Brandon Allen in the 27–23 comeback win over the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
in week 11. In week 14 against the Detroit Lions, Sendejo intercepted a pass thrown by rookie quarterback
David Blough David Marshall Blough (born July 31, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He was Purdue's backup quarterback in 2015 and led the Boilermakers to a win against Nebraska. As a r ...
late in the fourth quarter to seal a 20–7 Vikings win.


Cleveland Browns

On March 27, 2020, Sendejo signed a one-year contract with the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
. He was placed on the reserve/
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
list by the team on December 29, 2020, and activated on January 7, 2021.


Indianapolis Colts

On September 14, 2021, Sendejo was signed by the Indianapolis Colts.


Career statistics


Personal life

Sendejo is of Mexican descent. He earned a degree in sports management from Rice.


References


External links


Just Sports StatsMinnesota Vikings bioVikings: Andrew Sendejo takes long, winding road to starting lineup
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sendejo, Andrew 1987 births Living people People from Bulverde, Texas Players of American football from San Antonio American sportspeople of Mexican descent American football safeties Rice Owls football players Sacramento Mountain Lions players Dallas Cowboys players New York Jets players Minnesota Vikings players Philadelphia Eagles players Cleveland Browns players Indianapolis Colts players