February marks one of the most significant stretches in the football calendar. The month culminates with the NFL’s championship game, the Super Bowl, while high school athletes across the country sign national letters of intent and announce their college commitments.
In South Florida, where football is deeply embedded in community culture and routinely produces elite talent, those moments feel especially personal. Social media fills with commitment graphics and family celebrations, signaling years of preparation finally paying off. For many local athletes, the next level is not just aspirational, it is attainable.
For Kevin Knowles Jr., the journey to professional football has been defined less by spotlight moments and more by resilience. That resilience began with how he was raised.
“Being raised in West Park felt like a family atmosphere,” Knowles said. “Everybody knew everybody. Every weekend, everyone was always together, outside. It wasn’t the safest place, but having family around made it feel safe.”
Unlike many young boys in South Florida who begin playing Little League football at the age of 5, however, Knowles did not begin playing organized football until age 12.
“A lot of people don’t know, but I didn’t start playing football until about 12 years old,” Knowles said. “My cousin played football, and I was always with him. One day, I went out to the field with him, and he ended up convincing my mom to let me play.”
Knowles began his high school football career at McArthur High School in Hollywood, Fla., where he developed the discipline that would shape his path. Initially recruited to attend a private school, Knowles instead chose McArthur after being told he would begin on junior varsity elsewhere. At McArthur, he started as a wide receiver during his sophomore year before a coach suggested he try defensive back.
“One of my coaches pulled me aside after one practice and told me to try being a DB for one day,” Knowles said. “Ever since that day, DB was my home.”
Knowles was one of two players that played varsity as an underclassman. Strong performances at training camps during his junior year led to scholarship offers. He finished high school with 17 offers and ultimately accepted a full scholarship to Florida State University.
“I was blessed to have that,” he said.
At Florida State, Knowles made an immediate impact. He played and started as a true freshman, competing in high-profile games and earning freshman of the year honors.
“I knew I was going to the league after that moment,” Knowles said.
His trajectory, however, shifted due to injury. During his sophomore season, he tore his labrum, an injury that affected both his performance and confidence.
“It broke my confidence,” Knowles said. “Lost trust in myself. The coaches lost trust in me.”
After surgery, he tore the same labrum again during his junior year.
“I felt defeated,” he said. “Then I turned to God and I got baptized to really understand God’s plan for me.”
During his senior year of college, that season, he played really well. Even though his team went 2-10, which isn’t a great record, he still showed up and played hard. That motivated him to declare for the NFL 2025 Draft. That moment came and went after not hearing his name called.
“I felt defeated again,” Knowles said. “I felt like I let my family down. I didn’t show them my emotions, but I ended up taking a walk, and I cried and talked to God.”
Moments later, he received a call from his agent informing him that the Kansas City Chiefs were interested in signing him as an undrafted free agent.
“As soon as I was wiping my tears, I received a call from my agent and was told that the Kansas City Chiefs were interested in me, and the path to the National Football League began from there,” Knowles said.
Undrafted free agents often face steeper odds than drafted players, competing for limited roster spots without guaranteed contracts. For Knowles, the opportunity represented validation after years of uncertainty.
“Just walking in the building every day is just a real moment for me,” Knowles said. “It’s a testament of what I’ve been through.”
Leading up to the draft, he focused intensely on training. At his pro day, Knowles recorded 12 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press, a 41-inch vertical jump, and a 4.44-second 40-yard dash.
Knowles ended up entering his first season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 after originally signing with the organization as an undrafted free agent. The opportunity marks the beginning of his professional career, not as a draft selection, but as a player who earned his place through persistence, preparation and belief.
As February highlights new commitments and championship celebrations, Knowles’ story offers perspective. A signing day or draft moment may open a door, but his story shows longevity depends on persistence.
From West Park to McArthur High, from Florida State to the NFL, Knowles’ career underscores a reality familiar to many South Florida athletes: talent may create opportunity, but faith and resilience sustain it.
“This path to the NFL represents a lot of blood, sweat, and bones, in this case,” Knowles said. “It’s a testament to my journey to be here.”
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