Brian Urlacher’s son is Kennedy Urlacher, a junior safety at USC who has spent his college career quietly building an identity separate from his Hall of Fame father. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound defensive back began his career at Notre Dame, transferred to USC in 2025, and has developed into a disruptive playmaker for the Trojans.
Kennedy is the eldest of Brian Urlacher’s three children. The Pro Football Hall of Famer also has two daughters, Pamela and Riley.
Who Is Kennedy Urlacher?
Kennedy Urlacher plays safety for the USC Trojans, wearing jersey No. 9. He is a junior majoring in Real Estate Development.
A native of Chandler, Arizona, Kennedy attended Chandler High School, where he finished his career with 127 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and a blocked field goal. He was a four-star recruit rated as the No. 9 player in Arizona by Rivals.
Kennedy’s College Football Journey
Kennedy began his college career at Notre Dame in 2024. As a true freshman, he appeared in all 14 games during the Fighting Irish’s run to the national championship game, though his role was primarily on special teams. He recorded 12 tackles and one fumble recovery that set up a touchdown against Louisville.
Seeking more defensive playing time, Kennedy entered the transfer portal in April 2025 and committed to USC. In his first season with the Trojans, he appeared in all 13 games with three starts, recording 26 tackles, one sack, and his first collegiate interception against Oregon.
His breakout performance came in USC’s 39-0 shutout of Fresno State in September 2026, where he posted a career-best three tackles, 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble, and a safety. It was USC’s first safety since 2019.
What Brian Urlacher Has Said About His Son
Brian Urlacher has been vocal about his pride in Kennedy’s work ethic and his desire to earn everything on his own merit.
“I’ll tell you what he does: He busts his a–,” Brian told Fox 22/ABC 7. “I don’t care what his name is. His name could be Johnson. It doesn’t matter. This dude plays hard. He works his tail off, man. Every time I call him, he’s working out, he’s doing something. He doesn’t want anything given to him because of his last name. That’s not why he wants to be where he’s at. He wants to be there because he earned it, because he busted his a– and he got there.”
Kennedy echoed that mentality at USC’s media day, saying his father’s advice has always been simple: “My dad’s advice to me is just to keep working. It’s important to always keep your head down and work hard to accomplish what you want to do.”
Brian Urlacher’s Football Legacy
Brian Urlacher played 13 seasons for the Chicago Bears after being selected ninth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2000, Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, earned eight Pro Bowl selections, and was a four-time First-Team All-Pro. He recorded 1,361 tackles, 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, and 11 forced fumbles in his career.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
The Bottom Line
Kennedy Urlacher is not just Brian Urlacher’s son. He is a developing safety who has worked his way from special teams at Notre Dame to a starting role and playmaking production at USC. His father’s legacy is undeniable, but Kennedy has made clear he wants to build his own path. With a strong junior season, he could position himself as an NFL Draft prospect, potentially following in his father’s footsteps in more ways than one.
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