From a tragic loss to a record-breaking NFL journey
In short: Audric Estimé's path to the NFL was forged by personal tragedy and a mentor's guidance. After losing his mother to sickle cell disease at age ten, he rose from a high school standout to a record-breaking collegiate star before navigating the volatile landscape of professional football.
Estimé's early life was marked by a profound personal turning point. When he was ten years old, his mother passed away from sickle cell disease. Following her death, Estimé and his brother, Khadar, were taken in by their aunt and uncle's family. This transition provided him with a vital connection to the sport of football through his cousin, Terrence Fede. Fede, who eventually played as a defensive end in the NFL, served as a mentor to Estimé throughout his entire football career, providing the guidance necessary to navigate the transition from amateur to professional levels.
His high school career in New Jersey was prolific, where he earned the NJ.com Football Player of the Year honors after racking up 1,857 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior. While he originally committed to Michigan State University, he eventually switched to the University of Notre Dame. His collegiate progression was steady: after a quiet freshman year in 2021 as a backup to Kyren Williams, he saw increased playing time in 2022. By 2023, Estimé became a dominant force, recording 1,341 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, the latter of which set a new single-season record for Notre Dame.
The professional transition, however, proved to be a complex odyssey of roster movements. After the Denver Broncos chose him during the 2024 NFL draft's fifth round, Estimé encountered early obstacles, such as a stint on the injured reserve list and losing his starting spot to Tyler Badie. His career became a whirlwind of movement: he was waived by the Broncos in August 2025, joined the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad, and then moved to the New Orleans Saints. By the end of 2025, he recorded a career-high 94 rushing yards in a Week 17 win over the Tennessee Titans before moving to the Minnesota Vikings practice squad in late 2026.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Audric Estimé
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