ROLLA, Mo. – Former Missouri S&T defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton (University City, MO/University City), who earned All-America honors during a standout career in the Miners' program, has made the opening day roster for the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs.

Wharton, who signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent shortly after the NFL Draft concluded in April, will be part of the team's 53-man roster when the defending Super Bowl champions take the field Thursday night to open the NFL season against the Houston Texans in a game that will be nationally televised on NBC.   Should he make an appearance on the field for the Chiefs, he will be the fourth former Miner to play in an NFL regular season game and first since 1987.

"We are extremely excited for Tershawn, but definitely not surprised by him making the 53-man roster," said Missouri S&T head football coach Todd Drury.  "His god-given ability, work ethic and that he is coachable will always put in position to compete. Let's go Chiefs!"

During his four-year career with the Miners, Wharton established new Missouri S&T career records for quarterback sacks with 35.5 and tackles for a loss with 58 and was named honorable mention All-America on Don Hansen's squad following the 2018 campaign.  In 2019, Wharton recorded 59 tackles with 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss, despite facing double- and triple-team scenarios throughout the season.

He was a two-time All-Super Region 3 selection and made the Great Lakes Valley Conference's all-league team on three occasions, including earning first-team honors following the 2017 and 2018 seasons.  In 2017, Wharton set a school record with 21 tackles for a loss – that mark was broken a year later by Bo Brooks – and 13.5 sacks, which ranked third in NCAA Division II that season.

A year later, Wharton posted 18 stops for a loss and nine sacks and concluded the 2018 season by being named as the most outstanding defensive player in the Mineral Water Bowl, as he posted eight tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks while also returning a fumble 53 yards for a touchdown in S&T's 51-16 win over Minnesota State Moorhead. 

It was one of two touchdowns Wharton scored during his S&T career, as he also had a school record 81-yard runback of a fumble in last season's win over Southwest Baptist.

The University City, Mo., native was a three-time all-conference selection in the Great Lakes Valley Conference during his record-setting career at S&T.

The other Miners to play in an NFL regular season game were Charlie Copley, who spent three seasons in the league with the Akron Pros and Milwaukee Badgers from 1920-22; Dick Thornton, who saw playing time in four games in 1933 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles; and most recently Eric Wiegand, who played with the Atlanta Falcons during the 1987 season.