There was a brief period of time, after linebacker Eric Kendricks was drafted, when Vikings coaches referred to him as “Little Fella.”
The nickname, however short-lived, is the kind of thing that has long fueled Kendricks. It started when he was an overlooked recruit from Fresno, Calif., who had to redshirt at UCLA. The knock against him had always been that — at 6 feet — he was too short.
Kendricks couldn’t control his lack of height, but he has controlled how little it is now mentioned. He shed the nickname like he’s shed blockers for five straight Vikings seasons, especially during this standout campaign as he seeks his first Pro Bowl berth.