Amid the disappointment of Oregon’s season-ending loss to Indiana, the night weighed heavier on Kenyon Sadiq than the result on the scoreboard. For a second straight year, the Ducks fell short of the College Football Playoff. It raises questions about what comes next and whether stars like Sadiq might turn their attention to the 2026 NFL Draft. But when Sadiq spoke after the game, the loss felt secondary. It seemed like his emotions had little to do with football decisions, connected instead to the person who shaped his journey to this point.

“My grandma got diagnosed with breast cancer, and this was her last game she’d get to see me play, so it’s kind of just emotional for me. I love her to death and… a game like that for my last game, for her being able to see is tough,” Sadiq revealed in the post-game press conference. “She couldn’t make it (to the game), they ended up putting her in the hospice,” he added. 

It all traces back to the family foundation that shaped Sadiq long before Oregon or the national spotlight. 

He is one of three children raised by a single mother in Idaho, where he experienced racism and frequent instability. The family lived in three different cities and multiple homes. His mother, Heather Pledger, a former track and field athlete at Pocatello High School, worked tirelessly to provide an environment in which her children could succeed.

During their time in McCammon, the family often stayed with Pledger’s parents. Her father, Terry Pledger, was the first person to place a football in Sadiq’s hands. Formerly a respected coach and a three-sport athlete at Pocatello High School, he won a state basketball championship in 1969 and played offensive tackle. With college football potential that was ultimately cut short by injuries, he entered the workforce and eventually developed a strong presence in the community. Terry played a major role in shaping his grandson’s character. 

His grandmother, Alaina Pledger, was just as central, not only as a stabilizing presence during years marked by frequent moves and financial strain, but as someone Sadiq repeatedly returned to when the family needed him most. During high school, he moved back to Idaho Falls to help care for her while she battled cancer. It’s a period he later described as difficult but transformative, one that forced him to grow up faster than most teenagers.

Terry died unexpectedly in January 2023, just weeks after Sadiq scored his first touchdown for Oregon. From then on, Sadiq says, before every game, he says a prayer to remember him. And now, with his grandmother battling cancer,  Sadiq faces a decision that had long seemed settled but no longer is.

Kenyon Sadiq has “unfinished business” after Oregon loss

Throughout Oregon’s 2025 season, his declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft was widely viewed as inevitable. He entered the postseason projected as the top tight end in the class and a likely first-round selection. That expectation shifted following Oregon’s 56–22 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, a game in which the Ducks were overwhelmed early and never mounted a response.

When asked after the game about his future, Sadiq did not commit to leaving. Instead, he pointed to the number of draft-eligible teammates already planning to return and acknowledged that the loss left “unfinished business.” Several key players have publicly stated their intention to come back, keeping much of Oregon’s roster intact despite the blowout.

Sadiq’s own performance reflected the broader issues Oregon faced. He recorded five receptions for 29 yards, all coming in the second half after the Ducks had fallen behind by four touchdowns. Indiana controlled the line of scrimmage, forced early turnovers, and limited Oregon’s ability to establish any rhythm on offense. For a player expected to be a focal point, the game offered little opportunity to impact the outcome.

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What comes next may be decided not by draft stock, but by whether Sadiq is willing to let this ending be his last at Oregon.