Kobie Turner is celebrated for finishing his first season as a defensive tackle with nine sacks while playing for the Los Angeles Rams, but it was his rich baritone voice that caught the attention of judges on “The Masked Singer” last year.

At Richmond, the Class of 2022 math and music major balanced singing with Schola Cantorum and Choeur du Roi and playing for the Spiders. He joined the football team as a walk-on his first year and finished his college career as a three-time All-Colonial Athletic selection. His long-term aspiration was to be either a choir director or a professional football player. The decision was made when the Rams came calling.

In 2023, during his first season in the NFL, Turner lacked an outlet for his music. After consistently watching “The Voice” and “American Idol,” he decided he wanted to compete. The marketing team representing him made a few calls and came back with an opportunity to appear on “The Masked Singer.” Turner left practice and drove to the show’s Los Angeles studio for a dress rehearsal on the final day of the Rams’ 2024 mandatory minicamp.

He performed “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls in front of a live audience and judges, concealing his identity behind a head-to-toe costume of dripping green slime and a yellow tuxedo. Competing against other celebrity contestants, he advanced to another round and sang The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun,” which he also recorded and released on Spotify for over 8,500 listeners and counting.

Turner progressed to the quarterfinals, singing Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin,” before being eliminated. While some judges speculated the 6’2” masked singer was either Shaquille O’Neal or wrestler John Cena, comedian Jenny McCarthy accurately guessed his identity.

By the time his final episode aired On Fox in December, Turner’s team was weeks away from finishing first in the NFC West. The Rams appeared in the playoffs before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round.

Turner says music is his reset button — a way to balance the intensity of the NFL and connect with other people. He has performed the national anthem at Los Angeles Lakers games and has plans to record another song for Spotify.

“It was empowering to show up and be authentically myself. To say, ‘Yes, I am an athlete, but you can’t confine me to that role, because that’s not all I am," he said. “Hopefully, I was a beacon of light and hope that you can pursue all the things that make you whole.”