Whalen has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, and Oakland Raiders, as well as for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

[2] Whalen made the Stanford football team as a walk-on and was one of eight true freshmen to see playing time in the 2008 season.

[11] He provided much-needed depth to the receiving corps in the early going, when Ryan Whalen and Chris Owusu were slowed with injuries.

He caught a career-high five passes for 78 yards at Oregon, including his first career touchdown at the 5:06 mark of the first quarter on an 18-yard corner route from quarterback Andrew Luck.

[14] He was a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is an award given annually to the most outstanding FBS college football player who began his career as a walk-on.

[15] Whalen was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent following the 2012 NFL draft on April 28, 2012,[17] joining fellow Stanford players Andrew Luck and Coby Fleener.

Whalen was cut following Brazill’s return, but was quickly signed to the practice squad after impressing the Colts’ coaching staff.

[20] Following a second spell on the practice squad, Whalen returned to the active roster in Week 15 against the Houston Texans and started to offer a glimpse of the potential at his disposal.

[22] Whalen made his playoff debut against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round on January 4, 2014.

[25] On November 22, 2014, the Colts promoted running back Zurlon Tipton to the active roster and waived Whalen.

[28] On October 18, 2015, against the New England Patriots, Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano called for a trick play on 4th and 3 late in the third quarter with the Colts trailing 27–21.

[29][30] Just a week later, Whalen was part of a second disastrous special teams play, when he fumbled on a kick return which led to a touchdown in a game against the New Orleans Saints.

[31] Whalen redeemed himself the following week against the Carolina Panthers by catching all five of his targets that came in the fourth quarter, helping send the game into overtime.