Grady Jarrett (born April 28, 1993) is an American professional football defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers.

Grady Jarrett
refer to caption
Jarrett with the Atlanta Falcons in 2019
No. 97 – Atlanta Falcons
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1993-04-28) April 28, 1993 (age 31)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:290 lb (132 kg)
Career information
High school:Rockdale County
(Conyers, Georgia)
College:Clemson (2011–2014)
NFL draft:2015 / round: 5 / pick: 137
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2024
Total tackles:487
Sacks:36.5
Forced fumbles:5
Fumble recoveries:3
Pass deflections:6
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Jarrett attended Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Georgia, where he was a two-time All-state selection. A four-year starter on both sides of the ball, he had 198 tackles, 63 tackles for a loss, and 27.5 sacks over his last two years. He was a three-time All-regional selection on defense and second-team All-region on offense as a senior, as well as a three-time selection as the team's top defensive player after compiling 101 tackles (31.5 for a loss) and nine sacks.[1] He also played in the North-South All-Star game in Georgia and Florida Maxx Scout All-Star Bowl; in the two games combined, he had 17 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three caused fumbles.

In addition, Jarrett was also a member of the school's wrestling team; he was fourth in the state as a junior and won the state heavyweight title as a senior. Also a top performer in track & field, Jarrett won the state title in the shot put as a senior with a throw of 15.46 meters (50-6).[2]

Jarrett was rated by Rivals.com as a three-star recruit.[3] He was rated the No. 41 defensive tackle in the nation by Scout.com. He committed to Clemson University to play college football.[4]

College career

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Jarrett attended Clemson from 2011 to 2014.[5] As a true freshman, he appeared in nine games, making two tackles. As a sophomore, Jarrett started 11 of 13 games. He had 49 tackles and had two sacks. As a starter his junior season, he had 83 tackles and two sacks in 13 games.[6] He again started all 13 games during his senior season, recording 73 tackles and 1.5 sacks and was named first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in recognition of his successful senior season.[7]

College statistics

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Season Team GP Cmb TfL Sck Int FF
2011 Clemson 9 4 0 0 0 0
2012 Clemson 15 8.5 2.0 0 0
2013 Clemson 13 59 10 2.0 0 0
2014 Clemson 12 45 10 1.5 0 2
Total 144 28.5 5.5 0 2

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 0+34 in
(1.85 m)
304 lb
(138 kg)
32+38 in
(0.82 m)
10 in
(0.25 m)
5.06 s 1.69 s 2.87 s 4.56 s 7.37 s 31 in
(0.79 m)
9 ft 5 in
(2.87 m)
33 reps
All values from NFL Combine and Pro Day[8][9]

2015

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Jarrett was selected in the fifth round (137th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2015 NFL draft.[10] Atlanta traded two draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings to move up and take Jarrett, giving up their 146th and 187th picks.[11]

 
Jarrett with the Falcons in 2015

Jarrett came to terms with the Falcons on May 9, 2015, signing a four-year $2.527 million contract.[12] As a rookie in 2015, Jarrett played in 15 games, finishing the season with 24 tackles, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and one sack. Jarrett recorded his first professional sack on December 12 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[13]

2016

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In 2016, Jarrett played all 16 games, starting 14. Jarrett finished the season with 48 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, and three sacks.[14]

During Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots, Jarrett sacked Tom Brady three times, which tied a record for most sacks in a single Super Bowl game.[15] In addition, Jarrett had five total tackles in the 34–28 overtime loss.[16][17]

2017

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In 2017, Jarrett started all 16 games, recording a career-high 55 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, and four sacks.[18]

2018

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In Week 15 of the 2018 season, Jarrett recorded seven tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble in a 40–14 win over the Arizona Cardinals, earning him NFC Defensive Player of the Week.[19] Jarrett finished the 2018 season with then career-highs in both sacks and forced fumbles, with 6 and 3, respectively.[20]

2019

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On March 4, 2019, the Falcons placed the franchise tag on Jarrett.[21] Jarrett signed the franchise tag on April 22, 2019.[22] On July 15, 2019, Jarrett signed a four-year contract extension worth $68 million with $42.5 million guaranteed, making him the third highest paid defensive tackle in the league.[23] In Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Jarrett recorded his first sack of the season on Kirk Cousins in the 28–12 loss.[24] In Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks, Jarrett recorded a team high 8 tackles and sacked Russell Wilson once in the 27–20 loss.[25] In Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints, Jarrett had 2.5 sacks and five quarterback hits in the 26–9 upset win. In Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jarrett had one sack and three tackles in the 24–12 win. In Week 17 against the Buccaneers, Jarrett recorded one sack in the 28–22 overtime win.[26] Jarrett finished the 2019 season with a career-high 7.5 sacks and 69 tackles, as well as 11 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles.[27]

On December 17, 2019, Jarrett was invited to his first Pro Bowl.[28] On January 3, 2020, Jarrett was named second-team All-Pro.[29] He was ranked 91st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.[30]

2020

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In Week 1 against the Seahawks, Jarrett led the Falcons with 1.5 sacks on quarterback Russell Wilson during the 38–25 loss.[31]

On December 20, 2020, Jarrett was selected to his second Pro Bowl.[32] He was ranked 51st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021.[33]

2021

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Jarrett with the Falcons in 2021

In 2021, Jarrett started all 17 games for the Falcons, ending the season with one sack and 59 tackles.[34]

2022

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On May 3, 2022, Jarrett and the Falcons agreed to a three-year contract extension worth up to $67 million with another $1.5 million in incentives.[35] He was ranked 63rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.[36]

2023

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In the eighth game of the season, Jarrett suffered a torn ACL in a loss to the Tennessee Titans. After being ruled out for the season the following Monday, he finished his 2023 campaign with 23 tackles (two for loss), 1.5 sacks, and eight quarterback hits.[37]

NFL career statistics

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Regular season

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Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles
GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TfL FF FR
2015 ATL 15 2 24 13 11 1.0 4 0 0
2016 ATL 16 14 48 21 27 3.0 4 0 1
2017 ATL 16 16 55 34 21 4.0 15 0 0
2018 ATL 14 14 52 27 25 6.0 8 3 0
2019 ATL 16 16 69 38 31 7.5 12 2 0
2020 ATL 16 16 52 27 25 4.0 8 0 1
2021 ATL 17 17 59 38 21 1.0 3 0 1
2022 ATL 17 17 61 30 31 6.0 12 0 0
2023 ATL 8 8 23 9 14 1.5 2 0 0
Career 135 120 443 237 206 34.0 68 5 3

Postseason

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Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles
GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck TfL FF FR
2016 ATL 3 3 10 7 3 3.0 3 0 0
2017 ATL 2 2 2 2 0 0.0 0 0 0
Career 5 5 12 9 3 3.0 3 0 0

Personal life

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His father, Jessie Tuggle, played in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons from 1987 to 2000.[38] His brother, Justin Tuggle, is a former member of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.[39][40] He also has a close relationship with Ray Lewis who he refers to as "uncle," though they are not related biologically.[41]

Jarrett's home in Conyers, Georgia partially burned down during the second day of the 2015 NFL draft. There were nearly 50 people, including friends and family members at the home at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire was believed to be electrical. The Falcons drafted Jarrett the next day and immediately sent him team gear.[42]

References

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  1. ^ Hale, David M. (August 29, 2014). "Grady Jarrett overlooked no more". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ "Grady Jarrett, 2011 Defensive Tackle, Clemson". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "Grady Jarrett: "Clemson feels like home"". TigerNet.com. September 26, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  5. ^ "Spear: Jarrett is heart and soul of Tiger defense".
  6. ^ Boynton, Eric (December 11, 2013). "Clemson DT Jarrett won't be leaving for the NFL". Spartanburg Herald Journal. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  7. ^ Winkeljohn, Matt (May 2, 2015). "Jarrett, Hardy ready to overcome hurdles for Falcons". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  8. ^ "Grady Jarrett Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  9. ^ "2015 NFL Draft Scout Grady Jarrett College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  10. ^ "2015 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  11. ^ "Falcons select Jarrett in 5th round of 2015 NFL Draft". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 2, 2015.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "Grady Jarrett Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  13. ^ "Grady Jarrett 2015 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  14. ^ "Grady Jarrett 2016 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  15. ^ Kirshner, Alex (February 5, 2017). "Grady Jarrett ties Super Bowl record with 3 sacks for Falcons vs. Patriots". SB Nation. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  16. ^ "Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons - February 5th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  17. ^ Chadiha, Jeffri (February 5, 2017). "Falcons' historic collapse leads to Patriots' fifth Super Bowl win". NFL.com. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  18. ^ "Grady Jarrett 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  19. ^ "Mike Williams, Dalvin Cook among NFL Players of the Week". NFL.com. December 19, 2018. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
  20. ^ "Grady Jarrett 2018 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  21. ^ Bergman, Jeremy (March 4, 2019). "Falcons place franchise tag on DT Grady Jarrett". NFL.com.
  22. ^ Maya, Adam (April 22, 2019). "Falcons DT Grady Jarrett signs $15.2M franchise tag". NFL.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  23. ^ McClure, Vaughn (July 15, 2019). "Falcons, DT Jarrett beat deadline, reach deal". ESPN.com.
  24. ^ "Jones scores late TD, leads Falcons past Eagles 24-20". ESPN. September 15, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  25. ^ "Wilson throws 2 TD passes as Seattle stops Atlanta 27-20". ESPN. October 27, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
  26. ^ "Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - December 29th, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  27. ^ "Grady Jarrett 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  28. ^ "2019 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  29. ^ "2019 All-Pro Team: Jackson, McCaffrey highlight roster". NFL.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  30. ^ "'Top 100 Players of 2020': Grady Jarrett". NFL.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  31. ^ "Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons - September 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  32. ^ "NFL reveals complete AFC, NFC rosters for 2021 Pro Bowl". NFL.com. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  33. ^ "2021 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  34. ^ "Grady Jarrett 2021 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  35. ^ Ledbetter, D. Orlando (May 3, 2022). "Grady Jarrett gets contract extension with Falcons". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  36. ^ "2023 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  37. ^ Shook, Nick (October 30, 2023). "MRI shows Falcons DT Grady Jarrett suffered torn ACL in loss to Titans". NFL.com. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  38. ^ Jones, Lindsay H. "Falcons DT Grady Jarrett hopes to win ring that eluded his dad, Jessie Tuggle". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  39. ^ Grady Jarrett, 'heart and soul' of Clemson's defense, is making a name for himself Archived April 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  40. ^ Hood, David (April 23, 2013). "Tigers' Grady Jarrett boasts NFL bloodlines". TigerNet.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  41. ^ "Prospect Grady Jarrett Calls Ray Lewis His Uncle". BaltimoreRavens.com. January 25, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  42. ^ McClure, Vaughn (May 2, 2015). "Jarrett's home catches fire". ABCnews.go.com. ABC News. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
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