Adrian Colbert Bio
Adrian Colbert (born October 6, 1993) is an American professional football safety who has spent more than seven seasons moving between active rosters and practice squads across the National Football League. After beginning his college career with the Texas Longhorns, he finished at the University of Miami and entered the league as a late-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and listed at 205 pounds, he has built his career on positional versatility and special teams reliability rather than headline-grabbing statistics.
Early Life and Background
Adrian Colbert was born on October 6, 1993, in Wichita Falls, Texas, and grew up in the nearby city of Mineral Wells. He attended Mineral Wells High School, where he developed into a four-star recruit and one of the more highly regarded defensive backs in the state. His combination of size, speed, and ball skills drew attention from major college programs, and he eventually chose to continue his football career away from home in a Power Five conference.
Coming out of high school, Colbert was regarded as a prospect with the frame and instincts to play either cornerback or safety at the next level. That positional flexibility, along with his willingness to contribute on special teams, became defining traits as he transitioned into college football. Mineral Wells, a small North Texas town, produced a player who would go on to spend nearly a decade in professional football.
Path to American Football
Colbert began his collegiate career at the University of Texas at Austin, where he played from 2012 through 2015 as part of the Longhorns program. He developed during a transitional period for the Texas defense and earned enough experience to attract attention from programs around the country. After his junior season, he elected to transfer and use his remaining eligibility at a school known for producing NFL defensive backs.
He joined the University of Miami for his senior year in 2016 and quickly became a contributor in the Hurricanes secondary. His lone season in Miami showed enough pro potential that he was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, where his testing numbers helped his draft stock. That spring, the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the seventh round with the 229th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Adrian Colbert Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Adrian Colbert signed a four-year, $2.48 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers that included a signing bonus of $84,786, and he quickly carved out a role as a rookie. He appeared in 14 games with six starts at free safety, finishing his first season with 37 tackles and five passes defensed. Those numbers suggested a young defender who could grow into a long-term starter in the 49ers secondary.
The 49ers handed him the starting free safety job heading into the 2018 season, and he started the first six games before a high ankle sprain in Week 7 forced him onto injured reserve. He was placed on injured reserve on October 22, 2018, ending what had looked like a breakthrough campaign. The following summer, he was waived during final roster cuts and later released from injured reserve with an injury settlement.
NFL Journeyman Phase (2019–2021)
On September 18, 2019, Adrian Colbert joined the Seattle Seahawks practice squad before a brief promotion to the active roster later that month. After being waived, he was signed off the Seahawks practice squad by the Miami Dolphins on November 19, 2019, where he closed out the season. The Dolphins re-signed him in March 2020, but he was waived during final cuts in August of that year.
Colbert then bounced between several organizations. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs in late August 2020 before being claimed off waivers by the New York Giants in early September, where a midseason stint on injured reserve interrupted his year. In 2021, he signed with the New England Patriots, was released in late August, joined the New York Jets practice squad, and finished the year with the Cleveland Browns as a COVID-19 replacement elevation.
Chicago Bears Era (2022–2024)
After a short stint with the Tennessee Titans in training camp, Adrian Colbert signed to the Chicago Bears practice squad on November 29, 2022, beginning what has become his longest stop in the NFL. He signed a reserve/future contract in January 2023 and was placed on injured reserve the following August before being released with an injury settlement. The Bears re-signed him to the practice squad in November 2023 and signed him to another reserve/future deal in January 2024.
In 2024, Colbert was released at the end of training camp and returned to the practice squad in mid-November. He was promoted to the active roster on December 24, 2024, and finished the season in Chicago before becoming a free agent. Across his time with the Bears organization, he has provided steady depth at safety and a reliable presence on special teams units.
Notable Events and Milestones
Adrian Colbert’s career milestone is his longevity in a league where most late-round selections do not last more than two seasons. He has played for nine NFL franchises since 2017, demonstrating the kind of resilience and adaptability that coaches value in reserve defensive backs. Through the 2024 season, he has recorded 111 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 8 pass deflections across his NFL career.
Adrian Colbert Career Wins
Adrian Colbert has not been widely recognized as a starter whose primary role is winning individual games, but he has been part of winning locker rooms and playoff pushes during his stops in the league. With the Chicago Bears in 2024, he contributed to a defense that competed in a tightly contested NFC North race. Throughout his career, he has prioritized team success, special teams play, and roster security over personal stat lines.
Team Success and Performances
Colbert’s most productive statistical seasons came during his early years with the San Francisco 49ers, where his rookie campaign featured 37 tackles and five passes defensed. Since then, he has appeared in spot duty on defense while consistently playing on coverage and return units. His ability to move between cornerback and safety has kept him in demand around the league.
Adrian Colbert Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Adrian Colbert comes from a family with deep ties to professional football. He is a cousin of NFL wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who has played for the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and other franchises throughout his own lengthy career. That family connection gave Colbert early exposure to the demands of an NFL lifestyle and reinforced his commitment to the sport.
Personal Life
Colbert grew up in the small North Texas town of Mineral Wells and remains connected to that community. His professional path has carried him across the country, from California to Washington, Florida, Missouri, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee, and Illinois. Off the field, he has maintained a presence on social media and has continued to share updates with fans throughout his journeyman career.
2025 Season Outlook
Adrian Colbert became a free agent at the end of the 2024 season after his most recent stint with the Chicago Bears. As the 2025 league year approaches, he is likely to pursue opportunities as a depth safety and core special teams player, a role that has kept him employed since his release from San Francisco. His familiarity with multiple defensive schemes and his willingness to play on every special teams unit make him a candidate for a training camp invitation.
For Colbert, the 2025 season represents a chance to extend a professional career that began with the 49ers in 2017 and now spans more than 100 tackles and nearly a decade of NFL service. Teams looking for veteran leadership in the secondary or a steady presence on coverage squads will view him as a low-risk option. Whether he lands on an active roster or a practice squad, his football journey appears far from over.