Allen Lazard Bio
Allen Jamel Lazard is an American professional football wide receiver who has played in the National Football League (NFL). Born on December 11, 1995, in Des Moines, Iowa, he played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones before entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Over the course of his career, Lazard has played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Green Bay Packers, and the New York Jets.
Known for his size and reliable hands, Lazard built a reputation as a tough, physical receiver during his time in Green Bay. He later reunited with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in New York before being released by the Jets in December 2025.
Early Life and Background
Allen Jamel Lazard was raised in Urbandale, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines, where he attended Urbandale High School. At Urbandale, he was a four-year starter on both offense and defense and became one of the most decorated athletes in school history. He still holds the school career records in receptions with 105, receiving yards with 2,349, touchdowns with 34, and interceptions with 14.
His high school honors included being named a USA Today High School All-American, the Des Moines Register Offensive Player of the Year in 2013, the Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, and a three-time All-State selection. A consensus four-star wide receiver, Lazard was ranked the number one recruit in the state of Iowa and the seventh-best receiver in the country by Rivals. Prior to enrolling at Iowa State, he played in the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
His family background is rooted in the Iowa State football tradition, as his father Kevin played for the Cyclones from 1990 to 1993 and his brother Anthony played from 2013 to 2016. Lazard ultimately chose Iowa State over Notre Dame, Nebraska, Stanford, California, and Iowa.
Path to American Football
Lazard’s path to professional football began at Urbandale High School, where his versatility on both sides of the ball made him a sought-after recruit. His rare combination of size, hands, and football IQ drew attention from major college programs across the country. Opting not to redshirt, he immediately contributed for the Cyclones as a true freshman in 2014.
He started 11 of Iowa State’s 12 games that season, finishing second on the team with 45 receptions and 593 receiving yards while scoring three touchdowns. Those numbers ranked second all-time for an Iowa State freshman, and he was named to the All-Big 12 honorable mention team as well as ESPN.com’s Big 12 All-Underclassman team.
Lazard received an invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl and entered the NFL draft process as one of the more polished pass catchers in his class, despite not being among the top-rated prospects at the combine. His college production, however, made him an attractive target for teams looking for a possession receiver with a large frame.
Allen Lazard Career
Early Career (2014–2017)
At Iowa State, Lazard steadily developed into one of the most productive receivers in program history. After a strong freshman season in 2014, he became the focal point of the Cyclones’ passing attack in 2015, starting all 11 games he played in and leading the team with 56 receptions, 808 receiving yards, and six touchdown catches. He was named Second-team All-Big 12 by the AP and earned the Pete Taylor Most Valuable Player award.
His breakout came in 2016, when he posted 69 receptions for 1,018 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, setting a school record with six 100-yard receiving games and becoming just the fourth player in school history to record a 1,000-yard season. He earned First-team All-Big 12 honors from the Coaches and ESPN and repeated as the Pete Taylor MVP. In 2017, he led Iowa State again with 71 receptions for 941 yards and 10 touchdowns, capping his career as the Cyclones’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.
Green Bay Packers Breakthrough (2018–2022)
After brief stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2018, Lazard was signed off their practice squad by the Green Bay Packers on December 18, 2018. His first professional touchdown came on a 35-yard reception from Aaron Rodgers during a Week 6 win over the Detroit Lions in October 2019. He finished the 2019 season with 35 receptions for 477 yards and three touchdowns.
In 2020, Lazard played through a core muscle injury and contributed in the Packers’ run to the NFC Championship Game, where he recorded three catches for 62 yards in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 2021 season proved to be his most productive year in Green Bay, as he set career highs with 40 receptions, 513 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. He also caught Aaron Rodgers’ 443rd career touchdown pass as a Packer, breaking Brett Favre’s franchise record.
In 2022, Lazard appeared in 15 games and recorded 60 receptions for 788 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He exited Green Bay as one of the team’s most trusted possession receivers and a respected locker-room presence.
New York Jets Era (2023–2025)
On March 17, 2023, Lazard signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the New York Jets, a move widely viewed as part of the package that helped bring Aaron Rodgers to New York. In 2023, he finished with 23 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown, playing most of the season without Rodgers after the quarterback suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1.
In 2024, Lazard caught Rodgers’ first touchdown pass as a Jet and recorded 37 receptions for 530 yards and six touchdowns, though a chest injury landed him on injured reserve late in the year. The Jets released Lazard on December 16, 2025, after a 2025 campaign in which he finished with just 10 catches for 70 yards and one touchdown.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments, Lazard caught Aaron Rodgers’ record-breaking 443rd career touchdown pass as a Packer in December 2021 and helped Green Bay clinch home-field advantage the following week. He also posted a 103-yard, one-touchdown performance against the New York Giants in 2019 and delivered a 146-yard game against the New Orleans Saints in 2020. His career totals of 239 receptions, 3,147 receiving yards, and 28 receiving touchdowns reflect his longevity across multiple offenses.
Allen Lazard Career Stats
Allen Lazard’s professional resume features steady production across stints with three NFL franchises. Through the 2025 season, he accumulated 239 receptions for 3,147 receiving yards and 28 receiving touchdowns in the regular season. His most productive stretch came with the Green Bay Packers between 2019 and 2022.
NFL Regular Season Highlights
Lazard’s first NFL reception as a Packer went for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in 2019. His most productive single season came in 2022, when he recorded 60 receptions for 788 receiving yards and six touchdowns. In 2021, he set career highs in receiving touchdowns with eight, including five touchdowns over the final five weeks of the season, tied for the second most in the NFL during that span.
Other Performances
In the postseason, Lazard has appeared in multiple playoff games for Green Bay, including a four-catch, 96-yard performance with a 58-yard touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the 2020 Divisional Round. He also caught two touchdowns in a Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in 2024 while playing for the New York Jets.
Allen Lazard Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Lazard comes from a family with deep ties to Iowa State football. His father, Kevin Lazard, played for the Iowa State Cyclones from 1990 to 1993, while his brother, Anthony Lazard, played for the program from 2013 to 2016. That family tradition helped shape Allen Lazard’s decision to commit to the Cyclones over several other prominent college programs.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a difficult year for Allen Lazard with the New York Jets. After signing a four-year, $44 million contract in 2023 that ran through 2026, he struggled to establish a consistent role within the team’s offense. He finished the campaign with just 10 receptions for 70 yards and one touchdown, well below his 2024 totals.
On December 16, 2025, the Jets released Lazard, ending his three-year tenure in New York. The move came as the team reshaped its wide receiver corps around its long-term plans at the position. As of late 2025, Lazard’s next steps in professional football remain publicly uncertain.
