Blake Cashman Bio
Blake Cashman (born May 10, 1996) is an American professional football linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 1 in and listed at 235 lb, he has built a reputation as a versatile, hard-hitting defender whose tackling ability has been a hallmark of his professional career. Cashman wears jersey number 51 for the Vikings and remains an active contributor on the team’s defense.
Originally drafted by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Cashman played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers before entering the league. After stints with the Jets and the Houston Texans, he joined Minnesota in March 2024 on a three-year contract, where he has continued to establish himself as a dependable starting linebacker.
Early Life and Background
Blake Cashman was born on May 10, 1996, in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He grew up in the Twin Cities suburb and attended Eden Prairie High School, where he developed his early football skills and earned recognition as a promising linebacker prospect. His hometown, located just outside Minneapolis, has produced a strong pipeline of athletes who go on to compete at the collegiate and professional levels.
Cashman comes from a supportive family environment in Eden Prairie that encouraged his athletic development. He trained locally throughout his youth and was drawn to football at a young age, eventually becoming one of the standouts at Eden Prairie High School. His performance in high school set the stage for a collegiate recruitment process that led him to stay close to home.
Path to American Football
Cashman continued his football career at the University of Minnesota, where he played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers from 2015 through 2018. Over four collegiate seasons, he worked his way into a starting role and became a key figure in the Golden Gophers’ defense. His development under the program’s coaching staff prepared him for the physical demands of professional football.
In 2018, Cashman earned Second-team All-Big Ten honors, an award that highlighted his consistent production and tackling efficiency. That recognition helped elevate his draft profile heading into the 2019 NFL cycle. Following his senior season, he declared for the NFL Draft and was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round with the 157th overall pick, officially beginning his professional career.
Blake Cashman Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Blake Cashman began his NFL career with the New York Jets after being selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. His rookie season, however, was cut short when he was placed on injured reserve on November 1, 2019. Despite the setback, the Jets continued to view him as a long-term developmental piece at linebacker.
Cashman’s tenure in New York was repeatedly interrupted by injuries. He was placed on injured reserve in September 2020 after a groin injury in Week 1, was activated in mid-October, and later returned to injured reserve in December 2020 due to a hamstring issue. In 2021, he again spent time on injured reserve, having been placed there in September before being activated in October, only to return once more after a Week 7 groin injury. Across his Jets tenure from 2019 to 2021, Cashman appeared in limited regular-season action while continuing to refine his craft.
Houston Texans Breakthrough (2022–2023)
On March 18, 2022, Blake Cashman was traded from the New York Jets to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2023 sixth-round pick. The move offered him a fresh opportunity, and on December 2, 2022, he signed a one-year contract extension with the team, signaling the organization’s confidence in his trajectory. In Houston, he found a more stable role and began delivering the kind of performances that had been projected for him coming out of college.
Cashman’s 2023 season was a defining stretch of his career. In Week 6, he recorded 15 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two pass breakups in a 20–13 win over the New Orleans Saints, earning American Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. Later, in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals, he shifted to the Mike linebacker position with Denzel Perryman suspended and Henry To’oTo’o sidelined by a concussion. In that game, he posted a career-high 19 tackles, 13 of them solo, along with two quarterback hits, in a 21–16 victory. Those performances cemented his value as a three-down linebacker.
Minnesota Vikings Era (2024–Present)
On March 13, 2024, Blake Cashman signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings, returning to the state where he had grown up and played college football. The deal reflected his emergence as a reliable defensive starter. In his first season with the team, he started 14 games and led the Vikings with 112 tackles while adding 4.5 sacks and eight passes defensed, setting new career highs across the board.
Cashman carried that momentum into 2025 as one of Minnesota’s starting linebackers. In the season opener against the Chicago Bears, however, he suffered a hamstring injury that led to a placement on injured reserve on September 11, 2025. He was activated on October 18 ahead of Minnesota’s Week 7 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, returning to a defense where he had quickly become a focal point.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cars and driving play no role in Cashman’s professional profile. On the football field, his strengths lie in run support, tackling volume, and the ability to contribute in pass coverage. He has demonstrated positional flexibility, having played both off-ball and Mike linebacker roles in Houston, and his tackling consistency has been a defining trait throughout his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments, Cashman’s Week 11, 2023 performance against the Arizona Cardinals stands out, when he tallied a career-high 19 tackles in a narrow Vikings-style victory. His 2024 leadership of the Vikings in total tackles, his AFC Defensive Player of the Week award, and his transition to a starting role in Minnesota all mark key milestones in his professional journey.
Blake Cashman Career Wins
Blake Cashman’s verified statistical output spans the New York Jets, Houston Texans, and Minnesota Vikings. Through the 2025 season, he has accumulated 437 total tackles, 12 sacks, 18 pass deflections, one interception, one forced fumble, and four fumble recoveries, according to his official NFL career statistics.
NFL Regular Season Highlights
Cashman has notched standout defensive performances across multiple franchises, with his most notable regular-season impact coming during the 2023 campaign with the Houston Texans. He has since carried that production into Minnesota, where he set a career high with 112 tackles in 2024. His Week 6 and Week 11 efforts in 2023 remain among his most celebrated individual showings.
Other Performances
At the collegiate level, Cashman earned Second-team All-Big Ten recognition in 2018 with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, an award that underscored his late-career emergence at the University of Minnesota. His consistency in conference play foreshadowed the volume-tackling role he has occupied in the NFL.
Blake Cashman Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Racing lineage does not apply to Blake Cashman, whose athletic path runs through American football rather than motorsports. He grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and continues to be associated with that community through his high school alma mater and his college program at the University of Minnesota.
Personal Life
Blake Cashman resides in the United States and is professionally based in Minnesota, having signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract with the Vikings in March 2024 that runs through the 2026 season. Publicly available information about his immediate family, marital status, or children is limited, and additional personal details have not been widely confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Blake Cashman entered the 2025 season as one of the Minnesota Vikings’ starting linebackers, following a 2024 campaign in which he led the team with 112 tackles, added 4.5 sacks, and broke up eight passes. His role within defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ system was expected to remain central, given his experience and tackling reliability.
The season began with a setback, as Cashman suffered a hamstring injury in the Vikings’ opener against the Chicago Bears. He was placed on injured reserve on September 11, 2025, forcing him to miss several early contests. On October 18, he was activated ahead of Minnesota’s Week 7 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, signaling a return to game action at the heart of the defense.
Looking ahead, Cashman’s outlook for the remainder of 2025 centers on reclaiming his starting role and contributing to a Vikings defense that values his versatility and run-stopping ability. With his contract running through 2026 and his 2024 production as a benchmark, he remains a key figure in Minnesota’s long-term linebacker plans.
