DJ Chark Bio
Darrell Demont “D. J.” Chark Jr. (born September 23, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver. Born in Alexandria, Louisiana, he played college football for the LSU Tigers before being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Across his professional career, Chark has suited up for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Atlanta Falcons, building a reputation as a deep threat with reliable hands. He earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2019 after a breakout 1,000-yard season in Jacksonville.
DJ Chark Early Life and Background
Chark was born on September 23, 1996, in Alexandria, Louisiana, to Shirley and Darrell Chark. He grew up in the same central Louisiana community where he would later become a local sports standout. As a young athlete, Chark played in a local youth league, where he lined up as a running back before eventually transitioning to the wide receiver position.
He attended Alexandria Senior High School, where he played varsity football and ran track. His combination of size and straight-line speed quickly drew attention from college scouts, and he developed into one of the more coveted wide receiver prospects in Louisiana. The foundation he built in high school set the stage for a successful college recruitment process.
Path to the NFL
Chark attracted scholarship offers from programs including Memphis, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M. He chose to stay close to home and committed to Louisiana State University (LSU), playing for the Tigers from 2014 to 2017 under head coaches Les Miles and Ed Orgeron. After going without a reception in his first two college seasons, Chark broke through as a junior in 2016 with 26 catches for 466 yards and three touchdowns. As a senior in 2017, he elevated his production further, recording 40 receptions for 874 yards and three touchdowns. His straight-ahead speed earned him the nickname “The Flash” during his time at LSU.
In December 2017, Chark accepted an invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl. He delivered a standout performance in the showcase, catching five passes for 160 yards and a touchdown while adding two tackles, earning co-MVP honors and cementing his status as a top draft prospect. He followed that with a strong NFL Scouting Combine showing, where he tied for fourth among all players in the 40-yard dash. Analysts ranked him among the top ten wide receivers in the 2018 draft class.
DJ Chark Career
Early Career (2018)
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Chark in the second round with the 61st overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, making him the eighth wide receiver taken that year. He signed a four-year rookie contract worth $4.44 million, including a $1.31 million signing bonus, and quickly earned a role on offense and on special teams as a primary kick returner. His first professional reception came in Week 2 against the New England Patriots, a 13-yard catch that ended in a fumble. Chark closed his rookie season with 14 receptions for 174 receiving yards while gaining valuable experience as a return man.
Jacksonville Jaguars Breakthrough (2018–2021)
Chark announced himself as a legitimate NFL weapon in 2019. In the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, he posted four catches for 146 yards and a touchdown, setting a franchise record for yards per reception in a single game. He strung together additional standout performances, including an eight-catch, 164-yard, two-touchdown game against the Carolina Panthers, and finished the year with 73 receptions for 1,008 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. His production made him only the fifth Jaguar to reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a single season, and he was named to the 2020 Pro Bowl as a replacement for Tyreek Hill.
The 2020 season saw Chark maintain his role as a vertical threat, highlighted by a 73-yard touchdown catch against the Houston Texans in Week 9. He finished the year with 53 receptions for 706 yards and five touchdowns. Injuries disrupted his 2021 campaign. After surgery to repair a broken finger in August, Chark suffered a fractured ankle in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals and was placed on injured reserve, limiting him to just four games. At the time of his departure, he ranked in the top ten in Jaguars franchise history in receiving touchdowns, yards per reception, and 100-yard receiving games.
Detroit Lions Era (2022)
On March 17, 2022, Chark signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Detroit Lions. An ankle injury in Week 3 forced him to miss time and land on injured reserve in October, but he returned in mid-November and made an immediate impact. He caught a touchdown in Week 12 against the Buffalo Bills, followed by a five-catch, 98-yard performance against his former Jaguars team. His 502 receiving yards across 11 games ranked third on the Lions behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond, and he finished the season with a memorable performance that included two critical fourth-down conversions against the Green Bay Packers to help eliminate them from playoff contention.
Carolina Panthers Era (2023)
Chark signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers on March 24, 2023. He delivered his best performance of the season in Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers, catching six passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns from rookie quarterback Bryce Young. He closed the year with 35 receptions for 525 yards and five touchdowns, providing a reliable veteran target in the Panthers’ passing offense.
Los Angeles Chargers Era (2024)
On May 6, 2024, Chark signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. A hip injury placed him on injured reserve in early September, and he did not return to action until November. He appeared in seven games during the season and scored one touchdown, which came against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2025)
On July 25, 2025, Chark signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons. He was released by the team on August 18, 2025, ending his brief tenure in Atlanta. He later announced his retirement from the NFL on March 20, 2026, after seven professional seasons.
Driving Style and Strengths
Chark built his game around rare straight-line speed, allowing him to stretch defenses vertically and produce chunk plays down the sideline. His size at 6-foot-3 gave him a sizable catch radius, and he showed the route-running polish to win on intermediate dig and post routes. He was also a willing and physical special teams contributor, handling kick-return duties early in his career to round out his value to the offense.
Notable Events and Milestones
Chark’s signature moment came in the 2019 season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he torched the defense for 146 receiving yards, the highest yards-per-catch average in a single game in Jaguars history. He became the fifth player in franchise history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a single season and earned a Pro Bowl nod that same year. His Senior Bowl co-MVP performance in 2018 also stands out as the moment that elevated him from a quiet LSU senior to a legitimate Day 2 draft prospect.
DJ Chark Career Stats
Across his NFL career, Chark appeared in regular-season games for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Chargers, compiling 216 receptions for 3,100 receiving yards and 24 receiving touchdowns. His most productive seasons came in Jacksonville, where he posted back-to-back 1,000-yard or near-1,000-yard campaigns in 2019 and 2020 and earned his lone Pro Bowl selection. He delivered consistent red-zone production in shorter stints with the Lions and Panthers, and he continued to serve as a vertical threat with the Chargers before transitioning into a free-agent role in 2025.
Jacksonville Jaguars Highlights
Chark’s Jacksonville tenure produced his most memorable numbers. In 2019, he set a franchise single-game record for yards per reception against the Chiefs, finished with 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns, and earned a Pro Bowl selection. He added another 53 catches for 706 yards and five scores in 2020 before injuries cut his 2021 season short.
Other Wins & Performances
In Detroit, Chark ranked third on the team with 502 receiving yards in 11 games and made two pivotal fourth-down conversions in the season finale to keep the Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs. With Carolina in 2023, he delivered a six-catch, 98-yard, two-touchdown outing against the Packers in Week 16, his top performance of that season.
DJ Chark Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Chark was raised in Alexandria, Louisiana, by his parents, Shirley and Darrell Chark. His father, who shares his first name, was an important influence during his formative years as an athlete, and Chark often credits his Louisiana roots for shaping his work ethic and competitive drive.
Personal Life
Chark grew up in the same Alexandria community where he attended high school and built the foundation for his professional career. He has maintained ties to Louisiana throughout his NFL journey and has been active on social media, where fans can follow his updates on Instagram.
DJ Chark 2025 Season Performance
Chark entered 2025 as a free agent following his one-year stint with the Los Angeles Chargers. On July 25, 2025, he signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons, joining a young wide receiver group that was looking for veteran depth. The deal was short-lived, however, as the Falcons released him on August 18, 2025, ahead of the regular season.
Although Chark did not appear in regular-season games for Atlanta, his release marked the unofficial end of his on-field career. Several months later, on March 20, 2026, Chark announced his retirement from the NFL after seven professional seasons, closing the book on a career that included a Pro Bowl nod, more than 3,000 receiving yards, and a reputation as one of the league’s most dangerous deep threats during his Jacksonville peak.