George Fant Bio
George Fant (born July 19, 1992) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football and basketball for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Across his NFL career, Fant has appeared in 105 games with 75 starts.
Listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 296 pounds, Fant is recognized for an unusual path to the league. After starring as a forward in college basketball, he added more than 40 pounds to transition into an offensive lineman, eventually developing into a dependable starter at both tackle positions.
Early Life and Background
George Fant was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he grew up and attended Warren Central High School. At Warren Central he lettered and started all four years on the basketball team, quickly establishing himself as one of the program’s most decorated players.
As a junior, he earned second-team All-State honors, and as a senior he averaged 21.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game while shooting 62.2 percent from the field and leading the team with 75 blocks. He finished his high school career as the all-time leader in rebounds at Warren Central with 1,039 and third on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,805 points. Rivals.com rated him a three-star recruit and listed him 150th nationally among senior prospects.
Path to Professional Football
Fant attended Western Kentucky University, where he majored in recreation and played both basketball and football. For his first four years on campus he focused on basketball and declined repeated invitations from Hilltopper football coaches to join the gridiron program. Even after receiving letters from NFL teams in the spring of 2015, he set those inquiries aside and chose to pursue professional basketball overseas.
Faced with a decision between playing abroad and attempting an NFL career, Fant opted for football, in part because he had a wife and child to support. He used his fifth year of eligibility to join the Hilltoppers as a tight end, bulking up from roughly 250 pounds to 296 pounds while learning the position with help from teammates Tyler Higbee and Devin Scott, as well as tight ends coach Ryan Wallace. He also studied film of another basketball-to-football convert, tight end Jimmy Graham, as he prepared for the switch.
George Fant Career
Early Career (2016)
After playing only one season of collegiate tight end, Fant was widely projected to go undrafted. He skipped the NFL Scouting Combine and worked out at Western Kentucky’s pro day on March 29, 2016, where he was listed as an offensive lineman and weighed 296 pounds. Seattle Seahawks co-director of player personnel Trent Kirchner was impressed enough by his size and movement skills that the team signed him as an undrafted free agent on May 6, 2016, relying heavily on a single workout rather than game tape.
Fant earned the backup left tackle job out of training camp behind Bradley Sowell and made his NFL debut on October 23, 2016, against the Arizona Cardinals. He made his first career start the following week against the New Orleans Saints and finished his rookie season with 14 games played and 10 starts at left tackle.
Seattle Seahawks Breakthrough (2016–2019)
Fant became the third player that offensive line coach Tom Cable successfully transitioned to the offensive line with limited collegiate experience. He earned the starting left tackle job in less than 20 months from his initial football workout, playing the final 10 games of his rookie year as a starter.
His second season was cut short when he tore his ACL during the 2017 preseason and was placed on injured reserve. He returned in 2018 in a hybrid offensive tackle and tight end role, lining up as a sixth lineman or an eligible receiver on the edge. In that role he helped the 2018 Seahawks lead the league in rushing, and on December 10, 2018, he caught his first career pass, a 9-yard reception from Russell Wilson against the Minnesota Vikings. In 2019 he continued as a hybrid lineman and primary backup tackle, helping Seattle rush for a season-high 218 yards in a Monday night win over the Vikings on December 2, 2019.
New York Jets Era (2020–2022)
On April 23, 2020, Fant signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the New York Jets. He was named the starting right tackle in 2020, starting 13 games there and two more at left tackle in place of the injured Mekhi Becton.
Fant moved to left tackle in Week 2 of the 2021 season after Becton suffered a season-ending injury and held the job for the rest of the year. He opened 2022 as the starting left tackle before a stint on injured reserve, a December activation, and a return to injured reserve in early January 2023.
Houston Texans and Return to Seattle (2023–2024)
On July 28, 2023, Fant signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans and started 13 games at right tackle that season. On March 13, 2024, he returned to the Seattle Seahawks on a new contract and continued to work as a versatile offensive lineman.
Washington Commanders Era (2025–Present)
Fant was released by the Seahawks on March 4, 2025, and signed with the Washington Commanders on August 19, 2025. He joined a Washington offensive line that valued his experience at both tackle spots and his track record of starting at left tackle.
Driving Style and Strengths
Fant is valued for his length, movement skills, and positional flexibility, traits that trace back to his basketball background. Coaches have praised his quick feet in pass protection and his willingness to play in a variety of roles, including as a sixth offensive lineman and an eligible receiver.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments are his first career reception from Russell Wilson in 2018, his role in the 2018 Seahawks leading the NFL in rushing, and his 2020 free-agent contract with the Jets worth $30 million over three years. Reaching 75 career starts while switching between left and right tackle underscores his durability and adaptability.
George Fant Career Wins
Across his NFL career, George Fant has built a résumé defined more by consistency and versatility than by championship hardware. As of the 2025 season he has appeared in 105 games with 75 starts, contributing to playoff pushes in Seattle and New York and serving as a steady presence on the offensive line for every team that has employed him.
Team Highlights
Fant’s most notable team success came during his first stint with the Seattle Seahawks, when he was part of the 2018 offense that ranked first in the league in rushing. He has also been a regular starter on Jets, Texans, and Seahawks rosters that leaned on his ability to play both left and right tackle. Through the 2025 season his career totals stand at 105 games played and 75 games started.
Other Performances
Fant earned All-Sun Belt and All-Conference USA recognition during his basketball career at Western Kentucky, capping his senior season as a second-team All-Conference USA pick. His athletic honors from college, combined with his unusual transition to the NFL, remain one of the more distinctive stories among active offensive linemen.
George Fant Family
Family Background and Personal Life
George Fant is married to former Western Kentucky women’s basketball player Chastity Gooch. The couple met on the Western Kentucky campus and have been partners through his transition from college basketball to professional football.
Personal Life
Fant and his wife Chastity have four children. He has spoken about choosing football over playing basketball overseas in part because of his responsibilities as a husband and father, a decision that helped shape his path to the NFL.
2025 Season Performance
George Fant entered 2025 as a member of the Washington Commanders after signing on August 19, 2025. He joined a Commanders offensive line looking for veteran depth and the ability to play both tackle spots, and he was expected to compete for a starting role while also serving as a versatile backup.
His career totals of 105 games played and 75 starts heading into the season underscored his durability and positioned him as a stabilizing presence up front. With the Commanders building around a young quarterback and running game, Fant’s experience at left and right tackle gave the offensive line valuable flexibility.
Looking ahead, Fant’s outlook in Washington centered on providing experienced play at tackle, mentoring younger linemen, and helping the Commanders compete in a competitive NFC East. His track record of starting for the Seahawks, Jets, and Texans suggested he remained a reliable option whenever the team needed a starter.