Grady Jarrett Bio
Grady Jarrett (born April 28, 1993) is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 1 in and listed at 294 lb, he plays the interior of the defensive line and is recognized as one of the league’s most disruptive interior pass rushers during his era. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers from 2011 to 2014 and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. Across his professional career, Jarrett has accumulated 535 total tackles, 38 sacks, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and nine pass deflections.
Jarrett’s career is also defined by family ties to professional football. He is the son of Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Tuggle, the Atlanta Falcons’ all-time leading tackler, and has continued that defensive legacy through his own consistent production. After spending his first ten NFL seasons in Atlanta, Jarrett now begins a new chapter with the Chicago Bears.
Early Life and Background
Grady Jarrett was born on April 28, 1993, in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up in the metro Atlanta area and attended Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Georgia, where he became one of the most decorated two-way players in the region. He was a two-time all-state selection and a four-year starter on both sides of the ball, recording 198 tackles, 63 tackles for a loss, and 27.5 sacks over his final two high school seasons.
As a senior, Jarrett was a three-time all-regional selection on defense and second-team all-region on offense, while also earning team defensive MVP honors after compiling 101 tackles (31.5 for a loss) and nine sacks. He starred in postseason all-star games, including the North-South All-Star Game in Georgia and the Florida Maxx Scout All-Star Bowl, where he combined for 17 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three caused fumbles.
Jarrett was also a standout wrestler and track athlete. He placed fourth in the state as a junior in wrestling and won the Georgia state heavyweight title as a senior. In track and field, he captured the state shot put championship as a senior with a throw of 15.46 meters. Rated as a three-star recruit and the No. 41 defensive tackle nationally by Scout.com, Jarrett committed to Clemson University to continue his football career.
Path to Professional Football
Jarrett enrolled at Clemson in 2011 and quickly worked his way into the Tigers’ defensive rotation. As a true freshman, he appeared in nine games and recorded two tackles. The following season, he started 11 of 13 games as a sophomore, finishing with 49 tackles and two sacks while becoming a fixture on the interior line.
Jarrett’s junior campaign saw him start all 13 games and post 83 tackles with two sacks, establishing him as one of the top defensive tackles in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In his senior year, he again started all 13 games, recorded 73 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and was named first-team All-ACC. That senior recognition helped position him as a fifth-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
Grady Jarrett Career
Early Career (2015–2016)
Jarrett was selected in the fifth round (137th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2015 NFL draft, with Atlanta trading two draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings to move up and select him. He signed a four-year, $2.527 million contract on May 9, 2015, and played 15 games as a rookie, finishing with 24 tackles, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and his first career sack, recorded December 12 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2016, Jarrett played all 16 games and started 14, producing 48 tackles, four tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, and three sacks. By the end of his second season, he had established himself as a reliable interior presence on Atlanta’s defensive front.
Atlanta Falcons Breakthrough (2017–2022)
Jarrett became a full-time starter in 2017, starting all 16 games and posting career highs at the time with 55 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, and four sacks. The defining early moment of his career came in Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots, when he sacked quarterback Tom Brady three times, tying the record for most sacks in a single Super Bowl game, while also adding five total tackles in the 34–28 overtime loss.
In 2018, Jarrett had a Week 15 performance against the Arizona Cardinals that produced seven tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble in a 40–14 win, earning him NFC Defensive Player of the Week. He closed that season with then-career highs of six sacks and three forced fumbles. The Falcons placed the franchise tag on him on March 4, 2019, and he signed it on April 22, before agreeing to a four-year, $68 million extension on July 15, 2019, with $42.5 million guaranteed, making him the third-highest-paid defensive tackle in the league at that time.
Jarrett’s 2019 season was his most decorated. He set career highs with 7.5 sacks and 69 tackles, added 11 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, was named to his first Pro Bowl, and earned second-team All-Pro honors. He was also ranked 91st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020. In 2020, he added a second Pro Bowl selection, recorded four sacks and 52 tackles, and was ranked 51st on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021. After starting all 17 games in 2021 with one sack and 59 tackles, Jarrett agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $67 million in May 2022, then posted six sacks, 61 tackles, and three passes defended that fall. He was ranked 63rd on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.
Atlanta Falcons Final Seasons (2023–2024)
Jarrett’s 2023 season was cut short when he suffered a torn ACL in the eighth game of the year against the Tennessee Titans, finishing with 23 tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and eight quarterback hits. He returned to start all 17 games in 2024, recording 2.5 sacks and 53 combined tackles, before being released by the Falcons on March 10, 2025.
Chicago Bears Era (2025–Present)
On March 12, 2025, Jarrett signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears. In his first season in Chicago, he appeared across the 2025 campaign and finished with 1.5 sacks, 39 tackles, and three passes defended, transitioning into a veteran role on the Bears’ defensive line.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jarrett is known for his quick first step, low pad level, and relentless motor at the defensive tackle position. He is equally effective against the run and as an interior pass rusher, with his career-best single-game performance coming against Tom Brady in Super Bowl LI. His combination of leverage, hand technique, and football intelligence has allowed him to remain productive even as he has expanded his role into a leadership presence up front.
Notable Events and Milestones
The signature event of Jarrett’s career remains his three-sack performance in Super Bowl LI, tying a Super Bowl record. Additional milestones include his first career sack in 2015 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his 2019 second-team All-Pro selection, two Pro Bowl nods in 2019 and 2020, and his 2025 signing with the Chicago Bears that marked his transition out of Atlanta after a decade with the Falcons.
Grady Jarrett Career Awards
Grady Jarrett has earned two Pro Bowl selections (2019, 2020), one second-team All-Pro honor (2019), and a first-team All-ACC selection in his senior season at Clemson (2014). He has also been ranked among his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players list in 2020 (91st), 2021 (51st), and 2023 (63rd).
NFL Honors and Highlights
Jarrett’s two Pro Bowl selections both came during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, the peak statistical stretch of his career. His second-team All-Pro nod in 2019 capped a season in which he posted career highs of 7.5 sacks and 69 tackles, and he was also recognized as NFC Defensive Player of the Week during the 2018 season.
Grady Jarrett Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Grady Jarrett comes from one of the most prominent football families connected to the Atlanta Falcons. His father, Jessie Tuggle, played linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons from 1987 to 2000 and remains the franchise’s all-time leading tackler. His brother, Justin Tuggle, is a former member of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
Personal Life
Jarrett maintains a close relationship with Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, whom he refers to as his uncle, although the two are not biologically related. Jarrett grew up in the Conyers, Georgia, area, and his home there partially burned down during the second day of the 2015 NFL draft; no injuries were reported, and the Falcons sent him team gear immediately after drafting him the following day.
2025 Season Performance
Grady Jarrett entered the 2025 NFL season with the Chicago Bears after signing a three-year, $43.5 million contract on March 12, 2025. The move followed his release from the Atlanta Falcons on March 10, 2025, ending a ten-year run with the organization that originally drafted him.
Across the 2025 campaign, Jarrett appeared as a veteran presence on the Bears’ defensive interior, finishing the season with 1.5 sacks, 39 tackles, and three passes defended. His production reflected a measured workload as he continued to recover from the torn ACL that had ended his 2023 season early, while still providing consistent play against the run.
Looking ahead, Jarrett remains under contract through the 2027 season, giving Chicago a long-term veteran anchor on its defensive line. His combination of experience, pass-rushing skill, and familiarity with defensive schemes positions him as a key figure in the Bears’ continued defensive rebuild.
