Isaiahh Loudermilk Bio
Isaiahh Loudermilk, born on October 10, 1997, in Howard, Kansas, is an American professional football defensive end currently playing for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 293 pounds, Loudermilk brings a tall, long-armed frame to the defensive line. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers from 2016 to 2020, and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round, 156th overall, of the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent the early phase of his professional career in Pittsburgh, where he grew into a dependable rotational lineman before signing with the Vikings in 2026.
Across his first four NFL seasons, Loudermilk appeared in regular-season and postseason action for the Steelers, contributing as a run defender and pass rusher. He finished his Pittsburgh tenure with 63 career tackles, 1 sack, and 6 passes defended. He earned Third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2020 as a senior at Wisconsin. Off the field, Loudermilk became engaged to Emily Borgmann in July 2023, and the couple married in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Isaiahh Loudermilk was born and raised in Howard, Kansas, a small community in the south-central part of the state. He attended West Elk High School in Howard, where he developed into a college-ready defensive lineman. His combination of size, length, and mobility made him a stand-out recruit in the region, and he drew attention from several college programs as a senior.
Growing up in rural Kansas, Loudermilk was introduced to football at a young age and played multiple positions before settling on the defensive line. His work ethic and frame made him a projectable college prospect, and he ultimately chose the University of Wisconsin, a program with a long tradition of producing NFL defensive linemen. The decision to join the Badgers gave him the chance to develop under one of the Big Ten Conference’s most respected defensive systems.
Loudermilk graduated from West Elk High School and enrolled at Wisconsin in 2016, beginning a college career that would last five seasons. His upbringing in a tight-knit Kansas community and his family’s support helped him adjust to the demands of Big Ten football.
Path to American Football
Loudermilk joined the Wisconsin Badgers in 2016 and redshirted his freshman year, preserving a year of eligibility while learning the program’s defensive schemes. In 2017, he broke into the rotation as a redshirt freshman and appeared in 11 games for a defense that helped the team post a 13–1 record and win the 2017 Orange Bowl. That early exposure to a championship-level defense laid the foundation for his development.
His progress was interrupted in April 2018, when he underwent surgery on his left knee. He missed four games that season and appeared in nine contests overall, but he returned to full strength the following year. In 2019, Loudermilk recorded one sack and one forced fumble in the Big Ten Championship Game against Ohio State, an early signature performance on a big stage. He then capped his college career in 2020 with Third-team All-Big Ten recognition, finishing with 63 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks across his Wisconsin tenure.
Isaiahh Loudermilk Career
Early Career (2021)
Loudermilk entered the NFL after being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round, 156th overall, of the 2021 NFL Draft. On May 15, 2021, he signed his four-year rookie contract with the team. The Steelers’ defensive line featured established veterans, but injuries to starters Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu created opportunities for younger players, and Loudermilk took advantage of them during his rookie season.
As a rookie, Loudermilk appeared in 17 of Pittsburgh’s 18 games, including the postseason, and logged 29% of the defensive snaps. He finished the year with 23 combined tackles, 16 of them solo, 3 passes defended, and 1 sack. He was frequently compared to veteran lineman Cameron Heyward for his length, leverage, and effort against the run.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2021–2025)
In his second season with the Steelers in 2022, Loudermilk’s role was more limited. He played in 11 games and recorded 8 combined tackles, 4 solo and 4 assisted, with no sacks. He continued to focus on development as a run defender while working on his pass-rush consistency, splitting time between defensive end and tackle in sub-packages.
Loudermilk’s third NFL season, 2023, was his most active to that point. He played in 16 regular-season games for Pittsburgh and recorded 13 tackles, 5 of them solo, with 8 assisted stops, along with 2 passes defended. He also made his second postseason appearance, playing in the Steelers’ 17–31 Wild Card playoff loss. In 2024, he had a standout single-game performance, recording 2 tackles, the most he had posted in a single game, in a 20–10 Steelers victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
On March 18, 2025, the Steelers re-signed Loudermilk to a one-year contract, signaling the team’s continued confidence in his development. His time in Pittsburgh ended on September 17, 2025, when he was placed on injured reserve due to a high ankle sprain. Across his four seasons with the Steelers, he appeared in regular-season and postseason games, finishing his Pittsburgh tenure with 63 career tackles, 1 sack, and 6 passes defended.
Minnesota Vikings Era (2026–Present)
On May 21, 2026, Isaiahh Loudermilk signed with the Minnesota Vikings, beginning a new chapter in his professional career. The move paired him with a defensive front in the NFC North and offered a fresh opportunity to contribute as a rotational defensive end. He joined the Vikings listed as an active player wearing No. 69.
His transition to Minnesota reflected both his continued physical development and the Vikings’ interest in adding experienced depth to the defensive line. Loudermilk’s long frame and run-defense experience made him a natural fit for a rotation that values versatility on early downs.
Driving Style and Strengths
Loudermilk is known primarily as a stout run defender whose length and leverage make him difficult to move at the point of attack. He uses his 6-foot-7 frame to clog rushing lanes and disrupt the edge, and he has shown the ability to slide inside to defensive tackle in sub-packages. As a pass rusher, he relies more on hustle and technique than explosive burst, and his experience working alongside veterans in Pittsburgh helped him refine his hand usage and recognition of pass sets.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the early milestones of Loudermilk’s career came in the 2019 Big Ten Championship Game, where he recorded a sack and a forced fumble against Ohio State. His most productive statistical season came in 2021, when he logged 23 tackles, 3 passes defended, and his first career sack as a Steeler. In 2024, he set a personal single-game high with 2 tackles in a 20–10 win over the Chargers, and in 2025 he appeared in postseason play for a second time.
Isaiahh Loudermilk Career Wins
Isaiahh Loudermilk’s professional resume is built less on headline-making win totals and more on steady, rotational production on the defensive line. Across his time in the NFL, he has contributed as a run defender and situational pass rusher, with his statistical production rising and falling with the opportunities his defenses have given him.
Pittsburgh Steelers Highlights
With the Steelers, Loudermilk’s most productive season statistically was his rookie year in 2021, when he recorded 23 combined tackles, 3 passes defended, and his first career sack while playing in 17 of 18 games. He added a postseason appearance that same year and a second postseason appearance in 2023, when the Steelers lost 17–31 in the Wild Card round. His standout single-game moment came in 2024, when he posted 2 tackles in a 20–10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Other Wins & Performances
At Wisconsin, Loudermilk was part of a defense that posted a 13–1 record and won the 2017 Orange Bowl. He also helped the Badgers reach the 2019 Big Ten Championship Game, where he recorded a sack and a forced fumble. He earned Third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2020 and finished his college career with 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.
Isaiahh Loudermilk Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Loudermilk grew up in Howard, Kansas, in a close community where football has long been a central tradition. He attended West Elk High School, the same school that produced several other regional college athletes, and his path from a small Kansas town to the Big Ten and the NFL reflects the kind of rural football background common among Midwestern linemen.
Personal Life
Loudermilk became engaged to Emily Borgmann in July 2023. The couple later married in 2025. His personal life has been closely tied to the communities that shaped his football career, including Howard, Kansas, and the broader Wisconsin and Pittsburgh areas where he spent his formative professional years.
2025 Season Performance
Loudermilk’s 2025 campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers was shortened by injury. After re-signing with Pittsburgh on a one-year contract on March 18, 2025, he was placed on injured reserve on September 17 due to a high ankle sprain, limiting his availability for much of the regular season. Before the injury, he had continued to serve in a rotational role on the Steelers’ defensive line.
Across his Pittsburgh tenure that concluded in 2025, Loudermilk finished with 63 career tackles, 1 sack, and 6 passes defended. His 2025 production was limited by the high ankle sprain, and his absence was part of a broader stretch in which the Steelers dealt with multiple injuries along the defensive front. The injury also marked the end of his time in Pittsburgh, as he signed with the Minnesota Vikings the following offseason.
Looking ahead, Loudermilk’s outlook in 2025 centered on returning from the high ankle sprain and re-establishing himself as a dependable rotational piece. His experience in both base and sub-package defensive schemes, combined with his size and length, gave him a clear role to play once healthy, and his eventual move to Minnesota in 2026 reflected the value he had built as a versatile, team-first defensive lineman.
