Jake Fromm Bio
William Jacob Fromm, known professionally as Jake Fromm, is an American former professional football player who spent several seasons as a quarterback in the National Football League. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the 167th overall pick. Over the course of his professional career, Fromm also spent time with the New York Giants, the Washington Commanders, and the Detroit Lions.
Early Life and Background
William Jacob Fromm was born on July 30, 1998, in Warner Robins, Georgia. In his early years, Fromm played baseball with his local Warner Robins team, which came within two games of the 2011 Little League World Series championship game, an experience that at times placed him in front of crowds larger than 25,000 spectators. The attention he drew as a young athlete helped spark a serious interest in competitive sports.
Fromm later attended Houston County High School in Warner Robins, where he developed into one of the most productive high school quarterbacks in the state. During his prep career, he accumulated 12,745 passing yards and 117 touchdowns. Recruiting services Rivals.com and Scout.com rated him as a four-star prospect, and his senior season was later featured in the quarterback-focused web series QB1: Beyond the Lights. Fromm originally committed to the University of Alabama before ultimately flipping his commitment to the University of Georgia.
Path to the NFL
Fromm arrived at the University of Georgia in 2017 as a true freshman and was expected to back up quarterback Jacob Eason. He was thrust into action in the first game of the season after Eason suffered an injury, and Fromm responded by completing 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown against Appalachian State. He was named the starter the following week against Notre Dame, and his poise helped the Bulldogs climb the national rankings.
Fromm capped his freshman year by leading Georgia to the 2017 Southeastern Conference Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff National Championship game against Alabama. He was named SEC co-Newcomer of the Year by the Associated Press and was recognized as a Freshman All-American. The following seasons cemented his reputation, with Fromm passing for 2,749 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2018, and returning Georgia to the SEC Championship game in 2019. He finished his college career with a victory over Baylor in the Sugar Bowl and declared for the 2020 NFL Draft on January 8, 2020, choosing to skip his senior season.
Jake Fromm Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
The Buffalo Bills selected Fromm in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and he signed a four-year, $3.771 million contract, including a $302,960 signing bonus, on May 7, 2020. As a rookie, Fromm was kept apart from the rest of the Bills quarterback room in an effort to ensure the team would still have an available signal-caller if Josh Allen, Matt Barkley, and Davis Webb all landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. He spent the bulk of his first season developing on the practice squad.
On August 31, 2021, Fromm was released by the Bills and re-signed to the practice squad the following day, continuing his development behind a deep Bills quarterback group.
New York Giants (2021–2022)
On November 30, 2021, the New York Giants signed Fromm from the Bills practice squad after starting quarterback Daniel Jones went down with an injury. Fromm entered a game against the Dallas Cowboys on December 19, replacing interim starter Mike Glennon in the fourth quarter, and earned his first NFL start in Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles, throwing for 25 yards on 17 attempts with one interception.
Fromm finished the 2021 season with 27 completions for 210 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. On March 16, 2022, the Giants non-tendered him, making him a free agent.
Washington Commanders (2022–2024)
Fromm joined the Washington Commanders practice squad on October 18, 2022, and signed a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2023. He was waived on August 29 and quickly re-signed to the practice squad. On December 30, he was promoted to the active roster after starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett suffered an injury, giving Fromm another opportunity to contribute at the NFL level. Washington released him on May 14, 2024.
Detroit Lions Era (2024–Present)
Fromm signed with the Detroit Lions on August 12, 2024. He was released during final roster cuts on August 27 and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He later signed a reserve/future contract with the Lions on January 20, 2025, and was released by the team on April 23.
Notable Events and Milestones
Fromm is widely recognized for the popular nickname Jake Fromm State Farm, a reference to the State Farm advertising campaign that began as a running joke from his high school days. State Farm later paid him to represent the brand during coverage of Super Bowl LV, making him one of the most recognizable backup quarterbacks in recent NFL memory. He also became known for leading Georgia to a dramatic 54–48 double-overtime Rose Bowl victory over Oklahoma on January 1, 2018, earning the Bulldogs a spot in the national championship game.
Jake Fromm Career Highlights
Across his professional career, Jake Fromm appeared in a small number of regular-season games but became a respected presence in NFL quarterback rooms. He recorded 27 completions on 60 passing attempts for 210 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions, posting a 45.0 percent completion rate and a 38.9 passer rating. While his on-field statistics were modest, his path from fifth-round pick to multiple practice-squad stops reflected the resilience of a long-term developmental quarterback.
College Highlights
At the University of Georgia, Fromm finished his three-year starting tenure with a victory over Baylor in the Sugar Bowl and back-to-back SEC Championship game appearances. He threw for 2,749 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2018, and was named both SEC Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American in 2017. His arm talent and composure in high-pressure moments were central to the Bulldogs’ success during his tenure as the starting quarterback.
Jake Fromm Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Fromm is a Christian, and his faith has been a consistent part of his public identity. He married his college girlfriend, Caroline Ostman, in 2021. Ostman had been a member of the University of Georgia volleyball team, and the couple became a well-known pairing among Bulldogs supporters. In 2022, Fromm graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in finance, signaling an interest in planning for life after football.
Life After the NFL
In 2025, Fromm began work as an insurance specialist, beginning a new chapter following the conclusion of his NFL career. His transition to the insurance industry drew a fitting full-circle moment, given the long-running State Farm nickname that had followed him since his teenage years.
2025 Season Outlook
Jake Fromm is no longer listed on an active NFL roster in 2025, having been released by the Detroit Lions on April 23. The year marks his first full season away from professional football since being drafted in 2020. He is focused on his new role as an insurance specialist, applying the finance degree he completed at the University of Georgia in 2022. While he is not pursuing a return to the playing field, Fromm remains connected to the football world through his marriage, his longstanding ties to the Georgia Bulldogs program, and his public profile built over multiple NFL stops.