Jake Haener Bio
Jake Haener (born March 10, 1999) is an American professional football quarterback. He played college football for the Washington Huskies and Fresno State Bulldogs. Haener was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft and has continued his professional career in the National Football League (NFL).
Listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 200 pounds, Haener built his reputation as a confident passer during his college years in the Mountain West Conference. He is recognized for his arm talent, football intelligence, and poise in high-pressure situations, qualities that have shaped his path from a California high school standout to an NFL roster.
Early Life and Background
Jake Haener was born on March 10, 1999, in Danville, California, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He attended Monte Vista High School in Danville, where he developed into one of the most productive quarterbacks in program history. During his high school career, he threw for 8,464 yards and set a school record with 90 touchdowns, drawing attention from college recruiters across the country.
His family played an important role in his athletic development. His mother, Julie Haener, is a well-known television journalist who served as a long-time anchor at KTVU-TV in Oakland from 1997 to 2024 and worked as an anchor in Fresno in the early 1990s. Growing up in a household that valued communication and public presence helped shape Haener’s approach to leadership on the field.
Path to American Football
After a decorated high school career, Haener committed to the University of Washington to play college football in the Pac-12 Conference. He redshirted his first year in 2017, learning the system behind veteran quarterback Jake Browning. As a redshirt freshman in 2018, Haener appeared in four games as a backup, completing 9 of 13 passes for 107 yards with one touchdown and one interception, offering an early glimpse of his potential.
Seeking a clearer path to a starting role, Haener transferred to California State University, Fresno, in 2019. He sat out his first year due to NCAA transfer rules, then became the Bulldogs’ starter in 2020. In six games that shortened season, he completed 150 of 232 passes for 2,021 yards, 14 touchdowns, and five interceptions, establishing himself as one of the top young passers in the Mountain West Conference and setting the stage for two award-winning seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Jake Haener Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
Haener’s first full taste of starting responsibility came in 2020 at Fresno State, where he showed the accuracy and aggressiveness that had defined his high school career. His efficiency and production helped Fresno State remain competitive in a conference packed with experienced quarterbacks, and his leadership earned him recognition around the Mountain West.
In 2021, Haener was named Second-team All-Mountain West after another strong campaign as the Bulldogs’ starter. On November 30, 2021, he briefly entered the NCAA transfer portal to explore his options before withdrawing on December 8 and reaffirming his commitment to Fresno State. The decision allowed him to finish his college career with the program that had given him his first sustained opportunity as a starter.
Fresno State Breakthrough (2022)
Haener’s senior season in 2022 marked the peak of his college career. He was named First-team All-Mountain West, cementing his status as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. His arm strength, timing, and command of the offense made him a focal point of opposing game plans, and his performance drew the attention of NFL scouts evaluating the 2023 draft class.
Across his Fresno State tenure from 2020 to 2022, Haener produced the bulk of his college numbers, and his 2022 honors gave him the platform to declare for the NFL draft. His combination of starting experience, conference recognition, and on-field production positioned him as a mid-round prospect with starter upside at the next level.
New Orleans Saints Era (2023–2025)
The New Orleans Saints selected Haener in the fourth round, 127th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft. He made the Saints’ initial opening roster to start his rookie season. In early September 2023, it was revealed that he had failed a drug test earlier that summer for a banned performance-enhancing substance, resulting in a six-game suspension. Haener publicly stated that he did not know how the substance entered his body but accepted full responsibility for the result.
Haener began the 2024 campaign as the backup quarterback behind Derek Carr. In Week 7 against the Denver Broncos, he relieved Spencer Rattler on the final drive of the game and recorded his first career NFL touchdown on a 12-yard pass to Cedrick Wilson Jr. After Carr suffered a hand fracture in Week 14, the Saints named Haener their starting quarterback, giving him his first extended opportunity to lead an NFL offense.
On August 26, 2025, the Saints waived Haener after Rattler was named the starter for the 2025 season. He was signed to the practice squad the next day, promoted to the active roster on September 2, waived four days later, and then re-signed to New Orleans’ practice squad for a second time on September 9.
Kansas City Chiefs (2026)
On February 2, 2026, Haener signed a reserve/future contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, signaling continued belief in his upside. On May 4, 2026, he was waived by the Chiefs following multiple undrafted free agent signings. The transaction reflected Kansas City’s roster math rather than an evaluation of Haener’s ability.
Driving Style and Strengths
Haener is recognized for his confident passing posture, quick release, and willingness to attack tight windows down the field. He processes defenses pre-snap and shows poise in the pocket, traits that translated from his Fresno State success into limited but encouraging NFL opportunities with the Saints. His compact frame and football intelligence allow him to play efficiently within structured offensive systems.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Haener’s career include his 2022 First-team All-Mountain West selection, his fourth-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft, his first career NFL touchdown pass in Week 7 of the 2024 season, and being named the Saints’ starting quarterback in Week 14 of 2024 following Derek Carr’s hand fracture. Each step marked a new chapter in his professional development.
Jake Haener Career Wins
Jake Haener’s professional résumé is still developing, and his win totals at the NFL level remain limited given his role as a backup and spot starter. His most meaningful on-field achievements so far have come in relief performances and short stints as a starter with the New Orleans Saints, highlighted by his first career touchdown pass in 2024.
Fresno State Highlights
Haener’s 2022 First-team All-Mountain West recognition stands as the signature individual honor of his career. He followed a 2021 Second-team All-Mountain West season, establishing back-to-back years of conference-level production. His most recent starting stretch came with the Saints in late 2024 after Derek Carr’s injury.
Other Wins and Performances
Haener’s 2018 appearances at Washington gave him his first college-level experience, completing 9 of 13 passes for 107 yards with one touchdown. Combined with his record-setting high school career at Monte Vista, those moments helped build the foundation for his later success at Fresno State and in the NFL.
Jake Haener Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Haener’s family background is rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area. His mother, Julie Haener, is a longtime television journalist who served as a long-time anchor at KTVU-TV in Oakland from 1997 to 2024 and worked as an anchor in Fresno in the early 1990s, giving the family ties to both the Bay Area and California’s Central Valley.
Personal Life
On July 26, 2024, Haener announced that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer, sharing the news publicly and expressing gratitude for medical support. He has continued to play through treatment and recovery, demonstrating the same resilience that has marked his professional journey. Haener remains focused on his NFL career and continued development as a quarterback.
2025 Season Performance
Haener’s 2025 season was defined by roster movement rather than regular starting duty. The Saints waived him on August 26, 2025, after naming Spencer Rattler the starter, signaling that New Orleans planned to move forward with Rattler as its primary option behind center.
Over the following weeks, Haener bounced between the Saints’ practice squad and active roster, signing to the practice squad on August 27, joining the active roster on September 2, being waived four days later, and being re-signed to the practice squad for a second time on September 9. The whirlwind stretch illustrated the thin margins backup quarterbacks face during the early part of an NFL season.
Looking ahead, Haener’s path to a stable 2025 role remained uncertain at the close of the fall, with his future tied to opportunities that might open through injuries or further roster turnover. His experience in the Saints’ system and his prior starting work in 2024 positioned him as a candidate to compete for a depth role elsewhere, and his career trajectory suggested he would continue pursuing a longer-term opportunity in the league.
