Jeremiah Pharms Bio
Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr. is an American professional football defensive tackle for the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL). Born on October 16, 1996, in Stockton, California, Pharms has carved out a professional career after going undrafted in 2020, working his way from indoor football to the NFL. He wears jersey number 98 and stands 6 ft 2 in tall, listing at 300 lb. Pharms is recognized for his perseverance and steady development across multiple leagues before reaching the NFL.
Early Life and Background
Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr. was born and raised in Stockton, California, a city with a strong football tradition in the Central Valley. He attended Stagg High School in Stockton, where he developed the physical tools that would later define his professional profile as a defensive lineman. Growing up in a football-focused household, Pharms was exposed early to the demands of the sport, including training habits and a competitive mentality that shaped his approach to the game.
Coming out of high school, Pharms pursued his college career through a nontraditional path, attending multiple institutions. He began at Sacramento City College in 2015, continued at San Joaquin Delta College from 2016 to 2017, and finished his college career at Friends University from 2018 to 2019. This journey across several programs allowed him to refine his technique as a defensive tackle and gain the experience that would later help him transition to the professional level.
Path to American Football
Pharms’s path to professional football was marked by determination and a willingness to compete wherever opportunity arose. After completing his college eligibility at Friends University, he entered the 2020 NFL Draft but went undrafted, a common starting point for many players who later develop into reliable professionals. Rather than stepping away from the sport, Pharms pursued opportunities in spring and indoor football leagues to keep playing and continue developing.
His first professional stop came with the Wichita Force of the Champions Indoor Football League in 2021, where he adapted to the faster pace and confined field of indoor play. The experience helped him sharpen his quickness off the line and adjust to higher-scoring offensive schemes. In 2022, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League, a spring league that reintroduced some classic professional football elements. With the Maulers, he recorded 22 tackles and two sacks during the season, performances that caught the attention of NFL scouts and opened the door to his next opportunity.
Jeremiah Pharms Career
Early Career (2021)
Pharms began his professional football career in 2021 with the Wichita Force of the Champions Indoor Football League. The indoor game demanded a specific skill set, including explosive first steps, the ability to navigate tight spaces, and quick reactions to short passing routes. Playing in the Wichita Force organization gave Pharms a platform to log meaningful game repetitions and demonstrate that he could produce at a professional level despite not being drafted by an NFL team.
The 2021 season with the Wichita Force was a foundation-building year, allowing Pharms to adjust to the speed and physicality of professional football. The experience proved valuable when he transitioned to the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL in 2022. The Maulers selected him in the USFL Draft, recognizing the physical traits and work ethic he had displayed during his time in Wichita and at Friends University.
Pittsburgh Maulers Breakthrough (2022)
Pharms joined the Pittsburgh Maulers in 2022 and immediately contributed along the defensive line. During his single season with the Maulers, he recorded 22 tackles and two sacks, numbers that reflected his ability to disrupt both the run and pass games. The Maulers provided Pharms with a structured professional environment and a meaningful role, allowing him to develop his fundamentals as a defensive tackle against experienced offensive linemen.
His performance with the Maulers positioned him as a candidate for NFL opportunities. The visibility of the USFL, along with his consistent production, helped him earn a look from the New England Patriots. Pharms’s work in Pittsburgh served as the bridge between his developmental years in indoor football and his eventual arrival in the NFL.
New England Patriots Era (2022–Present)
Following the conclusion of the 2022 USFL season, Jeremiah Pharms signed with the New England Patriots on July 19, 2022. He was waived on August 30 of that year and re-signed to the practice squad the next day, a common sequence for undrafted rookies establishing themselves in the league. On January 10, 2023, Pharms signed a reserve/future contract with New England, securing his place with the organization into the next season.
Pharms’s time with the Patriots has included repeated transitions between the active roster and the practice squad. On August 29, 2023, he was waived and re-signed to the practice squad, before being signed to the active roster on November 4, 2023. In 2025, he signed a two-year contract extension on February 11, was released on September 6, and re-signed to the practice squad, then returned to the active roster on December 27. He was waived on January 3, 2026, re-signed to the practice squad, and on February 11 signed a reserve/futures contract with New England.
Notable Events and Milestones
Through the 2025 NFL season, Pharms had recorded 42 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery in his NFL career. His signing of a two-year contract extension with the Patriots in February 2025 reflected the organization’s continued confidence in his role as a rotational defensive lineman. Pharms’s journey from undrafted free agent to multi-year NFL contributor stands as a notable milestone in his professional career.
Jeremiah Pharms Career Wins
Jeremiah Pharms’s professional career has been defined more by statistical contributions and roster perseverance than by championship victories. Across his stops with the Wichita Force, the Pittsburgh Maulers, and the New England Patriots, he has built a résumé rooted in consistency, work ethic, and durability. His verified career statistics include 22 tackles and 2 sacks with the Pittsburgh Maulers in 2022, and 42 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery in the NFL through 2025.
Jeremiah Pharms Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr. comes from a family with a clear football background. His father, Jeremiah Pharms Sr., played college football at the University of Washington and was a member of the 2000 Huskies team that won the Rose Bowl. That connection to a championship-level college program helped shape the younger Pharms’s understanding of the sport and the standards required to compete at high levels.
Personal Life
Pharms is professionally active on social media and maintains a presence on Instagram under the handle @pharms34. He was born in Stockton, California, the same community where he attended Stagg High School and began his football journey. Public information about his personal relationships and family life outside of football remains limited.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season for Jeremiah Pharms began with a significant commitment from the New England Patriots, as the team signed him to a two-year contract extension on February 11, 2025. The agreement reflected the Patriots’ evaluation of his value as a depth piece along the defensive line and his familiarity with the team’s system. Pharms was released on September 6, 2025, and re-signed to the practice squad, a routine move that allowed the organization flexibility at the position.
Pharms returned to the active roster on December 27, 2025, indicating that the Patriots valued his availability and readiness late in the season. Through 2025, his career NFL totals stood at 42 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery, totals that reflect a rotational role rather than a starting position. His pattern of moving between the practice squad and active roster is consistent with how the Patriots often manage their defensive line depth.
Looking ahead, Pharms remains under contract with New England through 2025, giving him continued opportunity to contribute to the team’s defensive rotation. His role within the organization is built on reliability, special teams capability, and the ability to step into larger responsibilities when needed.
