Jeremy Reaves Bio
Jeremy Antoine Reaves is an American professional football safety and special teamer for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Born on August 29, 1996, in Pensacola, Florida, he has built his reputation as one of the league’s most reliable special teams contributors. After going undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, Reaves carved out a long career through the practice squad before emerging as a first-team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowler in 2022.
Early Life and Background
Jeremy Antoine Reaves was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, where he attended Pensacola Catholic High School. A multi-sport athlete, he played both baseball and football for the Crusaders. He originally lined up at running back before his high school coach moved him to defensive back after his sophomore year, a position change that helped shape his professional future.
As a junior, Reaves earned first-team all-area recognition, and in his senior year he was selected as honorable mention All-State. During that final season he recorded 39 tackles and five interceptions, even though he missed an extended stretch because of vertebrae fractures. The injury tested his toughness early, but he recovered in time to continue his football career at the college level.
Path to American Football
Reaves committed to the University of South Alabama, where he played four seasons for the South Alabama Jaguars from 2014 through 2017. He started his career at cornerback for his first three years before transitioning to safety ahead of his senior season. That move allowed him to use his instincts in the box while still covering ground in pass defense.
As a sophomore in 2015, he was named second-team All-Sun Belt Conference after posting 96 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and a team-leading six passes defensed. In 2016, he earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors as a junior, and he closed his college career in 2017 by winning the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming the first South Alabama player to receive that distinction. He finished his college career with 301 tackles, eight interceptions, 22 passes defensed, and nine forced fumbles, and earned an invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl, where he recorded eight tackles and an interception.
Jeremy Reaves Career
Early Career (2018)
After going unselected in the 2018 NFL Draft, Jeremy Antoine Reaves signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2018. His first NFL stop was brief, as he was waived on September 1 as part of final roster cuts. The release did not derail his career, because the Washington Redskins signed him to their practice squad on September 12, 2018.
Reaves was promoted to the Redskins’ active roster on December 19 and made his NFL debut in Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans. That first active roster appearance marked the beginning of a long association with the Washington organization that continues today.
Washington Breakthrough (2019–2021)
Reaves bounced between the practice squad and active roster throughout 2019 and 2020, sharpening his role on special teams. In 2019 he made his first career start against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8 before leaving with a head injury, finishing the year with 15 tackles across nine games. The 2020 season brought his first career sack, on Andy Dalton of the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, and his first career interception against his former Philadelphia team.
By 2021, Reaves had become a dependable core special teamer. He recorded a career-high 12 tackles in a single game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15, finishing that season with 29 tackles across five games. His steady progression on coverage units set the stage for his breakout 2022 campaign.
Washington Commanders Era (2022–Present)
In 2022, for the first time in his career, Jeremy Antoine Reaves made the Commanders’ 53-man roster out of training camp. He played a career-high 374 snaps on special teams and appeared in all 17 games with three starts, finishing with a career-high 33 tackles. His play was rewarded with a selection to the Pro Bowl as the NFC special teams starter, and in January 2023 he was named first-team All-Pro as a special teamer.
The Commanders placed a tender on Reaves in March 2023, and he re-signed with the team on a two-year contract in March 2024 after a 2023 campaign cut short by a partially torn ACL. On June 12, 2025, he signed a one-year contract extension, and on March 19, 2026, he added another one-year, $6.45 million extension that keeps him in Washington through the 2027 season. In the Week 18 win over the Eagles in 2025, he recorded his second career interception off quarterback Tanner McKee.
Notable Events and Milestones
Reaves’ first Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro nod in 2022 stand as the signature honors of his career, both earned largely for his special teams work. His 92-yard fumble recovery as a senior at South Alabama remains a defining college highlight, and his two career NFL interceptions bookend a special teams resume that includes 219 career tackles as of the 2025 season.
Jeremy Reaves Career Wins
Jeremy Antoine Reaves’ professional ledger is built more on impact plays than on win totals, but his postseason résumé includes appearances with Washington after the team qualified for the playoffs in 2022. His coverage units have consistently been ranked among the league’s most dependable, and his first-team All-Pro honor in 2022 reflected that consistency at the highest level.
NFL Regular Season Highlights
Through the 2025 season, Reaves has appeared in 17 games in three different seasons and has made at least three starts in four separate campaigns. His career-best 33-tackle season came in 2022, the same year he earned his first Pro Bowl invitation. Reaves’ first career interception came against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, and his second came against the same franchise in the 2025 regular-season finale.
Other Performances
At the college level, Reaves was a three-time All-Sun Belt selection, taking home second-team honors in 2015 and first-team honors in both 2016 and 2017. His 2017 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year award made him the first South Alabama player to win a conference player of the year award, a milestone that anchored his path to the NFL.
Jeremy Reaves Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jeremy Antoine Reaves was raised in Pensacola, Florida, in a family that supported his early immersion in multiple sports. He attended Pensacola Catholic High School, where he played both baseball and football alongside future teammates and local rivals. His family’s presence in the Gulf Coast community shaped his upbringing and grounded his transition to college football at South Alabama.
Personal Life
Reaves is engaged to Mikaela Worley. He proposed to her on December 29, 2024, on the field of Northwest Stadium after a Washington victory against the Atlanta Falcons. The on-field proposal followed a personal season in which he returned from a serious knee injury to re-establish himself as a core contributor for the Commanders.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a return to full health for Jeremy Antoine Reaves after a 2023 campaign cut short by a partially torn ACL. Re-signed to a two-year deal in March 2024 and then extended again on June 12, 2025, he remained a fixture on Washington special teams units. He appeared in all 17 games during the 2024 season with 20 tackles, building momentum into the following year.
Reaves’ 2025 season was capped by a Week 18 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in which he recorded his second career interception, this one off quarterback Tanner McKee. The pick reinforced his value as a coverage player and a veteran leader on the unit. His role inside the locker room also grew, as he continued to mentor younger special teamers while maintaining a starting-level snap count.
Following the 2025 season, Washington extended Reaves again on March 19, 2026, on a one-year, $6.45 million contract that runs through the 2027 season, signaling the franchise’s continued confidence in his special teams impact. With his health restored and his contract secure, Reaves enters the coming seasons as a foundational piece of the Commanders’ special teams identity.