Jimmy Morrissey Bio
James David Morrissey IV, known professionally as Jimmy Morrissey, is an American professional football center for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). Born on June 9, 1998, in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, he has built his professional career as a reliable interior lineman after a notable college run with the Pittsburgh Panthers. Morrissey first entered the league as a seventh-round pick and has since worked his way across multiple rosters, demonstrating persistence and technical polish at the center position.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 305 pounds, Morrissey fits the prototypical frame for an NFL center, combining size with the on-field intelligence required to anchor an offensive line. He has spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, New York Giants, and Indianapolis Colts, and his journeyman path has been a defining feature of his early professional career.
Early Life and Background
James David Morrissey IV grew up in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, a suburb north of Philadelphia that helped shape his interest in football from a young age. He attended La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, a program with a strong football tradition. During his time at La Salle, Morrissey was named All-Philadelphia Catholic League as both a junior and a senior, and he was recognized as All-City by the Philadelphia Daily News during his senior year.
Despite those honors, Morrissey was lightly recruited as a high school prospect and did not receive any NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision offers. He chose to attend the University of Pittsburgh as a preferred walk-on, turning down scholarship opportunities from Lehigh, Bucknell, and Colgate in favor of competing at the highest college level available to him. That decision to bet on himself at a Power Five program became the first major turning point of his football life.
Path to American Football
Morrissey’s path to the NFL started with a redshirt year at Pittsburgh, where he developed his body and technique behind veteran linemen. Going into his redshirt freshman season, he was named the Panthers’ starting center and awarded a scholarship, validating the gamble he made to walk on. He started all 12 games that year and never looked back as a starter.
His college arc accelerated quickly, with three consecutive All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors, including third-team All-ACC in 2018, first-team All-ACC in 2019, and second-team All-ACC in 2020. As a redshirt senior, Morrissey also started one game at right guard because of injuries at that position, showing the kind of positional flexibility that NFL scouts value. His college career peaked when he was awarded the 2020 Burlsworth Trophy, given to the best player in Division I football who began his college career as a walk-on.
Jimmy Morrissey Career
Early Career (2021)
Morrissey entered the NFL when he was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the seventh round, 230th overall, of the 2021 NFL Draft. He signed his four-year rookie contract with Las Vegas on May 17, 2021, beginning his professional career under a developmental timeline. The Raiders, however, waived him on August 31, 2021, and re-signed him to their practice squad the following day.
That practice squad stint ended quickly when the Houston Texans signed Morrissey off the Raiders’ practice squad on October 19, 2021. He made his NFL debut on November 7, 2021, starting at center against the Miami Dolphins in a 9-17 loss. The debut marked his first regular-season game action and validated the patience of his long path from preferred walk-on to NFL starter.
Houston Texans Tenure (2021-2023)
Across the next three seasons, Morrissey’s time with the Houston Texans featured repeated movement between the active roster and the practice squad, a common pattern for young linemen trying to establish themselves. He was waived on August 30, 2022, and re-signed to the practice squad the next day, before being promoted to the active roster on September 21, 2022. He appeared in games for Houston during this stretch, building the game-by-game resume he would need for future opportunities.
Heading into 2023, Morrissey was again waived on August 29 and re-signed to the practice squad. He was not given a reserve or future contract after the 2023 season, which made him a free agent once his practice squad deal expired. By the end of his Texans tenure, he had played in 14 NFL games and made 4 starts, useful numbers for a young center looking for his next opportunity.
New York Giants Stint (2024-2025)
On January 23, 2024, Morrissey signed a reserve or future contract with the New York Giants, giving him an offseason program to compete for a roster spot. He was waived on August 27, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad, mirroring the same up-and-down roster pattern he had experienced in Houston. That consistency between teams showed that organizations valued his development potential even if the active-roster door kept swinging.
He signed another reserve or future contract with New York on January 6, 2025, returning for another offseason. On August 23, 2025, Morrissey was waived by the Giants, opening the door to his next chapter in Indianapolis. Across his time in New York, he remained a practice squad contributor while waiting for the right opportunity at center.
Indianapolis Colts Era (2025-Present)
Morrissey signed with the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad on September 16, 2025, continuing his path through multiple organizations. He was released by Indianapolis on December 3, 2025, and then re-signed to the practice squad on December 10, 2025, reflecting the fluid nature of practice squad movement late in the regular season. Those moves kept him in the Colts’ system heading into the offseason.
On January 5, 2026, Morrissey signed a reserve or future contract with Indianapolis, locking in another offseason of development and competition. Wearing jersey number 65, he is currently listed as an active member of the Colts’ roster, working to convert practice squad reps into regular game action at center.
Driving Style and Strengths
Morrissey’s strengths as a center start with his size, listed at 6 feet 4 inches and 305 pounds, paired with the technique he refined across five college seasons. He has shown the ability to play multiple interior line spots, including a college start at right guard, which makes him a flexible backup option in the NFL. His football intelligence, built through years of pre-snap responsibility at Pittsburgh, is the trait most often cited when evaluating his long-term fit at center.
Notable Events and Milestones
The signature milestone of Morrissey’s career to date is his 2020 Burlsworth Trophy, which honored the top Division I player who began as a walk-on and remains one of the most respected individual awards in college football. His NFL debut with the Houston Texans on November 7, 2021, is another clear career marker, confirming his transition from preferred walk-on to professional starter. Surviving multiple waiver and practice squad moves across four teams underscores the resilience that has defined his early professional journey.
Jimmy Morrissey Career Wins
Jimmy Morrissey’s win totals in the NFL are not fully itemized in available verified sources, so a detailed team-by-team breakdown is not included here. His career to this point has been defined more by roster perseverance and developmental reps than by headline victory counts. What is clear is that he has played in 14 NFL games with 4 starts through the 2023 season, providing a foundation to build on as he looks to grow into a larger role with the Indianapolis Colts.
Colts and Practice Squad Highlights
With the Indianapolis Colts in 2025, Morrissey’s most notable moments have come through practice squad movement, including his September 16 signing, his December 3 release, and his December 10 re-signing, followed by a January 5, 2026 reserve or future contract. Those moves reflect the trust Indianapolis has placed in his development, even as he has yet to establish himself as a long-term starting piece on the active roster.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the NFL, Morrissey’s most decorated performances came at the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned three All-ACC selections, including first-team honors in 2019. He was also recognized twice as an All-Philadelphia Catholic League player at La Salle College High School, foreshadowing the college honors that followed. No specific regional or postseason award totals beyond the Burlsworth Trophy are fully verified.
Jimmy Morrissey Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Detailed public information about Jimmy Morrissey’s parents and broader family is limited, and he has not been widely documented as coming from a multi-generational football lineage. His full name, James David Morrissey IV, suggests a family tradition of carrying the name across generations, but specific parental details are not clearly supported in verified sources.
Personal Life
Jimmy Morrissey is married to Nicole Scola, with the two confirming their marriage in March 2024. Nicole Scola is the daughter of Michael Scola, founder of Boston Sword and Tuna. As of available reporting, the couple expect their first child in 2025, marking a major personal milestone alongside his ongoing professional career in Indianapolis.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a year of transition for Jimmy Morrissey, beginning with a reserve or future contract with the New York Giants on January 6 and ending with a waiver on August 23. He quickly landed with the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad on September 16 and remained in that role through the heart of the regular season. His December 3 release and December 10 re-signing showed the fluid nature of late-season practice squad movement around the league.
Morrissey’s on-field impact for 2025 has come primarily through practice squad contributions, with the Colts keeping him in their developmental pipeline at the center position. The 2025 season served as another year of adjustment, allowing him to refine his technique within Indianapolis’ offensive scheme while competing for future active-roster opportunities.
Looking ahead, Morrissey’s January 5, 2026 reserve or future contract with the Colts gives him a clear runway into the 2026 offseason program. His combination of size, intelligence, and positional versatility should keep him firmly in the mix for an interior line role as Indianapolis continues to shape its offensive line depth chart.