Josh Jacobs Bio
Joshua Cordell Jacobs (born February 11, 1998) is an American professional football running back for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and listed at 223 pounds, he has built a reputation as a physical, between-the-tackles runner with a strong finish to seasons. After starring at the University of Alabama, Jacobs was selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft and quickly became a featured offensive weapon. He has earned three Pro Bowl selections, a first-team All-Pro honor, and the league rushing title during his career.
Early Life and Background
Joshua Cordell Jacobs was born on February 11, 1998, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He grew up in the same city and attended McLain High School, where he wore the Titans uniform and emerged as one of the most productive rushers in the state. Over the course of his high school career, Jacobs piled up 5,372 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns, a workload that made him a priority recruit for major college football programs. His production at McLain helped him earn a scholarship offer from the University of Alabama, one of the premier programs in the Southeastern Conference.
Jacobs experienced homelessness during middle school, a stretch that shaped his perspective and his approach to the sport. At the end of his rookie NFL season, he appeared in a Kia commercial that reflected on that period of instability, with the spot airing during Super Bowl LIV. The personal chapter gave early context to a young player whose motivation clearly extended beyond football, and it added a layer of public interest to his transition from prospect to professional.
Path to American Football
Jacobs committed to play college football at the University of Alabama, joining a program that consistently produced NFL talent in the trenches and at the skill positions. He arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2016 and, as a freshman, split carries with established backs Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough. That season he rushed 85 times for 567 yards and four touchdowns, a strong opening year that hinted at a larger role ahead. As a sophomore in 2017, Jacobs added 284 rushing yards on 46 carries and one touchdown, helping the Crimson Tide capture the College Football Playoff National Championship.
His junior season marked a clear step forward. Jacobs was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2018 SEC Championship Game against the Georgia Bulldogs after rushing for 83 yards and two touchdowns, a performance that solidified his draft stock. Following that campaign, Jacobs declared for the 2019 NFL draft, where his combination of production, frame, and pedigree placed him firmly in the first-round conversation.
Josh Jacobs Career
Early Career (2019)
The Oakland Raiders selected Jacobs in the first round with the 24th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, using a selection acquired from the Chicago Bears in the Khalil Mack trade. He signed his four-year rookie contract on July 9, 2019, and wasted little time making an impact. Jacobs made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, rushing 23 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns while adding a 28-yard reception in a 24-16 victory.
He continued to pile up milestones throughout his rookie year. In a Week 6 win over the Chicago Bears at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Jacobs rushed 26 times for 123 yards and two scores, including the first touchdown in the new stadium. He broke Marcus Allen’s Raiders rookie rushing record in his eighth game and later became the first running back in franchise history to rush for 1,000 yards as a rookie. He finished 2019 with 1,150 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, and earned PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Las Vegas Raiders Breakthrough (2020-2022)
Jacobs opened 2020 with a strong performance against the Carolina Panthers, rushing 25 times for 93 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-30 win. He set a then career high with 128 rushing yards on 31 carries in a Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns and later set the franchise mark for rushing yards through a player’s first two seasons. He closed the 2020 campaign with 1,065 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection.
The 2021 season brought the Raiders’ first playoff appearance of Jacobs’ career, capped by a Wild Card matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals in which he logged 127 scrimmage yards. His 2022 season was the breakthrough that defined his place among the league’s elite. After the Raiders declined his fifth-year option, Jacobs responded with a league-leading 1,653 rushing yards on 340 carries and 12 rushing touchdowns, while adding 400 receiving yards. He became the first Raider since Marcus Allen in 1985 to surpass 2,000 scrimmage yards. The performance earned him the NFL’s first Jim Brown Award, a first-team All-Pro selection, and another Pro Bowl nod.
Green Bay Packers Era (2024-Present)
On March 14, 2024, Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Green Bay Packers, beginning a new chapter after five seasons in Oakland and Las Vegas. He wasted no time establishing himself in the Packers’ backfield, rushing 32 times for 151 yards in a Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Later that season he scored three rushing touchdowns against both the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions, and he caught his first career receiving touchdown in a Week 7 win over the Houston Texans.
Jacobs finished 2024 with 301 carries for 1,329 rushing yards and a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns, plus 36 receptions for 342 yards and one receiving score. He added 121 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in a Wild Card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and was voted to his third Pro Bowl. His 2025 season included another 13 rushing scores, reinforcing his role as Green Bay’s featured back.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jacobs is recognized for a physical, downhill running style that wears down defenses in the second half of games. He excels at gaining yards after contact, finishing runs with leg drive, and operating effectively in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He has also developed into a reliable receiver out of the backfield, giving his offensive coordinators flexibility on third downs and in two-minute drills.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most memorable performances was his 229-yard, two-touchdown rushing effort against the Seattle Seahawks in 2022, capped by an 86-yard overtime walk-off score, one of the signature individual games of his career. He became the first Raider since 1985 to clear 2,000 scrimmage yards in a season, and he was the recipient of the inaugural Jim Brown Award in 2023.
Josh Jacobs Career Wins
Across his time with the Raiders and Packers, Jacobs has been a central figure in a number of notable team victories. From his two-touchdown Monday Night Football debut in Denver to his overtime walk-off against Seattle, his résumé features clutch performances in prime-time and division settings.
NFL Highlights
Jacobs has recorded three Pro Bowl selections (2020, 2022, 2024), a first-team All-Pro nod in 2022, and the 2022 NFL rushing title. His rookie year included PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and he was the first recipient of the Jim Brown Award in 2023. In the postseason, he has appeared in Wild Card matchups with the Raiders and Packers, posting 127 scrimmage yards against Cincinnati in 2021 and 121 scrimmage yards against Philadelphia in 2024.
Other Performances
Jacobs capped his college career by earning SEC Championship Game MVP honors in 2018 and was a member of Alabama’s 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship team. He has logged multiple games with at least 150 rushing yards in the NFL and has routinely delivered in division games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Chargers.
Josh Jacobs Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jacobs’ younger brother, Isaiah Jacobs, played running back for the UAB Blazers from 2020 to 2025, continuing the family’s presence in the sport. Jacobs is of American descent with Filipino heritage through his paternal grandmother, a native of Angeles City, and he has a portrait of her tattooed on his left hand. He honors his Filipino roots by displaying a Philippine-flag sticker on his helmet and carrying a tattoo of the Philippines’ eight-rayed golden-yellow sun on his left biceps.
Personal Life
Jacobs is a practicing Christian, a faith he has discussed publicly as a steady influence throughout his career. His social media presence is centered on the handles @iam_joshjacobs on X and Instagram. On May 26, 2026, Jacobs was arrested by the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department in Brown County, Wisconsin, on five domestic battery-related charges stemming from an incident on May 23, and he was released from jail on May 27, 2026, with the investigation pending.
2025 Season Performance
Jacobs’ 2025 campaign built on the momentum he created in his first Packers season, with the backfield remaining firmly in his hands. He produced 13 rushing touchdowns over the year, underscoring his continued value near the goal line and as a short-yardage finisher. Although his rushing yardage dipped to 939 yards on 234 carries, his scoring rate and receiving contribution kept him heavily involved in the offensive game plan.
His workload reflected the trust of the coaching staff, and his three-touchdown performances against the 49ers and Lions during the prior season carried into another year of heavy usage. With a contract that runs through 2027, Jacobs remains a central piece of Green Bay’s offensive identity heading into the next offseason.
