Joshua Dobbs Bio
Robert Joshua Dobbs, nicknamed “the Passtronaut,” is an American professional football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft. Dobbs has been a member of nine NFL teams during his career, including as the starter for the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, and San Francisco 49ers.
Beyond football, Dobbs earned a degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Tennessee, worked as an intern at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and is a licensed private pilot. He is also an advocate for alopecia awareness, a condition he has lived with since childhood.
Early Life and Background
Joshua Dobbs was born and raised in Alpharetta, Georgia, the son of Stephanie and Robert Dobbs. His mother retired from United Parcel Service as a region manager in corporate human resources, and his father retired as a senior vice president for Wells Fargo. Dobbs has alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss, which began when he was transitioning from elementary to junior high school.
Dobbs started playing football at age five. He attended Wesleyan School and then Alpharetta High School. As a senior with the Alpharetta Raiders football team, Dobbs threw for 3,625 yards with 29 touchdowns and was awarded the Franklin D. Watkins Memorial Trophy as the top African-American high school athlete in the nation by the National Alliance of African American Athletes. He was rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and a four-star by Scout.com.
Dobbs initially committed to Arizona State University to play college football, but in February 2013, he changed his commitment to the University of Tennessee.
Path to the NFL
Joshua Dobbs arrived at the University of Tennessee in 2013 and saw early action as a true freshman. He played in five games with four starts after starter Justin Worley suffered an injury. He completed 72-of-121 passes for 695 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions while also rushing for 189 yards and a touchdown in his true freshman season.
As a sophomore in 2014, Dobbs took over as Tennessee’s starter and earned 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl MVP honors. He became the full-time starter in 2015 and led the Volunteers to a 9–4 record, the most wins for the program since 2007. In his senior year of 2016, he guided Tennessee to a second consecutive 9–4 record, with 18 wins over his final two seasons, the most for the school over a two-year span since 2006–2007. Dobbs majored in aerospace engineering and received the 2017 Torchbearer Award, the highest undergraduate honor at Tennessee, while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.
Joshua Dobbs Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Joshua Dobbs in the fourth round (135th overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. He signed a four-year, $2.95 million contract and spent his entire rookie season behind starter Ben Roethlisberger and backup Landry Jones. Dobbs made his NFL debut in the 2018 season against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5, taking a knee to close out the 41–17 victory. He finished the 2018 season with 43 passing yards and an interception in five games with no starts.
Journeyman Years (2019–2022)
On September 9, 2019, Joshua Dobbs was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. While in Jacksonville, he participated in an internship at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. He was waived in September 2020 and claimed off waivers by the Steelers, appearing in one game that season. In April 2022, Dobbs signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns and was waived in November 2022. He had short stints with the Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans practice squad before starting the final two games of 2022 for the Titans. In his first NFL start on December 29, 2022, Dobbs threw his first career touchdown pass in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The following week against the Jaguars, he completed 20-of-29 passes for 179 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, but Tennessee lost 20–16, costing them a playoff spot.
Arizona Cardinals Breakthrough (2023)
During the 2023 preseason, Joshua Dobbs was traded to the Arizona Cardinals and entered the season as their starting quarterback while Kyler Murray was on injured reserve. On September 24, 2023, Dobbs led the Cardinals to their first win of the season, an upset over the previously undefeated Dallas Cowboys 28–16. This was the Cardinals’ only win with Dobbs as starter, going 1–7 through eight games. He finished his Cardinals tenure with 1,569 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions to go along with 258 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Minnesota Vikings Run (2023)
After Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, the Cardinals traded Joshua Dobbs to the Minnesota Vikings on October 31, 2023. On November 5 against the Atlanta Falcons, Dobbs had not taken a single practice repetition for the Vikings and had to rehearse his cadence during the game. He threw for 158 yards and scored three total touchdowns in a 31–28 comeback victory. Dobbs became the first quarterback in NFL history to record three touchdowns in consecutive games while playing for different teams, earning NFC Player of the Week honors. His nickname “the Passtronaut,” referring to his aerospace engineering background, first appeared in October 2023 and gained prominence during this period. After subsequent losses, Dobbs was benched and later demoted to third-string quarterback.
San Francisco 49ers (2024)
On March 19, 2024, Joshua Dobbs signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. He spent most of the season as the third-string quarterback behind Brock Purdy and Brandon Allen. Dobbs saw his first snaps of the season in Week 17 against the Detroit Lions and started the season finale against the Cardinals, throwing for 326 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, and rushing for 17 yards and a touchdown in a 47–24 road loss.
New England Patriots Era (2025–Present)
On March 18, 2025, Joshua Dobbs signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the New England Patriots, his ninth NFL team, to serve as the backup behind Drake Maye.
Driving Style and Strengths
Joshua Dobbs is widely regarded as a dual-threat quarterback with strong running ability and underrated arm talent. He has shown poise in high-pressure situations, most notably engineering a comeback against the Falcons without any practice repetitions with his new team. His football intelligence and calm demeanor have made him a reliable backup and emergency starter throughout the league.
Notable Events and Milestones
Joshua Dobbs’s most iconic college moment came in 2016 with the “Dobbs-Nail Boot,” a Hail Mary touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings as time expired against Georgia, giving Tennessee a 34–31 win. In the NFL, his debut with the Minnesota Vikings, throwing three touchdowns without a practice rep, stands as one of the most unusual performances in modern league history. He also became the first quarterback in NFL history to record three touchdowns in consecutive games while playing for different teams.
Joshua Dobbs Career Wins
Joshua Dobbs has earned recognition across both college and professional football for his versatility and playmaking ability. His career statistics include 3,346 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, with 515 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns, along with honors such as the Franklin D. Watkins Memorial Trophy, the President’s Award, and second-team All-SEC.
NFL Highlights
Joshua Dobbs’s signature NFL win came on November 5, 2023, when he led the Minnesota Vikings to a 31–28 comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons with three total touchdowns after not taking a single practice rep. He also led the Arizona Cardinals to a 28–16 upset over the previously undefeated Dallas Cowboys in September 2023, his only win as a starter for Arizona.
Other Wins and Performances
In college, Joshua Dobbs led Tennessee to the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl MVP after defeating Iowa 45–28 and was named MVP of the 2016 Music City Bowl after a 38–28 win over Nebraska. He was awarded the 2017 Torchbearer Award, the highest undergraduate honor at the University of Tennessee, and earned the President’s Award from the Touchdown Club of Columbus in 2016.
Joshua Dobbs Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Joshua Dobbs was raised in Alpharetta, Georgia, by parents Stephanie and Robert Dobbs. His mother retired from UPS as a region manager in corporate human resources, and his father retired as a senior vice president for Wells Fargo.
Personal Life
Joshua Dobbs is a Christian and has spoken about the most important day in his life being the day he was baptized while in high school. He is the founder of the ASTROrdinary Dobbs Foundation and an advocate for alopecia awareness. His cousin, Parker Washington, is a wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and another cousin, Tyler Tolbert, is a professional baseball player for the Kansas City Royals. Dobbs obtained his private pilot license in 2024.
2025 Season Performance
Joshua Dobbs joined the New England Patriots in March 2025 on a two-year, $8 million contract to serve as the backup behind starter Drake Maye. The signing marked his ninth NFL team, a remarkable figure that has drawn attention throughout the league and added to his journeyman reputation.
As the 2025 season unfolds, Dobbs provides New England with an experienced and versatile reserve quarterback capable of stepping in under any circumstance. His mobility and football intelligence make him an ideal safety net for a young starter in Drake Maye.
Looking ahead, Dobbs will continue to serve as a mentor and reliable backup while also building his profile off the field through his aerospace work and philanthropy.
