Kilian Zierer Bio
Kilian Zierer is a German professional American football offensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). Born and raised in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, Zierer did not begin playing football until his mid-teens, yet he has built a career that has taken him through top junior college and Southeastern Conference programs and into multiple NFL organizations. Standing 6-foot-7 and listed at 312 pounds, he plays the tackle position with the frame and length that NFL clubs look for on the offensive edge. After entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023, Zierer has continued to move between practice squads and active rosters, eventually landing with the Jacksonville Jaguars on a reserve/future contract.
Early Life and Background
Kilian Zierer was born on February 24, 2000, in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. He grew up playing soccer and only first encountered American football at the age of 15 during a visit to the United States. The sport quickly caught his attention, and by the time he was 16, he had decided to try it for himself.
He joined the Munich Cowboys, a long-established German American football club, and spent two seasons on their under-19 squad, lining up as a tight end and wide receiver. After that introduction to the game, Zierer transitioned to the offensive line and played a season with the Allgäu Comets, gaining the positional foundation that would later define his professional identity.
Path to American Football
With the assistance of Gridiron Imports, a non-profit foundation that helps football players from around the world pursue educational and athletic opportunities in the United States, Kilian Zierer committed to playing college football in America. He chose the College of the Canyons Cougars in California, beginning in 2018.
In his first season at College of the Canyons, Zierer was named all-conference at left tackle and helped the Cougars compile a 10-0 record while winning the SCFA National Division, Northern League championship. He repeated as an all-conference left tackle the following year and helped the program claim a second consecutive conference title. Rivals.com rated him the top junior college recruit at his position.
Zierer then committed to the Auburn Tigers of the Southeastern Conference. He tore his ACL near the end of his second junior college season and missed the 2020 campaign while rehabbing. He returned in 2021, worked his way into a starting role, and appeared in nine games. As a senior in 2022, he started all 12 games for Auburn and earned an invitation to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl, one of the top pre-draft all-star games.
Kilian Zierer Career
Early Career (2023)
Kilian Zierer went unselected in the 2023 NFL draft and signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent. He also heard his name called in the Canadian Football League global draft, where the Edmonton Elks selected him in the second round, 11th overall. That same spring, he impressed during Texans training camp and appeared to be pushing for a roster spot.
His rookie season was cut short when he suffered a sprained ankle in the preseason, and the Texans placed him on season-ending injured reserve on August 24, 2023. The Texans designated him as their exempt/international player for the 2024 season as part of the International Player Pathway Program, but on August 27, 2024, he was waived and quickly re-signed to the practice squad.
Houston Texans Era (2023–2024)
Kilian Zierer’s first NFL chapter unfolded with the Houston Texans across the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He arrived as a developmental tackle prospect with the size and athletic background that Houston’s staff had tracked since his Auburn days. Although an ankle injury denied him a regular-season debut in 2023, he stayed in the organization and earned the international pathway designation a year later, an indication of the club’s continued interest in his upside.
The 2024 campaign ended with another round of movement, as Zierer was waived and brought back to the practice squad. That pattern of bouncing between the active roster and practice squad became a defining feature of his early professional journey and prepared him for the moves that followed.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2025)
On February 12, 2025, Kilian Zierer signed with the Atlanta Falcons, opening a new chapter after two seasons in Houston. The Falcons added him to provide offensive line depth during the offseason program and into training camp.
His time in Atlanta was short, however, as the Falcons waived him on August 2, 2025, just before the start of the regular season. Even so, the experience offered Zierer another offseason inside an NFL system and reinforced his reputation as a developmental tackle.
Cleveland Browns Era (2025)
Kilian Zierer did not stay on the open market for long. On August 3, 2025, the Cleveland Browns claimed him off waivers, signaling continued league-wide interest in his size and upside at offensive tackle.
The Browns released him on August 26, 2025, as part of their final roster cuts. Although his stay in Cleveland lasted less than a month, the waiver claim validated that multiple teams viewed him as a developmental prospect worth acquiring.
San Francisco 49ers Era (2025)
Two days after his release from Cleveland, Zierer signed with the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad on August 28, 2025. Joining one of the NFL’s most respected offensive line programs gave him a valuable opportunity to refine his technique.
The 49ers released him on October 13, 2025, ending a roughly six-week stint on the practice squad. Even so, the experience with San Francisco added another chapter to a journeyman stretch that has seen him rotate through four franchises in a single calendar year.
Jacksonville Jaguars Era (2025–Present)
On October 15, 2025, Kilian Zierer signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad, joining a fifth NFL organization in less than three years. The Jaguars, like the other teams that had carried him, valued his length, mobility, and developmental potential at offensive tackle.
On January 12, 2026, Zierer signed a reserve/future contract with Jacksonville, locking in his place on the Jaguars’ offseason roster and giving him a genuine opportunity to compete for a depth role along the offensive line. The deal marked the first multi-year commitment of his professional career and signaled that the Jaguars view him as more than a short-term stopgap.
Driving Style and Strengths
At 6-foot-7 and 312 pounds, Kilian Zierer brings the kind of frame NFL teams covet at offensive tackle, with the length to cover edge rushers and the foot speed developed through his soccer background. His college film at Auburn showed the ability to play in both run and pass sets, and his willingness to switch positions early in his career, from skill spots in Munich to the offensive line, speaks to a coachable approach.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Kilian Zierer’s defining early moments are consecutive SCFA National Division, Northern League championships at College of the Canyons, an invitation to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl, and a second-round selection in the 2023 CFL Global Draft by the Edmonton Elks. His journey from the Munich Cowboys to an NFL reserve/future contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars stands as a notable international pathway story.
Kilian Zierer Career Wins
Kilian Zierer is still in the developmental phase of his professional career and does not yet have a verified tally of career wins, starts, or statistical milestones at the NFL level. His most prominent achievements remain the two junior college conference titles at College of the Canyons and his 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl invitation.
College Highlights
Across two seasons with the College of the Canyons Cougars, Zierer helped the program post a 10-0 record in his first year and win back-to-back SCFA National Division, Northern League championships, earning all-conference recognition at left tackle both seasons. At Auburn, he started all 12 games as a senior in 2022.
Other Performances
Before moving to the offensive line, Zierer spent two seasons as a tight end and wide receiver on the Munich Cowboys’ under-19 squad and added a season at offensive line with the Allgäu Comets in Germany, a foundation that shaped his eventual college recruitment.
Kilian Zierer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly verified details about Kilian Zierer’s parents and family are limited. What is known is that he grew up in Munich, Bavaria, before relocating to the United States in 2018 to pursue college football with the support of Gridiron Imports.
Personal Life
Kilian Zierer keeps his personal life largely private, and there are no publicly verified details about a spouse, partner, or children. His professional social media presence, including his Instagram account, offers occasional glimpses into his training and team activities rather than family information.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a whirlwind for Kilian Zierer, as he changed teams four times between February and October. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons in February, was waived in early August, claimed by the Cleveland Browns a day later, released at final cuts, and then joined the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad before being released in mid-October. Each stop reflected the journeyman reality many international offensive linemen face while chasing a stable NFL home.
After his release from San Francisco, Zierer landed with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad on October 15, 2025, giving him a fresh platform to compete. The organization then signed him to a reserve/future contract on January 12, 2026, an important commitment that carries him into the Jaguars’ offseason program.
Looking ahead, Zierer enters Jacksonville’s offseason as a developmental offensive tackle with a real opportunity to push for a depth role. His combination of size, international playing experience, and four NFL practice environments in a single year should serve him well as he competes for a spot on the Jaguars’ offensive line.