Sam Mustipher Bio
Sam Mustipher is an American professional football center for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and listed at 332 pounds, Mustipher has built his career as an interior lineman after beginning as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and is the older brother of NFL defensive lineman P. J. Mustipher.
Over the course of his professional career, Mustipher has spent time with the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and Tennessee Titans. He has appeared in 65 regular-season games and started 43, establishing himself as a reliable depth piece along the offensive interior.
Early Life and Background
Samuel Mustipher was born on August 13, 1996, in Owings Mills, Maryland. He grew up in the greater Baltimore area and attended Our Lady of Good Counsel, a well-regarded high school located in Olney, Maryland. The school has produced a long list of collegiate and professional football players, and Mustipher quickly developed into one of its most decorated linemen.
At Our Lady of Good Counsel, Mustipher played on both the offensive and defensive lines, demonstrating the kind of physical versatility that would later define his college profile. As a senior, he was named to the Maryland consensus all-state team and the USA Today All-USA Washington D.C. team, honors that confirmed his status as one of the top interior linemen in the region.
Recruiting analysts rated him as a consensus four-star prospect and a top-250 national recruit. He received scholarship offers from 26 schools, including Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. He was selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game in 2014, capping a high school career that positioned him for a high-profile college commitment.
Path to American Football
Mustipher committed to Notre Dame on April 16, 2013, choosing the Fighting Irish over several other major programs. He signed his national letter of intent during the February 2014 signing period and enrolled at the university that summer, joining a Notre Dame program with a strong tradition of developing NFL-caliber offensive linemen.
He redshirted his first season in 2014, preserving a year of eligibility while learning the team’s offensive system. By his sophomore year, he was seeing action in nine games, primarily on special teams and as a reserve offensive lineman, giving him valuable game experience behind veteran starters.
As a junior in 2016, Mustipher broke through as the starting center, starting all 12 games and anchoring the offensive line. The following season in 2017, he started all 13 games at center and helped lead a Notre Dame rushing attack that gained 3,503 yards and scored 35 touchdowns. Notably, he did not surrender a sack or quarterback hit during the entire season, an extraordinary mark of consistency for an interior lineman. In 2018, as a graduate student, he was named a team captain and started all 12 games at center, finishing his college career as one of the most experienced players on the roster.
Sam Mustipher Career
Early Career (2019-2020)
After going unselected in the 2019 NFL draft, Mustipher signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2019. He was waived during final roster cuts on August 31, but was quickly signed to the team’s practice squad the next day, beginning his professional journey on the developmental roster.
At the end of the 2019 season, the Bears signed Mustipher to a reserve/future contract on December 30. He again survived until the final cuts in 2020 before being returned to the practice squad on September 5. His NFL debut finally came on special teams against the Carolina Panthers in Week 6 of the 2020 season. The following week, he appeared at center against the Los Angeles Rams after starter Cody Whitehair exited with an injury, giving him his first offensive action in the league.
Chicago Bears Era (2019-2022)
Mustipher was promoted to the Bears’ active roster on October 14, 2020, after starting guard James Daniels was placed on injured reserve. He went on to carve out a role as a depth option along the interior offensive line in Chicago, where he remained through the 2022 season.
He continued to appear in spot duty at center and guard while working to refine his pass protection and run-blocking technique. Although Pro Football Focus rated him among the lowest-graded Bears players through the first six weeks of his initial active-roster stretch, he earned the trust of the coaching staff as a reliable backup capable of stepping into starting duty when needed.
Baltimore Ravens Era (2023)
On May 15, 2023, Mustipher signed with the Baltimore Ravens, returning to the state where he had grown up. The Ravens, known for their physical, run-heavy offensive identity, offered a familiar scheme for an experienced center.
He was released on August 29 as part of the team’s final roster cuts, then re-signed to the practice squad two days later. Mustipher was elevated to the active roster on September 9 and signed to the active roster on September 19, providing depth at center during the 2023 campaign.
Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers (2024)
On April 4, 2024, Mustipher signed a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos. He was released on August 27 as part of final roster cuts, ending his first stint in Denver before the regular season began.
The very next day, August 28, 2024, he was signed to the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on October 30 and finished the 2024 season with the Chargers, adding experience in a second AFC West offensive system.
Los Angeles Chargers Era (2025)
Mustipher began the 2025 season by signing with the Tennessee Titans on April 18. He was released on August 25 as part of final roster cuts, then joined the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad on September 18 before being released on September 30. On October 2, 2025, he signed with the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad, beginning a second stint with the franchise.
On December 26, 2025, the Denver Broncos signed Mustipher off the Chargers’ practice squad following an injury to center Luke Wattenberg. He appeared in one regular-season game and two playoff games with Denver, serving as the backup to Alex Forsyth before returning to the Chargers’ orbit as the season concluded.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mustipher is a classic phone-booth center whose game centers on leverage, hand placement, and mental processing at the line of scrimmage. He has proven to be a reliable pass protector in quick-game settings and a steady communicator who can step into starting duty without disrupting the offensive rhythm. His background in zone and gap schemes at Notre Dame has translated well to the diverse run-game concepts used across the NFL teams he has joined.
Notable Events and Milestones
His 2017 senior season at Notre Dame, in which he did not allow a sack or quarterback hit, remains the cornerstone of his professional resume. Reaching 65 career games and 43 starts as an undrafted free agent stands as a testament to his durability and football intelligence across multiple franchises.
Sam Mustipher Career Wins
Sam Mustipher’s professional profile is built on consistency and longevity rather than headline-making statistics. As an undrafted free agent, he has quietly assembled six NFL seasons of service, suiting up for five different franchises while logging meaningful snaps at center.
NFL Career Highlights
Through the 2025 season, Mustipher has appeared in 65 regular-season games with 43 starts, numbers that underscore his value as a trusted interior reserve. He has started games for the Chicago Bears, appeared in postseason action with the Denver Broncos in 2025, and contributed on special teams throughout his career.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the NFL, Mustipher’s pre-professional career included a Maryland consensus all-state selection and a USA Today All-USA Washington D.C. honor as a senior in high school. At Notre Dame, his 2017 campaign in which the offensive line paved the way for 3,503 rushing yards and 35 rushing touchdowns remains a defining team achievement in which he played a central role.
Sam Mustipher Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Mustipher comes from a family with deep ties to American football. His younger brother, P. J. Mustipher, is an NFL defensive lineman, making the Mustiphers one of the active NFL sibling pairs along the line of scrimmage.
Personal Life
A native of Owings Mills, Maryland, Mustipher attended Our Lady of Good Counsel in nearby Olney before going on to Notre Dame. He has continued to live a largely private personal life, with the majority of public details centered on his professional football journey.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a whirlwind of movement for Mustipher, beginning with a free-agent deal in Tennessee and ending with a return to the Los Angeles Chargers. After being released by the Titans in late August, he bounced between practice-squad stints with the Baltimore Ravens and the Chargers, showcasing the journeyman value that has defined his career arc.
His most significant on-field moment of 2025 came on December 26, when Denver signed him off the Chargers’ practice squad to back up Alex Forsyth following Luke Wattenberg’s injury. He went on to appear in one regular-season game and two playoff contests for the Broncos, providing experienced depth during a critical late-season stretch.
Looking ahead, Mustipher remains a dependable interior option for teams in need of center depth. His track record of stepping into starting roles on short notice, combined with his football intelligence and Notre Dame pedigree, makes him a reliable pickup as the 2025 season draws to a close.
