Skylar Thompson Bio
Skylar John Thompson (born June 4, 1997) is an American professional football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He is currently a member of the Baltimore Ravens after signing with the franchise in May 2026, following stints with the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers. A former four-year starter at Kansas State, Thompson entered the NFL as a seventh-round selection in 2022 and has since developed into a serviceable backup and spot starter known for his mobility and competitiveness.
Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 219 pounds, Thompson has spent his professional career moving between rosters while earning a reputation as a dependable reserve who can step into a game on short notice. His journey from a small-town athlete in Missouri to an NFL quarterback reflects years of perseverance through injuries and roster turnover.
Early Life and Background
Thompson was born to Brad Thompson and Teresa Thompson in Palmyra, Missouri, on June 4, 1997. His childhood was marked by profound loss when his mother Teresa was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer and passed away in 2004 at the age of six. Thompson also lost his grandfather, John Thompson, to pancreatic cancer in 2003, leaving a deep imprint on his early years and fueling his drive to succeed in athletics.
Despite these personal hardships, Thompson became a multi-sport standout at Fort Osage High School in Independence, Missouri. He earned four varsity letters as the starting quarterback, punter, and kicker for the Fort Osage Indians, while also lettering in basketball, baseball, and soccer. He was recognized as Missouri All-State in both basketball and soccer during his high school years.
As a senior, Thompson produced one of the most decorated seasons in Fort Osage history, throwing for 2,129 yards on 142 attempts with 26 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He led the Indians to a 13–1 record and a state championship victory over Chaminade High School, accounting for a state championship game record of 455 combined yards and seven touchdowns in the title game.
Path to Professional Football
Evaluated as a three-star recruit by ESPN and a four-star recruit by 247Sports, Thompson chose Kansas State over a long list of scholarship offers, including Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Louisville, North Dakota State, Ohio, Tulsa, UNLV, Wake Forest, and Wyoming. He also drew preferred walk-on interest from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, and signed a full-ride agreement with the Wildcats to begin his college career.
After redshirting his first year and earning Scout Team Player of the Year honors, Thompson appeared in eight games as a freshman with four starts, throwing for 267 yards and three touchdowns. He was promoted to full-time starter as a sophomore and held that role through his final season, though he faced a series of injuries that included a broken rib, a twisted ankle, a serious upper-body injury in 2020, and another setback in 2021.
When healthy, Thompson ranked among the most productive quarterbacks in Kansas State history. He finished his college career with 7,134 passing yards, 42 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions on 552 attempts, along with 1,087 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns. He still holds the school record for the best passer rating over 2,000 yards, and ranks second in career passing yards, passing touchdowns, and total offensive yards by a quarterback.
Skylar Thompson Career
Early Career (2022–2024): Miami Dolphins
Projected as a likely undrafted free agent because of his injury history, Thompson was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the 247th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft. He impressed during the preseason, leading all qualifying quarterbacks with a 138.5 passer rating, and head coach Mike McDaniel praised his play enough that the team kept him on the 53-man roster after final cuts.
Thompson made his regular-season debut in Week 5 of the 2022 season against the New York Jets after Teddy Bridgewater exited with a concussion, completing 19 of 33 passes for 166 yards. He earned his first NFL start in Week 6 against the Minnesota Vikings before exiting with a thumb injury, and later started the Week 18 game against the Jets, completing 20 of 31 passes for 152 yards in an 11–6 victory that clinched Miami’s first playoff berth since 2016.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2025)
On January 14, 2025, Thompson signed a reserve/future contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, giving him a chance to compete for a backup role. He was placed on injured reserve on September 12 after suffering a hamstring injury in practice, limiting his availability for most of the regular season.
While in Pittsburgh, Thompson appeared in a Week 4 game in Dublin, Ireland, as the Steelers faced the Minnesota Vikings. After the contest, he was involved in an off-field incident on September 26, 2025, when he was jumped and robbed in Dublin, sustaining minor injuries.
Driving Style and Strengths
Thompson is best described as a dual-threat quarterback who combines efficient pocket passing with the willingness to extend plays using his legs. He has shown the poise to step into cold starting assignments and the toughness to absorb contact, both of which have helped him remain on NFL rosters despite recurring injury setbacks. His college track record of producing on the ground and through the air suggests a skill set built around mobility, competitiveness, and situational awareness.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Thompson’s defining moments are his preseason passer-rating leader in 2022, his first career start against the Vikings, and his Week 18 performance that clinched a playoff spot for the Dolphins. His college chapter remains historic, with school records for best passer rating over 2,000 yards and second-place rankings in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and total offense by a Kansas State quarterback.
Skylar Thompson Career Wins
Thompson’s most celebrated victory as a professional came in the regular-season finale of the 2022 campaign, when he guided the Miami Dolphins to an 11–6 win over the New York Jets. That result secured Miami’s first postseason appearance since 2016 and gave Thompson his first NFL victory as a starter. He also added a memorable college win in the Missouri state championship game at Fort Osage, where he set a championship-game record for combined yards and touchdowns.
NFL Highlights
Thompson’s most recent regular-season win came in Week 18 of the 2022 season against the Jets, while his most recent postseason start was the Wild Card Round loss to the Buffalo Bills, in which he threw for 220 yards and a touchdown. As of the 2025 season, he has notched one NFL start that produced a team victory, with limited additional playing time across his career.
Skylar Thompson Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Thompson was raised in Palmyra, Missouri, by his father Brad Thompson after the passing of his mother Teresa in 2004. He has frequently spoken about the influence of his parents on his resilience, particularly his mother’s battle with cancer, and credits his family for instilling the work ethic that carried him through multiple injury-plagued seasons.
Personal Life
In April 2025, Thompson married his wife, Bre Newcomer. The couple has kept much of their personal life private, and Thompson has continued to focus on his professional career while navigating the changes that come with each roster move.
2025 Season Performance
Thompson entered 2025 with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a reserve/future contract, hoping to secure a backup role behind the starting quarterback. His season was disrupted in mid-September when a hamstring injury suffered in practice landed him on injured reserve, limiting his on-field impact for the rest of the regular season.
When available, Thompson was part of a Steelers group that traveled to Dublin for a Week 4 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, an experience that also brought an off-field incident when he was jumped and robbed in the city. Through the disruption, he remained a respected presence in the locker room and continued to prepare for a possible return later in the year.
With his contract in Pittsburgh running through the season and his sights set on the future, Thompson finished 2025 as a developmental reserve whose path to playing time depends on health and opportunity. The experience added another chapter to a career that has been shaped as much by perseverance through setbacks as by on-field production.
