Anthony Pittman

Anthony Pittman, born on November 24, 1996, is a professional American football player who has been a persistent figure in the National Football League (NFL). From his collegial days of sporting the Wayne State Warriors jersey to lining up as a linebacker in the professional realm, Pittman’s hard-won journey is a story of doing what one loves the most.

During Pittman’s high school years at Birmingham Groves High School, he made his intention clear–he wanted to play football. However, as a lightly recruited player, Pittman had to work consistently to prove his potential. When he finally got the opportunity, he attended Wayne State, where he demonstrated his commitment and talent, shaping the early stage of his football career.

Pittman soon became an integral part of the Wayne State Warriors team, leading them as a team captain for two consecutive years. His exceptional talent and game readiness earned him the distinction of being a two-time first-team all-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference linebacker. Throughout his college career, Pittman showed time and time again that he had earned his place. He participated in an impressive 43 games, where he recorded a remarkable figure of 181 tackles and bagged eight sacks. Besides his main role as a linebacker, Pittman also contributed to the special teams’ efforts, proving his versatility.

Despite his impressive performances in college, he was not drafted during the NFL draft in 2019. However, unfazed by this unanticipated situation, Pittman did not waver from his professional football aspirations. Recognizing his undoubted talent, the Detroit Lions quickly signed him as an undrafted free agent.

Pittman’s journey with the Lions was filled with determined efforts and frequent transitions between the active roster and the practice squad. He was waived from Lions on August 30, 2019, only to be re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He was once again released in November but got re-signed within three days. Subsequently, Pittman was once again released from the practice squad on December 3, 2019.

Showing the resilience of a true sportsman, Pittman came back to the Lions’ practice squad on December 8, 2019. A couple of weeks later, on December 26, he was promoted to the active roster. However, his ride with the Lions didn’t ease out there. In September 2020, he was waived again but was re-signed the very next day. He also had a brief detour when he was placed on the practice squad/COVID-19 list in December 2020. However, he was readily restored to the practice squad the following month, after which he signed a reserve/future contract with the team in January 2021.

In August 2022, Pittman once again found himself getting waived by the Lions only to be re-signed to the practice squad. A month later, he gained promotion to the active roster and got the chance to represent the team at large. He made the most out of this opportunity by playing in all the 17 regular season games in the 2022 and 2023 seasons for the Lions, as well as all three playoff games in the 2023 season, primarily on special teams.

On March 14, 2024, Pittman started a new chapter when he signed with the Washington Commanders. However, his time with the Commanders was brief as he found himself cut from the team roster during the preseason on August 27, 2024. Despite the ups and downs, Pittman has demonstrated his unyielding spirit towards the game, which has undeniably commanded the respect of those in the sport. Regardless of what comes next, Anthony Pittman continues to stand as a professional football player, ready to give his all to the game he loves so deeply.