Bruce Hector

Bruce Hector's Biography

Bruce Hector entered this world on the 7th day of October in 1994 and was born and raised in the vibrancy of Tampa, Florida. From early on, his flairs and talents were inclined towards athletic pursuits and it did not take long for him to find his calling on the football field. His journey in professional football commenced after graduating from South Florida, and he currently plays as the defensive tackle for the renowned New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL).

During his high school years, Hector’s passion for football led him to switch schools from Gulf High School to Thomas Richard Robinson High School. It was during this transition that Hector honed his skills, playing heroically on both the offensive and defensive lines for his school’s team, the Knights. He was frequently the star of the show, delivering commendable performances with a record 55 tackles and a name featuring in the first-team for Class 5A all-state during his senior year.

His relentless passion for football translated into a successful career at South Florida, where Hector added to his trophy cabinet an impressive record of 90 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 18 sacks. His efforts did not go unnoticed and, in his senior year, Hector made a name for himself with 38 tackles, 13 for loss, seven sacks, a forced fumble, and one pass defensed. He was rightfully named in the second-team All-AAC and was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl upon the conclusion of his senior season.

The culmination of his collegiate success was the ticket to his professional career, and he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in May 2018 as an undrafted free agent. His professional debut came in a the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons on September 6, 2018.

Despite being waived by the Eagles in October, he was signed back to their practice squad after a brief period. His first career tackle came in the form of a combined sack of Cam Newton, alongside Brandon Graham. Despite the loss to the Carolina Panthers, Hector shined in his rookie season with eight games under his belt, two tackles, and a half of a sack.

After being traded to the Arizona Cardinals, waived, and re-signed numerous times in 2019, Hector bounced back in 2020 when he was claimed by the Panthers. Yet again, the cycle of joining and leaving the practice squad followed.

2021 arrived with a fresh wave of professional opportunities as Hector signed with the Tennessee Titans on April 23. He was claimed by the Detroit Lions shortly after being waived by the Titans. While he was released a few times, he eventually signed a reserve/future contract with the Lions and started 2022 on a high note.

However, after numerous shuffling and membership changes, Hector found himself drafted by the Arlington Renegades in the 2023 XFL. This stint of success was short-lived, leading to Hector being released in August 2023, after which he signed with the New York Jets. Following a brief period of playing for the Houston Texans practice squad, Hector returned to the Jets to join their practice squad, from where he was promoted to their active roster with the dawn of 2024.

In a career filled with countless determination and resilience, Bruce Hector has navigated through multiple team changes and has crafted a name for himself in the challenging world of professional football.