Ethan Bonner

Ethan Bonner's Biography

Ethan Kelly Bonner, popularly known as Ethan Bonner, was born on October 23, 1999, in Meridian, Mississippi. This successful American football cornerback is a household name among fans of the Miami Dolphins, a leading team at the National Football League (NFL). But long before gracing the NFL, his roots and early skills development can be traced back to his early life and an exemplary college football career at Stanford University.

Alan and Trisha Bonner are the proud parents of Ethan and his sister, Olivia. High school was one of the first phases of Ethan’s formative football career. Under the head coach Mark Schmid at The Woodlands High School, Ethan’s technique and talent started to take form. His performance at the high school level was recognized by leading platforms ESPN and 247Sports, ranking him as the country’s 78th and 106th best cornerback respectively. However, Ethan was not just limited to football; he also channeled his athleticism by competing in high school track events.

After bidding his high school years farewell, Ethan embraced a new chapter of his life: college football at Stanford. He enrolled in Stanford Cardinal football where he pursued a major in Economics, harmoniously blending his academics and athletics. His freshman year in 2018 was a memorable one as he engaged in each of the last four games of the season, thanks to NCAA redshirt rules, which allowed him to retain a year of eligibility. His collegiate debut that year saw him make his first career tackle in a victory against Oregon State on November 10.

Unfortunately, 2019, his sophomore year, did not bode well for his athletic ambitions due to lack of action on the collegiate front. But this setback was short-lived. In the following year, 2020, Ethan returned, playing two games with a single start. This year recorded several highlights, including eight tackles, one tackle for loss, his first career start, and a career-best five tackles against Oregon on November 7.

Ethan’s senior year in 2021 saw him feature in five games, with four starts at the cornerback position. This season, he amassed 21 tackles, with 15 completed solo. His career high of eight tackles was achieved in a game against Cal on November 20. But Ethan was not done proving his merit. His fifth year in 2022 saw him starting in 10 games at cornerback. He wrapped up the season with 29 tackles, 20 solo, three tackles for loss, and five pass breakups. His performance was so exemplary that he clinched Stanford’s Defensive Player of the Week during Week 7’s game against Notre Dame.

Ethan’s professional career started taking shape when he signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2023. However, he was waived a few months later on August 29, but was fortunate enough to be re-signed to the practice squad. His patient endurance paid off when he was offered a reserve/future contract on January 15, 2024.

From his birth in Mississippi in the late nineties and growing up with his family, through his high school and college years at Stanford, Ethan has doggedly built an impressive career in professional American football. His zealous mindset and grit in the field as a defensive back is truly inspirational, prompting a call to many who may want to walk the same path to keep pushing and expanding their influence, just as Ethan continues to do.