Jabari Zuniga

BIOGRAPHY

Jabari Zuniga was born on August 14, 1997 in Marietta, Georgia to parents Tammy Thompson and Carlos Zuniga. Though the son of a basketball enthusiast, he initially only submerged himself in basketball during his high school years at Sprayberry High School. It would take until his junior year for Zuniga to discover his passion and subsequent talent for football.

2347Sports.com recognized Zuniga’s football prowess and rated him a four-star prospect. N.C. State initially drew his commitment to play college football. However, Zuniga went through a change of heart, de-committing from N.C. State, and eventually pledging his loyalty to the University of Florida over Arkansas.

In his freshman year, Zuniga was redshirted at Florida. However, in his redshirt freshman year, he was nothing but remarkable. He participated in all 13 games of the Gators with three starts. He had an impressive record of 25 tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss, and a team-best 5.0 sacks. His speed and agility resulted in 11 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

In his redshirt sophomore year, Zuniga continued to show promise with 34 tackles, 8.0 tackles-for loss, and four sacks in ten games, of which he started six. He started all 13 of Florida’s games the following season. That year, Zuniga ended with 45 tackles and was second on the team with 11.0 tackles for loss, along with 6.5 sacks.

Falling under the spotlight, Zuniga was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Lineman of the Week for Week 3 after recording 2.5 sacks against Colorado State. Zuniga had contemplated to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility in order to apply for the 2019 NFL draft, however, he decided to return to Florida for his reversed senior season.

Zuniga entered his redshirt senior season as a preseason first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection. Midway through the season, he was named to the watch-list for the Chuck Bednarik Award. However, fate intervened when he suffered a high ankle sprain against Kentucky, which kept him from the field in the next two games. He re-injured his ankle against Georgia and missed the final four games of the regular season.

Despite the setbacks, Zuniga returned to play in the 2019 Orange Bowl. He ended the season with 14 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, and three sacks. In the 2020 NFL draft, his impressive record caught the attention of the New York Jets, who selected him in the third round, 79th overall. Unfortunately, an injury led him to be placed on reserved injured on September 7, 2020.

Zuniga was designated to return from the injured reserve on October 7, starting practice sessions with the team once again. He was officially activated on October 28. However, on September 1, 2021, he was waived by the Jets, only to be re-signed to their practice squad the subsequent day. The Jets once again promoted him to the active roster on January 5, 2022.

In a twist, on August 30, 2022, Zuniga was waived by the Jets once more. This eventually led the Seattle Seahawks to add him to their practice squad on September 5, 2022. Barely over a month later, he was released on October 12. This turn of events led him to be signed to the New Orleans Saints practice squad on October 18, 2022. Zuniga finally signed a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2023.

Zuniga’s professional football career took a different turn when he announced his retirement from professional football on July 30, 2023. His journey was marked by intense games, swift career changes, unforgettable plays, and trial-by-fire learning moments. Zuniga proved to be an exceptional football professional during his active years and left a mark in the sport.