Jakeem Grant Sr.

Jakeem Grant Sr.'s Biography

Jakeem Grant Sr., born on October 30, 1992, is a ferocious and talented wide receiver and return specialist in professional American football, currently a proficient free agent. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, he grew up in a single-parent household headed by Sylvia Whittaker. His journey through childhood was co-navigated by his two supportive brothers, Markeith Whittaker and Keonte Grant. Overcoming hardship and adversity head-on, Grant showed a natural talent for American football, which was refined in his high school years at John Horn High School in Mesquite, Texas.

In his youth, Grant was rated as a three-star prospect by the esteemed Rivals .com. He saw himself being coveted by football teams from Colorado State, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, Pittsburgh, and others. Despite initially committing to Tulsa, he later changed his decision to Texas Tech just before their Signing Day. After having put on a red shirt during his freshman year in 2011, Jakeem Grant started his college football career in earnest in the 2012 season at Texas Tech University.

During the 2012 season, Grant featured in all 13 games, accumulating 32 receptions, 287 yards, and scoring three touchdowns. He shocked everyone by returning a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown during the 2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. This performance saw him bag the ESPN All-Big 12 1st Team Freshman honors.

In the succeeding year, Grant’s performance escalated, as he made 65 receptions, 796 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. He also earned All-Big 12 Conference Honorable Mention. His performance in 2014 was also equally commendable, with 67 receptions, 938 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns.

During his final season at Texas Tech in 2015, he hauled in an impressive 90 passes for 1,268 yards and 10 touchdowns, thus breaking school record in career yardage previously held by Red Raider Michael Crabtree, a Biletnikoff Award winner.

Upon graduating from Texas Tech, he entered the 2016 NFL Draft and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round as their 186th overall pick. Grant’s blistering pace became the talk of the town when a New Orleans Saints scout recorded his 40-yard dash speed as a hand-timed 4.1 seconds, potentially beating the record of 4.12 seconds set by Bo Jackson in 1986.

After proving himself over several seasons, he made headlines in 2017 by recording his first career touchdown with a 74-yard punt return during the Tennessee Titans game. By 2018, Grant began getting noticed for his outstanding performance as a wide receiver. However, an Achilles injury in Week 10 saw him undergo season-ending surgery.

Despite the setback, he came back stronger to sign a four-year contract extension with the Miami Dolphins in August 2019. In the same year, he made a 101-yard touchdown in a game against the Buffalo Bills.

He had an extraordinary game on 1st November 2020, against the Los Angeles Rams by returning a punt for an 88-yard touchdown that set three Dolphins’ franchise records for the longest punt return, most career punt returns for a touchdown, and the most returns for a touchdown.

In October 2021, he was traded to the Chicago Bears for a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. He made a splash with the Bears by breaking the team’s franchise record for the longest punt return for a touchdown in December of that year. This feat etched his name in the team’s history and increased his popularity, earning him a spot in the Pro Bowl.

Grant then intercepted a chance to play with the Cleveland Browns by signing a contract on March 16, 2022. Unfortunately, in August 2022, he suffered an Achilles tendon injury during practice, which forced him to be placed on injured reserve. He spent the last part of his career bouncing between teams, including a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons, before deciding to call it a day.

Despite a setback in 2014, when he was involved in a nightclub stabbing incident, Grant continues to show resilience. He is now married and a proud father of three children. Besides his sporting acumen, Grant impressed audiences off the field. He starred in ‘Undrafted’, an NFL Network TV series in 2016, which made him a recognizable name in American households.