Jaylen Twyman

Jaylen Twyman's Biography

Jaylen Guy Twyman, born on July 19, 1999, has carved out a notable career in the world of professional American Football. Primarily known as a versatile defensive end, Twyman’s football journey has been one of unwavering determination and endless hard work. Although currently a free agent, he has previously donned various jerseys in his career, starting with the Minnesota Vikings, who first discovered his talent in the 2021 NFL draft.

Twyman’s football journey began at H. D. Woodson High School located in Washington, D.C. Here, he seized the spotlight in his senior year with an impressive record of 91 tackles and nine sacks. With his skills clearly brewing on the football field, Jaylen Twyman committed to the University of Pittsburgh to further harness his abilities.

His first year at Pittsburgh in 2017 turned out to be a year of hiatus, as he redshirted. In the subsequent year (2018), as a redshirt freshman, Twyman featured in 13 games where he had his first-ever start and managed 16 tackles and half a sack. Significant changes came in 2019, his sophomore year, where he took on the jersey number 97 in homage to the former Pittsburgh defensive tackle, Aaron Donald. This was a prolific year for Twyman as he managed to start all 13 games, featuring 41 tackles and 10.5 sacks.

Securing a place in the NFL is the dream of many, and Twyman turned that dream into reality. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft as the 199th overall pick. He inked his name on a four-year rookie contract on May 13, 2021, only to be waived by Minnesota due to a non-football injury designation on July 26. He momentarily exited the team but reverted to their non-football injury reserve list the following day.

Twyman’s career trajectory was not devoid of vicissitudes; on August 30, 2022, he was waived yet again by the Vikings. However, he resiliently bounced back by getting signed to the practice squad the very next day. He stayed on the squad until October 4 before getting released again.

A new opportunity was presented for Twyman when he signed with the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad on October 10, 2022. His time at the Dolphins extended beyond the practice squad, as he managed to secure a reserve/future contract on January 16, 2023. Despite this progress, Twyman’s stay at the Dolphins ended with him being waived off on August 28, 2023.

After a short stint in free agency, Twyman signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL) on December 24, 2023. This liaison, however, was short-lived, as he was released on April 30, 2024.

Twyman resumed his football journey by signing with the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL) on May 15, 2024. Barely a few months later, his contract was terminated with the Brahmas on August 17, 2024. This termination enabled him to sign with another NFL team, thus opening doors to his new association with the New York Jets on August 18, 2024. Unfortunately, he was waived off by the Jets as well on August 27.

Amidst these professional highs and lows, Jaylen Twyman encountered a grave life incident off-field When visiting his family in Washington D.C. on June 21, 2021, Twyman suffered four gunshot wounds after his car was struck. Despite these adversities, both on and off the field, Twyman’s journey continues, illustrating his unwavering love for his sport and his resilient spirit. Today, he stands as an inspirational figure to many aspiring athletes worldwide.