Jesper Horsted

Jesper Horsted's Biography

Jesper Horsted, an American professional football player, was born on February 27, 1997. Horsted played in the coveted position of tight end, and as of recent, he is a free agent. His journey to professional football began with his tenure at Princeton, where he made striking records as a college football player.

During his college career at Princeton, Horsted showcased his talent as a wide receiver for the Princeton Tigers, spanning across four seasons. His third year in college saw him outperform himself, setting remarkable school records with 92 receptions, 14 receiving touchdowns, and a massive 1,226 yards. His performance successfully earned him a spot in the first-team All-Ivy League. In his senior season, he continued to display excellence, catching 72 passes for 1,047 yards and 13 touchdowns. Again, he gained recognition as part of the first-team All-Ivy. He concluded his college career on a memorable note, becoming the school’s all-time leader in 196 receptions and 28 touchdowns while ranking second in 2,703 receiving yards.

His commitment at the university wasn’t confined to football alone. Horsted also proved his skills as a member of Princeton’s baseball team. In his junior year, he hit .324 with seven doubles and 14 RBIs across 36 games and maintained an average of .312 over 104 games during three seasons.

In May 2019, Horsted began his professional career by signing with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent. Unfortunately, at the end of the training camp, Horsted was cut. However, he rejoined the Bears’ practice squad by September, which marked a significant turning point in his career. He was promoted to the Bears active roster in November 2019.

Upon making his NFL debut against the New York Giants later that same month, he managed to catch a pass for four yards. A short time later, he started as the tight end in a game against the Detroit Lions, filling in for his injured teammates. Amidst the game, he made an impressive 18-yard reception for his first-ever NFL touchdown, assisting the Bears’ 24-20 victory. His rookie season concluded with eight receptions, 87 yards, and a touchdown across six games.

In September 2020, he landed amongst the final roster cuts only to be placed on the practice squad a day later. In the following year, he secured a reserve/futures contract with the Bears after an entire season with the practice squad. In the Bears’ preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans in August 2021, he achieved an accomplishment catching three touchdown passes. This allowed him to solidify his position in the Bears’ 53-man roster for the 2021 season.

In a game against the Las Vegas Raiders in October, he caught a two-yard touchdown, highlighting Justin Fields’ first career pass touchdown in the NFL. He concluded the 2021 season scoring two touchdowns, two receptions, and 21 yards over seven games.

By May 2022, Horsted was waived following a failed physical, but soon after, in June, he began his stint with the Raiders as a free agent. He then shifted from his wide receiver position to a third-string tight end after an impressive run at the training camp. However, the 2022 seasons saw Horsted play 15 games without any starts, finishing the season with just three receptions for 19 yards.

On re-signing with the team in March 2023, he went on to play a similar role, ending the season with a single reception for four yards across 13 games. Despite this, he contributed significantly to the special teams, partaking in 65% of all special teams snaps. Unfortunately, an untimely hamstring injury in December forced Horsted out of the game.

Post his Raiders journey, Horsted signed with the New Orleans Saints in June 2024. However, his stint with the Saints was short-lived as he was released within a month. He then signed with the Carolina Panthers on August 5, 2024, only to be released again later that month. This concludes the professional football career of Jesper Horsted up until August 2024.