Jordan Fuller

Jordan Fuller's Biography

Jordan Fuller, born on March 4, 1998, is an acclaimed American professional football safety currently playing for the Carolina Panthers, a team part of the National Football League (NFL). Fuller’s journey from his beginnings in Ohio State to his current prominence in the NFL makes for an inspiring and compelling narrative.

Jordan Fuller was born to Bart Fuller and Cindy Mizelle. His mother, a professional touring singer, performed with musical icons such as Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston, and Luther Vandross. Fuller spent his childhood in Norwood, New Jersey, where he honed his early football skills at Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan.

While at high school, Fuller was a multi-talented player playing various positions for the Golden Knights. His phenomenal skills as a senior led to being named the Gatorade Player of the Year for New Jersey, State Player of the Year by NJ.com, after rushing for 747 yards with 10 touchdowns, making 33 catches for 886 yards, five touchdowns, and even throwing for 135 yards on offense while making 44 tackles and intercepting six passes on defense.

After high school, Fuller played college football at Ohio State. There, he started as a safety and played in all 13 games as a freshman, mostly on special teams and managed to play 71 snaps on defense, making 11 tackles. His relentless work ethic and talent led to him being named as Ohio State’s starting safety in his sophomore year, replacing Malik Hooker. In this season, he led the team with 57 solo stops and recorded 70 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions. His efforts were acknowledged with the third-team All-Big Ten Conference and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar awards.

Elevated to team captain in his junior year, Fuller’s career continued to ascend. He recorded the second-highest number of tackles on the team, at 81, with one interception, four passes broken up, and two fumble recoveries. His accomplishments earned him recognition as second-team All-Big Ten by league coaches, honorable mention by the media, and an Academic All-American title.

Fuller’s final year at Ohio State saw him on the Jim Thorpe Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy watchlists. He was also named second-team preseason All-American by the Associated Press. His impressive performance, which included 62 tackles, 2 interceptions, four pass break-ups, and a fumble recovery, earned him first-team All-Big Ten recognition.

The 2020 NFL Draft saw Fuller taken by the Los Angeles Rams in the sixth round, 199th overall. He was then named a starter at safety in his rookie season. The highlight of his season came on September 13, 2020, as he made his NFL debut with the Rams. During this game, he made a team-high eight tackles resulting in a win for the Rams. Despite a shoulder injury mid-season, he rallied and managed to secure two pivotal interceptions in his first season, one of which resulted in a win against Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.

Despite facing another injury in 2021, Fuller continued to demonstrate his talent and tenacity. He topped the Rams’ season with a team-leading 113 tackles, four passes defensed, and one interception through 16 starts, though he was sadly unable to play in the Superbowl LVI victory against the Cincinnati Bengals due to an ankle injury.

In 2024, Fuller signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, reuniting him with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, his former safeties coach and pass game coordinator who he’d worked with in Los Angeles.

It’s also worth noting that athletic talent runs in the Fuller family. Jordan’s older brother, Devin Fuller, played college football at UCLA and spent two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. Additionally, Jordan’s uncle is the renowned comedian, Sinbad, adding some star power to his family lineage. Thus, Jordan Fuller’s journey is a narrative punctuated by accolades, resilience, and a clear love of the game.