Terrell Edmunds

Terrell Edmunds's Biography

FeDerius Terrell Edmunds, best known as Terrell Edmunds, is an esteemed American professional footballer. Born on the 20th of January, 1997, Edmunds has shown a promising and successful career especially in his role as a football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the revered teams of the National Football League (NFL). His journey to the pinnacle of football success was set in motion at Virginia Tech where he played college football and was subsequently picked by the Steelers in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

His promising football potential was first noticed during his high school years at Dan River High School in Ringgold, Virginia, where he played as both a running back and a defensive back over three varsity seasons. However, his ultimate inclination leaned towards the role of tailback. His impressive record boasts of 2,438 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns on 263 carries, which averages to 9.3 yards per carry. Additionally, he had 43 catches for 396 yards with 3 receiving touchdowns. His defensive prowess was not to be underrated as it was marked by 112 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 3 fumble recoveries. These statistics clearly facilitated his decision to commit to Virginia Tech to play college football.

Between 2015 and 2017 while at Virginia Tech, Edmunds filled a crucial defensive role, alternating between the roles of strong safety and middle linebacker. After an impressive 2017 junior season, Edmunds decided to pave the way for an NFL career, skipping his senior year while applying for the 2018 NFL draft. His prolific university football experience was marked by impressive statistics that include 196 tackles, six interceptions, and 1.5 sacks.

On 6th January 2018, Edmunds made public his intention to pass up remaining eligibility and face the 2018 NFL Draft. Interestingly, Edmunds and his brother Tremaine made simultaneous announcements on their Twitter accounts regarding their intention to join the draft. Edmunds then participated in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. However, due to a pre-existing shoulder injury and a sudden bout of cramps, Edmunds was unable to complete all of the combine and positional drills.

Edmunds made an appearance at Virginia Tech’s pro day on March 14, 2018. He decided to rely on his combine numbers and only took part in positional drills. As per projections from numerous NFL draft experts and scouts, Edmunds was tipped to be a third-round pick. Furthermore, he was ranked as the third-best strong safety in the Draft by DraftScout.com, while NFL analyst Mike Mayock rated him as the sixth-best safety.

The Pittsburgh Steelers brought Edmunds onto their roster, picking him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, making him the third safety to be drafted in 2018. Within the year on July 24, 2018, the Steelers formalized Edmunds’ inclusion into the team by signing him to a four-year contract worth $10.80 million, of which $6 million was signing bonus. Edmunds then faced off with veterans Morgan Burnett and Sean Davis during training camps to contest for the starting safety role.

Edmunds first debuted professionally in the regular season for the Steelers during their season opener against the Cleveland Browns, effectively replacing Morgan Burnett. One of his most monumental career moments occurred on September 24, 2018, during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he made his first career interception, resulting in a 35-yard gain.

Edmunds continued showcasing his football prowess, starting in all 16 games in his second season, recording impressive statistics. Despite his successful run with the Steelers, the team declined to exercise the fifth-year option on his contract in 2021. After being a free agent, he went on to sign one-year deals with the Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles in subsequent years.

Edmunds’ journey, however, was not always an easy ride, and he faced several trades and short-term signings including a momentous trade by the Eagles to the Tennessee Titans in the year 2023. However, his perseverance and skill saw him overcome these challenges, ultimately signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars in May 2024. After a short stint, he was released in August and re-signed to the practice squad, only to be promoted to the active roster for the opening game against the Miami Dolphins.

After an impressive first game of the season, the Steelers decided to sign Edmunds off the Jaguars practice squad, marking his return to the team. Despite a slow start not being fielded for the first three games, Edmunds finally got the chance to prove himself during a Steelers’ match against the Indianapolis Colts.

Edmunds’ family has a prolific football legacy. His brothers Trey and Tremaine both played college football at Virginia Tech and went on to play in the NFL. Trey was a free agent and played for the Saints and the Steelers, while Tremaine is currently with the Chicago Bears. Their father, Ferrell Edmunds, also had a successful NFL career as a tight end and a two-time Pro Bowler with the Miami Dolphins. Remarkably, Edmunds and Tremaine became part of the first set of brothers to be drafted in the first round of the same NFL draft, further cementing their family’s reputation in the football sphere.