Jamal Agnew (born April 3, 1995) is an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL).[1] He played college football for the San Diego Toreros. On September 26, 2021, he tied the NFL record for the longest play with a 109 yard return off a missed field goal.

Jamal Agnew
refer to caption
Agnew with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022
No. 17 – Pittsburgh Steelers
Position:Wide receiver
Return specialist
Personal information
Born: (1995-04-03) April 3, 1995 (age 29)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:Point Loma (CA)
College:San Diego (2013–2016)
NFL draft:2017 / round: 5 / pick: 165
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Practice squad
Career highlights and awards
NFL record
  • 109-yard return touchdown play (tied)
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total Tackles:31
Forced Fumbles:1
Fumble recoveries:5
Rushing yards:263
Receptions:77
Receiving yards:746
Return yards:4,392
Total Touchdowns:12
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Agnew attended and played high school football at Point Loma High School,[2] which is to the north of the city. Jamal Agnew constantly stood out among his peers at Point Loma; however, due to his size, he was not offered a scholarship to any major NCAA Division I school.

College career

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Agnew attended and played college football for the San Diego Toreros, where he played cornerback and returned kicks.[3] He finished his college career with 148 tackles and 11 interceptions. As a senior, he returned 17 punts for 216 yards.[4]

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 9+12 in
(1.77 m)
186 lb
(84 kg)
29+12 in
(0.75 m)
8+38 in
(0.21 m)
4.34 s 1.54 s 2.44 s 4.27 s 6.92 s 36.0 in
(0.91 m)
10 ft 5 in
(3.18 m)
16 reps
All values from Pro Day[5][6]

Detroit Lions

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Agnew played in the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. The Detroit Lions then selected Agnew in the fifth round (165th overall) of the 2017 NFL draft.[7] Following 2008 draftee Josh Johnson, he became the second player in San Diego Torrero history to be drafted.[8][9] On May 12, 2017, the Lions signed Agnew to a four-year, $2.65 million contract with a signing bonus of $258,364.[10]

In Week 2 on Monday Night Football, Agnew scored his first NFL touchdown on an 88-yard punt return in the fourth quarter in a 24–10 win over the New York Giants, earning him National Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.[11][12] In Week 6, against the New Orleans Saints, he recorded a 74-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter.[13] In Week 8, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he recorded his first NFL reception, a 12-yard catch.[14] He finished the 2017 season with 29 punt returns for 447 net yards and two punt return touchdowns to go along with 11 kickoff returns for 196 net yards.[15] He led the NFL in punt return yards and punt return touchdowns.[16] He earned first team All-Pro honors.[17] He was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team.[18]

On October 15, 2018, Agnew was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.[19] He was activated off injured reserve on December 19, 2018.[20] In six games, he had eight kickoff returns for 216 net yards and 12 punt returns for 57 net yards.[21]

In Week 3 of the 2019 season against the Philadelphia Eagles, Agnew returned a kick for a 100-yard touchdown in the 27–24 win.[22] In Week 16, against the Denver Broncos, he had a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown in the 27–17 loss.[23]

On May 26, 2020, it was announced that Agnew would transition from cornerback to full time wide receiver.[24] In the 2020 season, he had 13 receptions for 89 yards while having 28 kickoff returns for 783 net yards and 14 punt returns for 178 net yards and one punt return touchdown.[25] The touchdown came in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 47–7 loss.[26]

Jacksonville Jaguars

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On March 17, 2021, Agnew signed a three-year, $14.25 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.[27] In a Week 2 loss to the Broncos, Agnew scored his first touchdown for the Jaguars with a 102 yard kick-off return, setting a franchise record for longest kick return in the process.[28] On September 26, 2021, the following week against the Arizona Cardinals, he scored another touchdown on a 109 yard return of a missed 68-yard field goal attempt, tying the NFL record for longest play with Antonio Cromartie and Cordarrelle Patterson, at the end of the first half in the 19–31 loss.[29] He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September.[30] He suffered a hip injury in Week 11 and was placed on injured reserve on November 22, 2021.[31]

In 2022, Agnew played in 15 games, gaining 1,025 all-purpose yards and averaging 26 yards per kickoff return.[32] In the Jaguars 31–30 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, he returned four kickoffs for 134 yards.[33] In the Jaguars' Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Agnew returned three kickoffs for 131 yards, three punts for 23, and had seven yards from scrimmage.[34] However, he committed a costly fourth-quarter fumble in the opposing red zone.[35]

Agnew was named to 2023 Pro Bowl after Baltimore Ravens' kick returner Devin Duvernay was deemed unable to play due to injury.[36]

On November 12, 2023, in a Week 10 game against the San Francisco 49ers, Agnew was tackled in the first quarter and suffered a rib and shoulder injury, sidelining him for the rest of the game. He was placed on the injured reserve on November 18.[37] He was activated on December 16.[38]

Pittsburgh Steelers

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On November 12, 2024, Agnew was signed to the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad.[39]

References

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  1. ^ "Jamal Agnew Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Jamal Agnew, Point Loma , Cornerback". 247Sports. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  3. ^ "Jamal Agnew – Football". University of San Diego Athletics. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  4. ^ "Football Cornerback Jamal Agnew Drafted by NFL's Detroit Lions". University of San Diego. April 30, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  5. ^ "Jamal Agnew, San Diego, CB, 2017 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  6. ^ "Jamal Agnew, Combine Results, CB – San Diego". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  7. ^ Twentyman, Tim (April 29, 2017). "Detroit Lions draft cornerback Jamal Agnew". Detroit Lions. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  8. ^ "San Diego Players/Alumni". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  9. ^ "Jamal Agnew drafted in 5th round by Detroit Lions". University of San Diego Athletics. April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  10. ^ "Spotrac.com: Jamal Agnew contract". spotrac.com. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  11. ^ Williams, Charean (September 18, 2017). "Jamal Agnew returns a punt 88 yards for a touchdown". ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com.
  12. ^ Maya, Adam (September 20, 2017). "Tom Brady, J.J. Nelson among Players of the Week". NFL.com. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  13. ^ "Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints – October 15th, 2017". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  14. ^ "Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions – October 29th, 2017". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  15. ^ "Jamal Agnew 2017 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  16. ^ "2017 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  17. ^ "2017 NFL All-Pros". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  18. ^ "2017 NFL All-Rookie Team". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  19. ^ "Lions place CB Jamal Agnew on Reserve-Injured and sign LB Trevor Bates to active roster". DetroitLions.com. October 15, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  20. ^ "Lions place RB Kerryon Johnson on Reserve/Injured and activate CB Jamal Agnew". DetroitLions.com. December 19, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  21. ^ "Jamal Agnew 2018 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  22. ^ "Stafford, Agnew lead Lions over Eagles 27–24". www.espn.com. Associated Press. September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  23. ^ "Detroit Lions at Denver Broncos – December 22nd, 2019". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  24. ^ Williams, Charean (May 26, 2020). "Lions moving Jamal Agnew from cornerback to receiver". ProFootballTalk. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  25. ^ "Jamal Agnew 2020 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  26. ^ Gerber, Max (December 26, 2020). "Jamal Agnew scores on punt return". Lions Wire. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  27. ^ Oehser, John (March 17, 2021). "Official: Agnew agrees to terms". Jaguars.com. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  28. ^ Reid, John (September 19, 2021). "Jaguars' Jamal Agnew scores on 102-yard kickoff return against Broncos". Jacksonville.com. The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  29. ^ DiRocco, Michael (September 26, 2021). "Jaguars' Agnew scores TD on 109-yard kick-six". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  30. ^ Alper, Josh (September 30, 2021). "Jamal Agnew named AFC special teams player of the month". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  31. ^ DiRocco, Michael (November 22, 2021). "Jacksonville Jaguars WR/KR Jamal Agnew to miss rest of season". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  32. ^ "Jamal Agnew 2022 Game Log". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  33. ^ "Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars – January 14th, 2023". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  34. ^ "Divisional Round – Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs – January 21st, 2023". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  35. ^ Stites, Adam (January 22, 2023). "Jamal Agnew on fumble: 'That one play won't define me'". Jaguars Wire. USA Today. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  36. ^ Alper, Josh (January 30, 2023). "Wyatt Teller, Jamal Agnew among AFC Pro Bowl replacements". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  37. ^ DiRocco, Michael (November 17, 2023). "Jags' Tyson Campbell, Jamal Agnew ruled out Sunday vs. Titans". ESPN. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  38. ^ Harvey, Demetrius (December 16, 2023). "Jaguars activate WR Jamal Agnew off injured reserve ahead of SNF game vs. Baltimore Ravens". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  39. ^ "Steelers make practice squad moves". Steelers.com. November 12, 2024.
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