Joel Heath facts for kids

Joel Heath (born June 18, 1993) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). Joel Heath was part of the Houston Texans team from 2016 to 2019.

He was a top player at Mount Healthy High School in Mount Healthy, Ohio. He earned special honors twice. Joel Heath also played college football at Michigan State. He was a key player there for three years. After college, he joined the Texans in 2016. He played in 32 games for them. He also spent time with the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions.

Early Life and High School Football

Joel Heath was born on June 18, 1993, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He grew up to be a talented football player.

Playing for Mount Healthy High School

Joel Heath was a starter for three years at Mount Healthy High School. He played both defensive end and tight end. In 2009, during his junior year, he made 41 tackles and 6.5 sacks. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback.

In 2010, his senior year, he had five sacks. He helped his high school team win their first-ever playoff game.

High School Achievements

Joel Heath received many awards in high school. The Associated Press (AP) named him first-team All-Ohio (Division II) twice. He was also named the AP All-Ohio Division II Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. This means he was one of the best defensive players in his division.

He was also chosen for the Ohio All-Stars team. This team played in the 2011 Big 33 Football Classic. Experts like Scout.com and Rivals.com rated him as one of the best defensive ends in the country.

College Football Career

Joel Heath played for the Michigan State Spartans at Michigan State University. He played from 2012 to 2015. He was a "letterman" for three years, which means he played enough to earn a special award.

Starting at Michigan State

He started his college career as a defensive end. In 2012 and 2013, he played in several games. In 2013, he also had a pass breakup. This is when a defensive player stops a pass from reaching its target.

In 2014, he switched to playing defensive tackle. He played in 13 games and started almost all of them. He made 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks that year. He also led his team's defensive tackles with five tackles for loss. A tackle for loss happens when a player tackles an opponent behind the line of scrimmage.

In 2015, he started 12 games as a defensive tackle. He recorded two sacks and 31 tackles. He missed some games due to injuries.

College Career Totals

During his time in college, Joel Heath played in 39 games and started 24 of them. He finished his college career with 4.5 sacks, two pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He also had 60 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Michigan State in December 2015. His degree was in interdisciplinary studies in social science.

Professional Football Career

After college, Joel Heath hoped to play in the NFL.

Joining the Houston Texans

Joel Heath was not chosen in the 2016 NFL draft. However, the Houston Texans signed him in May 2016. He chose the Texans over four other teams that wanted him.

He played his first NFL game on September 22, 2016. In his first season, he played in 12 games and started half of them. He made five solo tackles, three assisted tackles, and two sacks. Both of his sacks came in one game against the Tennessee Titans. This made him one of only six rookies in Texans history to get two sacks in a single game. He also played in two playoff games.

In 2017, Joel Heath started the season as a defensive end. He played in 13 games and started nine of them. He made 17 solo tackles, seven assisted tackles, and one sack. He missed some games due to a knee injury.

In 2018, he played in five games for the Texans and made two tackles. He continued to have some knee problems.

The Texans released Joel Heath in August 2019. He tried out for several other NFL teams but was not signed. However, the Texans re-signed him in November 2019. He played in two more games for them before being released again in December 2019.

Time with Other Teams

After leaving the Texans, Joel Heath was picked up by the Denver Broncos on December 31, 2019. He was later released by them in July 2020. He chose not to play in the 2020 NFL season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was released by the Broncos in February 2021.

On February 18, 2021, Joel Heath signed with the Detroit Lions. Sadly, he suffered a serious knee injury (a torn ACL) during practice in May 2021. This injury ended his season. He became a free agent in March 2022.

NFL Career Totals

During his NFL career, Joel Heath played in 32 regular season games. He started 16 of those games. He made a total of 34 tackles and three sacks. He also played in two playoff games, where he made two solo tackles.

Personal Life and Community Work

In 2017, Joel Heath started the JH93 Football Camp. This is an annual youth football camp held at his old high school, Mount Healthy High School. It helps young football players learn and grow.