Joshua Kelley facts for kids

Joshua Tyler Kelley, born on November 20, 1997, is a professional American football player. He plays as a running back for the Tennessee Titans in the National Football League (NFL). He started his college football journey with the UC Davis Aggies. Later, he moved to the UCLA Bruins team. At UCLA, he ran for over 1,000 yards in both of his seasons. In 2019, he was recognized as a second-team all-conference player in the Pac-12. The Los Angeles Chargers picked him in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Quick facts for kids
Joshua Kelley

Kelley with the UCLA Bruins in 2019
No. 25 – Tennessee Titans
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1997-11-20) November 20, 1997 (age 27) Inglewood, California, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school:	Eastside (Lancaster, California)
College:	UC Davis (2015–2016) UCLA (2017–2019)
NFL Draft:	2020 / Round: 4 / Pick: 112
Career history
Los Angeles Chargers (2020–2023) New York Giants (2024)* Tennessee Titans (2024–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-Pac-12 (2019)
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Rushing yards: 1,150 Rushing average: 3.6 Rushing touchdowns: 6 Receptions: 50 Receiving yards: 319
Player stats at PFR

Early Life and High School Football

Joshua was born in Inglewood, California. His mother, Jacqueline, raised him and his older brother Daniel. She worked as a speech pathologist at an elementary school. He grew up in Lancaster, California, and always loved the UCLA team. His mother volunteered at the University of California, Los Angeles. His aunt and uncle also went to school there. His uncle even played baseball for the UCLA Bruins.

Joshua went to Eastside High School. In his last two years there, he ran for 1,903 yards and scored 22 touchdowns. As a senior, he was named the best running back in the Golden League.

College Football Journey

Joshua started his college career at the University of California, Davis. He was a two-star recruit and UC Davis was the only school that offered him a spot. He faced some injuries and shared playing time with another running back.

After his second season, the coaching staff at UC Davis changed. Joshua decided to transfer to a higher level of college football. He ended his time at UC Davis with 1,139 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He was allowed to transfer to either UCLA or USC.

Playing for the UCLA Bruins

Joshua joined the UCLA Bruins as a walk-on player. This means he wasn't on a full scholarship at first. He sat out the 2017 season because of transfer rules. He practiced with the team on the scout team.

Before the 2018 season, UCLA got a new coach, Chip Kelly. Coach Kelly gave Joshua a scholarship. Joshua didn't play much at the start of the season. But in Week 4, he ran for 124 yards against Colorado. He then became one of the best running backs in the country.

He had six games where he ran for over 100 yards. UCLA's scoring also improved. In a game against California, he ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns. UCLA won their first game of the season. Against USC, Joshua had a career-high 289 rushing yards. This helped UCLA win against their rival for the first time in four years. It was the most rushing yards by any player in the history of that rivalry.

Joshua finished the 2018 season with 1,243 rushing yards. This was the 10th-highest total in UCLA history for a single season. He scored at least one touchdown in his last eight games, finishing with 12 touchdowns. He was named the Bruins' most valuable player.

In 2019, Joshua decided to stay for his senior year instead of entering the NFL Draft. He injured his right knee and missed most of training camp. He didn't play in the first game of the season.

On October 26, he ran for 164 yards and a career-high four touchdowns against Arizona State. The next week, he ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns against Colorado. In his final college game, he ran for 76 yards. He finished the season with 1,060 rushing yards. This made him the eighth player in UCLA history to run for over 1,000 yards in two seasons in a row. He was named second-team All-Pac-12. He ended his UCLA career with 2,303 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns.

Professional Football Career

Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers picked Joshua Kelley in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft. He was the 112th player chosen overall. He competed to be the backup running back behind Austin Ekeler.

In his first NFL game in the 2020 season, Joshua ran for 60 yards and scored a touchdown. This helped the Chargers win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The next week, he had 113 total yards (64 rushing, 49 receiving) against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he struggled after fumbling the ball in two close games. This affected his confidence and led to less playing time.

In the 2021 season, Joshua played in 10 games. He finished with 102 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards.

In 2022, he worked hard to get stronger. He started the season playing behind Sony Michel. In a game against the Cleveland Browns, Joshua ran for 49 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 33 yards. He then hurt his knee and was placed on injured reserve. He returned to play later in the season.

New York Giants

On August 15, 2024, Joshua signed with the New York Giants. He was released from the team on August 25, 2024.

Tennessee Titans

On October 15, 2024, Joshua signed with the Tennessee Titans practice squad. He was later moved to the active roster on November 2. Joshua played in three games during the 2024 season.

Personal Life

Joshua Kelley is a Christian. He is married to Mikaela Kelley.