Justin Tuggle facts for kids
Tuggle poses during the 2018 CNE in Toronto, modeling for his cap line
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| No. 22, 24, 57, 95 | |||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | January 4, 1990 Alpharetta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 247 lb (112 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Duluth (GA) Northview | ||||||
| College: | Boston College (2008–2009) Blinn (2010) Kansas State (2011–2012) |
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| Undrafted: | 2013 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| CFL status: | American | ||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Career CFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||||
Justin DuJian Tuggle, born on January 4, 1990, is a former professional football player from the United States. He played as a linebacker. Justin started his professional journey in 2013 with the Houston Texans. Before that, he played college football at Kansas State University.
Justin comes from a family of talented football players. His dad, Jessie Tuggle, was a famous linebacker who played in the Pro Bowl five times. His brother, Grady Jarrett, is also a professional football player for the Atlanta Falcons.
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Early Life and High School Football
Justin Tuggle grew up in Georgia and went to Northview High School. He was a very good football player in high school. In his senior year, he was recognized as one of the best players in the Greater Atlanta area.
He played as a quarterback for the East team in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl. He was also chosen for the All-North Fulton County team in 2007, playing quarterback on the second-team offense.
College Football Journey
Justin started his college football career at Boston College, where he played as a quarterback. After his first year, he moved to Blinn College for a semester.
Later, he transferred to Kansas State University. This is where he made a big change! For his junior year and his first season at Kansas State, he switched from playing quarterback to playing linebacker. This change helped him prepare for his professional career.
Professional Football Career
Justin Tuggle played for several teams in both the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Playing for the Houston Texans
On April 27, 2013, Justin joined the Houston Texans as a free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the main player draft but was signed by the team afterward. He played for the Texans for three seasons. During his time there, he played in 42 games. He made 71 tackles, which means he stopped the opposing team's players with the ball 71 times. He also forced one fumble (when a player drops the ball) and intercepted a pass from quarterback Andrew Luck.
Time with the Cleveland Browns
In March 2016, Justin signed with the Cleveland Browns. However, he was released by the team in September of the same year.
First Time with the Toronto Argonauts
Justin then moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL) and signed with the Toronto Argonauts on May 23, 2017. His first year in the CFL was very successful! He made three sacks (tackling the quarterback), scored a defensive touchdown, forced a fumble, and made an interception. He was also part of the team that won the 105th Grey Cup championship in 2017, which is like the Super Bowl of Canadian football.
In 2018, Justin played in 17 games for the Argonauts. Because of injuries to other players, he showed how versatile he was by starting at three different positions: middle linebacker, weakside linebacker, and even on the defensive line. He had a career-high 36 tackles that season, along with three more sacks and two more forced fumbles.
Joining the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
In February 2019, Justin signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a rival team of the Argonauts. He played in 18 regular season games for them. He made 80 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, one quarterback sack, and one interception. He also played in two playoff games, including the 107th Grey Cup championship game. His team lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in that game, but he still made four defensive tackles.
With the Edmonton Football Team
Justin signed with the Edmonton Football Team on February 11, 2020. However, he did not get to play any games with them because the 2020 CFL season was canceled. He became a free agent again in February 2021.
Second Time with the Toronto Argonauts
On October 1, 2021, Justin returned to the Toronto Argonauts for a second time. He became a free agent again after the 2021 season.
Personal Life and Family
As mentioned, Justin's father is Jessie Tuggle, a legendary player for the Atlanta Falcons from 1987 to 2000. Jessie Tuggle was chosen for five Pro Bowls and was named to three All-Pro teams during his amazing career.
Justin's brother, Grady Jarrett, was also drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 and plays as a defensive end. It's clear that football talent runs in their family!
Besides football, Justin Tuggle has also released music. He has put out three single songs and one album with 14 songs. The album is called Life on Beats by YGP & take1. YGP refers to his teammate, Terrance Plummer, who helped with the music.
