Josh Blackwell

PRO CAREER: Enters his fifth season in the NFL in 2025...Originally signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent...Has played in 58 regular season games with two starts, totaling 23 tackles (16 solo) on defense and 30 tackles (19 solo) on special teams along with two forced fumbles and fumble recovery...Also has a punt return for a touchdown and a blocked field goal...Has appeared in a pair of postseason games adding two solo tackles on special teams...Originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Eagles in 2022.

HONORS

2024: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 18)
2025: NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 4)

2025 SEASON (BEARS): Appeared in 15 regular season games...Had eight special teams tackles (two solo) and one blocked kick...With under a minute to play in Week 4, blocked a go-ahead field goal attempt by Raiders K Daniel Carlson, sealing the Bears second victory of the season and earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week...Made his postseason debut appearing in both Bears playoff games and tallying two solo special teams tackles.

2024 SEASON (BEARS): Played in all 17 games with one start...Recorded six defensive tackles (five solo) and seven special teams tackles (five solo)...Recorded his first career interception during the Bears' Week 6 victory against the Jaguars leading to a Bears touchdown just three plays later...Served as the Bears punt returner during the final five weeks of the season...Had seven total returns for 146 yards (20.9 avg.)...In Week 18, returned a punt 94-yards for a touchdown, tied for the third longest punt return by a Bears players since at least 1948...Earned Special Teams Player of the Week.

2023 SEASON (BEARS): Recorded four defensive tackles (two solo) and four special teams tackles in 10 games played...Spent Weeks 4-9 on the reserve/injured list...Recorded a forced fumble in Week 12 against Vikings.

2022 SEASON (BEARS): Played in 16 games with one start...In Week 4 at New York, forced and subsequently recovered a fumble on a Giants punt return...Made first NFL start against the Packers in Week 13, finishing with three solo tackles on defensed...Finished season with 12 defensive tackles (four solo), one forced fumble and one fumble recovery...Added 11 special teams tackles (eight solo).

TRANSACTIONS

05/06/2022: Signed/UDFA with Eagles
08/23/2022: Released by Eagles
08/25/2022: Signed with Eagles
08/30/2022: Released by Eagles
08/31/2022: Signed with Bears
04/24/2023: Re-signed with Bears
03/06/2025: Re-signed with Bears

COLLEGE: Spent five seasons at Duke (2017-21)...In 37 career games (28 starts), posted 96 tackles, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and 20 pass breakups, along with 25 punt returns for 230 yards (9.20)...Set Duke bowl game record for pass breakups with four against Temple in the 2018 Walk-On's Independence Bowl...Played 2,235 career snaps.

PERSONAL: Prepped at Buford High School (Ga.)...Following senior season, received the Touchdown Club of Gwinnett's Cecil Morris Award, an honor presented to an all-county caliber player whose season was cut short by injury...Helped the Wolves to a 13-2 record and appearance in the state championship game...As a junior, earned first team all-state (4A) honors from the Georgia Sports Writers Association as squad went 13-2 and reached the state title game...Also a First-Team All-Region selection...Posted 47 tackles and one INT as part of a Buford defense that allowed just 7.33 points per game...Averaged 14.4 yards per punt return...In sophomore season, helped Buford to a perfect 15-0 record and Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class 4A state championship with a 55-10 victory against St. Pius X Catholic in the title tilt...Member of Team North Georgia, the 2013 Football University eighth grade national champions...Also participated in track and field...Helped his 4x100 meter relay earn a fourth place finish (42.51) at the GHSA Class 4A state meet during junior year...As a senior at the GHSA 5A Section B meet, placed fourth in the 100-meters (10.96) and seventh in the 200-meters (22.27).