Noah Fant (born November 20, 1997) is an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Lik ...
for the
Seattle Seahawks of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football at
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
, and was drafted by the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
in the first round of the
2019 NFL Draft.
Early years
Before his high school years, Fant attended Morton Magnet Middle school and played football for them. Later, Fant attended and played
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
at
Omaha South High School, where he set the record in the state. 86 receptions and 1,700 receiving yards on top of that 15 touchdowns.
College career
During his sophomore season at Iowa, Fant tied the national record for touchdowns by tight ends with 11, and led the nation in yards per catch, averaging 16.5. Fant's 11 touchdown receptions set a school record for touchdown catches by a tight end. Fant's efforts garnered him Third-team All-Big Ten honors for the 2017 season and the nickname “The Painter”. Prior to the 2018 season, Fant was named a preseason All American.
On November 30, 2018, Fant announced that he was declaring for the
2019 NFL Draft.
College statistics
Professional career
Denver Broncos
Noah Fant was selected 20th overall by the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
in the first round of the
2019 NFL Draft. The Broncos acquired the pick after trading down from their 10th overall selection.
2019
Fant made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the
Oakland Raiders. In the game, Fant made two catches for 29 yards and rushed one time for -5 yards in the 24-16 loss.
In Week 4 against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
, Fant caught two passes for 31 yards and his first career touchdown in the 26-24 loss. During Week 9 against the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
, Fant finished with three catches for 115 receiving yards, including a 75-yard touchdown as the Broncos won 24-19. During Week 14 against the
Houston Texans, Fant finished with four catches for 113 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos won 38-24. Overall, he finished his rookie season with 40 receptions for 562 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.
2020
In Week 1 against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their hom ...
on ''Monday Night Football'', Fant caught 5 passes for 81 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the season during the 16–14 loss.
In a Week 2 against the
Pittsburgh Steelers, Fant caught four passes for 57 yards, a touchdown and a two point conversion during the 26–21 loss. Fant finished the 2020 regular season with 62 receptions for 673 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns, improving upon his rookie season.
2021
In Week 6 against the
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West div ...
, Fant caught 9 passes for 97 yards and a receiving touchdown in the 34–24 loss. In Week 17 against the
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
, Fant caught 6 passes for 92 yards and a receiving touchdown in the 34–13 loss.
Fant finished the 2021 regular season with 68 receptions for 670 yards and a career high 4 receiving touchdowns.
Seattle Seahawks
On March 16, 2022, Fant was traded to the
Seattle Seahawks along with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback
Drew Lock, and defensive lineman
Shelby Harris in exchange for quarterback
Russell Wilson. On April 12, 2022, the Seahawks picked up Fant's fifth-year option.
NFL career statistics
Personal life
Fant's cousin, Princeton Fant, is currently a tight end for
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
.
References
External links
*
Denver Broncos bioIowa Hawkeyes bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fant, Noah
1997 births
Living people
American football tight ends
Denver Broncos players
Iowa Hawkeyes football players
Players of American football from Nebraska
Sportspeople from Omaha, Nebraska
Seattle Seahawks players