Andre Cisco Bio
Andre Jordan Cisco is an American professional football safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). Born on March 23, 2000, in Queens, New York, Cisco developed into a ball-hawking defender during his time at Syracuse University before being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. After spending his first four professional seasons with the Jaguars, he joined the New York Jets in March 2025 on a one-year agreement.
Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighing approximately 209 pounds, Cisco has built his reputation on instincts, range, and a knack for creating turnovers. His career has included significant injury setbacks as well as standout performances that have established him as a steady presence at the back end of NFL defenses.
Early Life and Background
Andre Jordan Cisco grew up in Valley Stream, New York, and developed his early athletic interests on the football fields of Long Island. He attended St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, New York, where he began to attract attention from college programs despite limited varsity experience. Cisco has noted that he had never played a single snap on varsity in high school and entered his final years without a scholarship offer, an unusual starting point for a player who would later be drafted in the third round.
Prior to his junior season, Cisco visited IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and was offered enrollment after meeting with the school’s coaches. The transfer proved transformative, giving him the structured training and national competition necessary to showcase his coverage skills and tackling ability against top-tier high school talent. He committed to Syracuse University and signed with the Orange as one of the program’s more intriguing defensive prospects.
Path to American Football
Cisco’s path to professional football was shaped by patience, a late competitive start, and a willingness to relocate for development. The IMG Academy experience sharpened his technique and allowed him to compete against elite underclassmen, while his commitment to Syracuse offered a clear path to major college football. His breakout moment arrived as a freshman in 2018, when he started 11 of 13 games and recorded 60 tackles along with seven interceptions, a total that tied for the most in the nation.
His freshman production earned him Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, a freshman All-American selection, and First-team All-ACC recognition. He also became the first true freshman in Syracuse history to earn All-American honors. The following season, in 2019, Cisco was named Second-team All-ACC after starting nine games and recording 65 tackles, five interceptions, and a touchdown despite missing three contests due to injury.
Andre Cisco Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Cisco’s college career peaked early, as his freshman interceptions totals drew national attention and pushed him up draft boards. On September 26, 2020, he sustained a lower-body injury while warming up for a game at Georgia Tech, and Syracuse head coach Dino Babers later confirmed on October 12, 2020, that Cisco would miss the remainder of the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. On October 13, 2020, Cisco officially announced he would forego his remaining college eligibility to enter the 2021 NFL draft.
Scouts evaluated Cisco as one of the top safety prospects in his class despite the injury. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the sixth best safety prospect, NFL analyst Bucky Brooks ranked him fourth among all safeties, and Dane Brugler of The New York Times ranked him fifth. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him with the 65th overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Jacksonville Jaguars Era (2021–2024)
Cisco signed a four-year, $5.23 million contract with the Jaguars on June 11, 2021, including an initial signing bonus of $1.16 million. He made his professional regular season debut on September 12, 2021, against the Houston Texans and appeared in all 17 games as a rookie, finishing with 26 combined tackles, two pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. He earned his first career start on December 26, 2021, against the New York Jets.
In 2022, Cisco was named the starting free safety under head coach Doug Pederson. He opened the year with an interception off Matt Ryan and later returned an interception 59 yards for his first career touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 2, 2022. He finished the season with 73 combined tackles, ten pass deflections, three interceptions, and one sack in 15 starts, then contributed four solo tackles in an AFC Wild Card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Cisco returned as the starting free safety in 2023 alongside Rayshawn Jenkins. He opened the year with ten combined tackles against the Indianapolis Colts and intercepted a pass by Patrick Mahomes in Week 2. He finished 2023 with 62 combined tackles, five pass deflections, four interceptions, and half a sack in 15 starts. In 2024, he started 16 games and recorded 68 combined tackles, seven pass deflections, and one interception while paired with Darnell Savage in the secondary.
New York Jets Era (2025–Present)
On March 14, 2025, the New York Jets signed Cisco to a one-year, $8.50 million contract that includes $7.50 million in guaranteed money and an initial signing bonus of $5 million. The agreement marked a fresh start after four seasons in Jacksonville and reflected confidence in his coverage ability despite recurring injury questions. Cisco immediately slotted into a starting role under head coach Aaron Glenn and opened the season in the Jets’ secondary.
Through eight appearances, Cisco recorded one pass deflection, one fumble recovery, and 41 combined tackles while serving as a steady presence in the back end of the defense. On October 28, 2025, it was announced that Cisco would require surgery to repair a pectoral tear, and on November 3, head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed the procedure would end his season. The injury capped a productive but frustrating first year in New York.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cisco’s game is built around anticipation, ball skills, and range in deep coverage. He demonstrates clean footwork in off-man and zone concepts and shows the open-field tackling form expected of a starting NFL safety. His pairing with veteran safeties in Jacksonville helped refine his angles and route recognition, while his production in takeaways has remained a defining trait of his profile.
Notable Events and Milestones
Cisco became the highest safety drafted from Syracuse since Tebucky Jones and Donavin Darius in 1998 when the Jaguars selected him 65th overall in 2021. He recorded his first career interception in September 2022 against the Indianapolis Colts and returned a pick for his first career touchdown the following week at the Philadelphia Eagles. He also started in his first career playoff game in January 2022, a 31–30 AFC Wild Card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Andre Cisco Career Wins
Cisco’s professional career has featured steady defensive production and a series of memorable team victories, including an AFC Wild Card win with the Jaguars in January 2022. While individual win totals vary by season, his impact has been measured by turnovers, pass breakups, and dependable tackling.
NFL Highlights
Cisco has started 49 regular-season games across his NFL career through 2024, intercepting eight passes and breaking up 24 throws. He has also forced two fumbles, recovered one fumble, and recorded one sack along with 229 combined tackles. His postseason experience includes a Wild Card victory over the Chargers, while his most recent season featured a Week 14 win at the Tennessee Titans and a Week 17 victory over Tennessee in Jacksonville.
College Highlights
At Syracuse, Cisco played two standout seasons, intercepting 12 passes and recording 125 tackles across 22 starts. He was a First-team All-ACC selection and the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018, and a Second-team All-ACC honoree in 2019, despite injuries limiting his sophomore campaign.
Andre Cisco Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Limited verified public information is available about Andre Cisco’s parents and immediate family. He has spoken publicly about growing up in Valley Stream, New York, and about the influence of IMG Academy coaches in shaping his recruitment path.
Personal Life
Cisco has maintained a private personal life, with no publicly confirmed details about a spouse, partner, or children. He has been active on social media, where fans can follow his professional updates on his official accounts. His focus during his NFL career has remained on performance and durability after multiple injury setbacks.
2025 Season Performance
Cisco’s 2025 campaign began with promise after signing a one-year, $8.50 million contract with the New York Jets in March 2025. He started the season as a foundational piece of the Jets’ secondary and recorded 41 combined tackles, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery across eight appearances. His ball-hawking instincts and tackling reliability made him a consistent contributor before the injury interrupted his year.
The announcement on October 28, 2025, that Cisco would undergo surgery to repair a pectoral tear, followed by head coach Aaron Glenn’s November 3 confirmation that the procedure would be season-ending, abruptly ended a productive start. The injury adds to a career narrative that has included an ACL tear in college and shoulder and hamstring issues in the NFL, raising questions about his long-term durability heading into free agency.
With the contract set to expire after 2026, Cisco’s performance in the early portion of 2025 suggested he remained capable of starting-caliber play when healthy. His recovery timeline and rehabilitation progress will likely shape his market value, while the Jets will need to weigh his playmaking potential against his injury history as they plan their secondary.