Hjalte Froholdt Bio
Hjalte Froholdt (YEL-də FROH-holt; born August 20, 1996) is a Danish professional American football center for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing around 141 kilograms, he plays one of the most physical positions on the offensive line. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft and later developed into a full-time NFL starter after stops in Houston and Cleveland. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Early Life and Background
Hjalte Froholdt was born on August 20, 1996, in Svendborg, Denmark, a coastal town on the island of Funen. He grew up in a country where American football was a niche sport, and he first picked up the game with the local Svendborg Admirals. Those early days on Danish fields helped him develop the fundamentals that would later carry him to the highest level of the sport.
As a teenager, Froholdt spent his sophomore year as an exchange student at Warren G. Harding High School in Warren, Ohio, where he gained his first extended exposure to organized American football in the United States. After returning to Denmark, he played for the U-19 youth team of the Søllerød Gold Diggers, one of the country’s better-known American football programs. His senior year took him to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, a national powerhouse for developing football talent. That pathway through IMG ultimately led him to commit to the University of Arkansas.
Path to American Football
Froholdt’s route to the NFL ran through college football at Arkansas, where he was recruited by then-head coach Bret Bielema. Bielema later became the defensive line coach for the New England Patriots, a connection that would prove important when Froholdt entered the professional ranks. At Arkansas, Froholdt showed the kind of position flexibility that teams covet on the offensive line.
He arrived at Arkansas as a defensive lineman in 2015 before switching to the offensive side of the ball in 2016. He played 13 games at left guard in 2016 and another 12 in 2017, earning recognition for not allowing a sack during the 2017 season. In 2018, he logged three games at center before moving back to left guard, and he earned Second-team All-SEC honors that year. While preparing for the 2019 draft, Froholdt also worked Super Bowl LIII as a broadcaster for Danish media, helping raise the profile of American football back home.
Hjalte Froholdt Career
Early Career (2019)
Froholdt entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick, selected 118th overall by the New England Patriots in the 2019 NFL draft. He became only the second native of Denmark to be drafted by an NFL team, following kicker Morten Andersen, who was selected in 1982. His selection was a notable milestone for Danish-born players chasing professional football careers in the United States.
His first Patriots training camp was cut short. On August 31, 2019, he was placed on injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury in the preseason, including a Week 4 preseason game against the New York Giants. The injury kept him off the field for his entire rookie season and delayed his NFL debut. On November 21, 2020, the Patriots waived him, ending his initial tenure in New England.
New England Patriots Era (2019–2020)
Froholdt’s time in New England was brief and largely spent on the sideline or in recovery. After being placed on injured reserve in August 2019, he spent his rookie year rehabilitating his shoulder and learning the Patriots’ offensive system. The Patriots had invested a mid-round pick in him with the idea of developing him along the offensive line, but the injury prevented him from competing for a roster spot in 2019.
When he returned healthy in 2020, he was unable to secure a steady role on the active roster. The Patriots waived him in November 2020, and his New England chapter closed without a regular-season appearance. The experience, however, gave him a foundation in NFL-level preparation that helped him survive the roster moves that followed.
Houston Texans Era (2020–2021)
On November 23, 2020, the Houston Texans claimed Froholdt off waivers, giving him a fresh opportunity. His first season in Houston was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on December 17, 2020. The Texans activated him on January 13, 2021, and he finished the year as part of their offensive line group.
In 2021, Froholdt remained with the Texans through the preseason. On August 31, 2021, he was waived and quickly re-signed to the practice squad. He stayed on the practice squad until early October, when a new opportunity opened with a different organization.
Cleveland Browns Era (2021–2022)
On October 5, 2021, the Cleveland Browns signed Froholdt off the Houston Texans’ practice squad, adding depth to their offensive line. He appeared briefly with the active roster before being waived on November 27, 2021, and then re-signed to the practice squad. On December 24, 2021, he was elevated to the Browns’ active roster as a COVID-19 replacement player, giving him another chance to compete at the NFL level.
The Browns signed Froholdt to a reserve/futures contract on January 10, 2022, keeping him in the organization for the following season. His time in Cleveland was spent rotating between the practice squad and the active roster, a common path for developing offensive linemen working to prove they belong.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2023–Present)
On March 15, 2023, Froholdt signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals, a move that finally gave him a clear path to a starting role. The Cardinals named him their Week 1 starting center, and he went on to start every game in 2023, establishing himself as a reliable presence in the middle of their offensive line.
On August 21, 2024, Froholdt signed a two-year extension with the Cardinals, signaling the team’s confidence in him as a long-term building block. The deal keeps him in Arizona beyond the original contract, which was set to end in 2025. His steady play at center has made him one of the more quietly important pieces of the Cardinals’ offensive rebuild.
Driving Style and Strengths
While football centers do not “drive” in the automotive sense, Froholdt’s on-field strengths center on power, balance, and communication. At 6 feet 5 inches and around 141 kilograms, he has the size to anchor against NFL defensive tackles and the footwork to handle stunts at the line of scrimmage. His experience at both guard and center gives the Cardinals flexibility in how they deploy their offensive line combinations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Froholdt’s biggest milestones include becoming only the second native of Denmark to be drafted by an NFL team, earning Second-team All-SEC honors in 2018, and starting every game for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. He also gained international recognition in 2019 when he worked Super Bowl LIII as a broadcaster for Danish media, helping grow the game’s profile in his home country.
Hjalte Froholdt Career Wins
Hjalte Froholdt’s professional record is best measured by durability, role security, and postseason experience rather than by headline statistics. Across stints with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals, he has earned a full-time starting role at center and locked in a contract extension with his current team.
Arizona Cardinals Highlights
Froholdt joined the Cardinals in 2023 and immediately became the Week 1 starting center, going on to start every game that season. His durability through a full 17-game schedule marked his most complete NFL campaign to date. The Cardinals rewarded him with a two-year extension in August 2024, a sign of organizational trust in his play.
Other Wins and Performances
At Arkansas, Froholdt earned Second-team All-SEC recognition in 2018 after a season in which he did not allow a sack in 2017 and showed versatility across guard and center. He also gained valuable big-game experience when he worked Super Bowl LIII as a broadcaster for Danish media, an unusual milestone for a player still early in his NFL journey.
Hjalte Froholdt Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Detailed information about Hjalte Froholdt’s immediate family and upbringing outside of football is limited in publicly available sources. He grew up in Svendborg, Denmark, and his development as a player carried him through Danish clubs, an American high school exchange, IMG Academy, and the University of Arkansas.
Personal Life
Hjalte Froholdt is married to his wife, Ashley. On August 23, 2023, Froholdt announced via Instagram that the couple had welcomed a baby girl named Lucia Loloma. The family has been part of his life in Arizona as he has settled into his starting role with the Cardinals.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Hjalte Froholdt enters his third year with the Arizona Cardinals and his second as the unquestioned starting center. The two-year extension he signed in August 2024 covers the 2025 and 2026 campaigns, giving him job security and the chance to build long-term chemistry with the rest of the offensive line. His 2023 track record of starting every game has set a strong baseline.
The Cardinals’ outlook for 2025 hinges in part on the cohesion of their offensive line, and Froholdt’s experience at both guard and center offers the coaching staff valuable flexibility. If he can replicate his 2023 durability and continue to grow as a communicator at the line of scrimmage, he will be a central figure in the team’s push to improve its offensive efficiency. The extension signals that the organization views him as a long-term solution rather than a stopgap.
For Froholdt personally, 2025 also represents a chance to further establish himself as one of the most successful Danish-born players in modern NFL history, following in the footsteps of Morten Andersen. With his family settled in Arizona and his role secure, he is well positioned to make the 2025 season another step forward in a career that has already traveled from Svendborg to the NFL starting lineup.