J.J. Taylor Bio
Joseph Justyn Taylor, widely known as J.J. Taylor, is an American professional football running back and return specialist who also competes in Rocket League esports with Team Oxygen. Standing 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing around 185 pounds, he has built a career as a compact, shift-running playmaker at the highest level of the sport. After a record-setting college run at the University of Arizona, he signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Today he is associated with the Houston Texans, where he has spent time on the practice squad and active roster.
Beyond football, Taylor is recognized for his competitive presence in the Rocket League Championship Series, adding an esports identity to his athletic profile.
Early Life and Background
Joseph Justyn Taylor was born on January 4, 1998, in Corona, California. He grew up in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, where youth football is woven into the community calendar. His early athletic profile was shaped less by a long family sports lineage and more by his own work ethic and quickness on local fields.
Taylor attended Centennial High School in Corona, graduating in 2016. He was originally recruited as a defensive back before making the switch to running back, a position change that unlocked his offensive potential. As a senior, he rushed for 2,290 yards and 44 touchdowns, performances that earned him CalHiSports.com Mr. Football honors as the state of California’s top offensive player. He was also recognized as an All-Inland first-team selection and a Blue-Grey All-American, and he was rated a three-star recruit by Scout.com, Rivals.com and 247 Sports. He received scholarship offers from Washington State, Nevada, Ohio, Montana State, Sacramento State and Weber State before committing to the University of Arizona in 2015.
Path to American Football
Taylor’s college path began with a redshirt year in 2016, when he played in four games with one start before a midseason injury ended his freshman campaign. Despite the abbreviated season, he rushed for 261 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries and showed flashes of the burst that would later define his career.
His redshirt freshman season in 2017 turned him into a Pac-12 sensation. Taylor led the conference’s freshmen with 828 rushing yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and 69.0 yards per game, while scoring five touchdowns. He was named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year after helping Arizona average 324.4 rushing yards per game. By 2018, he had earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors, a spot on the Doak Walker Award watch list, and a return-touchdown highlight against Southern Utah. He capped his 2019 redshirt junior season with 721 rushing yards and five touchdowns before announcing on November 19, 2019, that he would forgo his senior year and declare for the 2020 NFL Draft.
J.J. Taylor Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
Taylor signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent on May 5, 2020. After a brief release and practice squad stint, he was promoted to the active roster on September 7, 2020, and made his professional debut the same week in a Patriots victory over the Miami Dolphins. He appeared as a reserve running back and return specialist during his first two seasons in Foxborough.
His most memorable early professional moment came on October 24, 2021, when he rushed for 21 yards and scored two touchdowns in New England’s 54–13 win over the New York Jets. The performance highlighted his short-yardage value and finishing instincts inside the red zone.
New England Patriots Era (2020–2022)
Taylor spent his first three NFL seasons in New England, where his compact frame and sudden jump-cut became regular features on punt and kickoff coverage units. He continued to serve as a change-of-pace back and core special teams contributor through the 2021 campaign.
His Patriots tenure closed in a series of reserve and practice squad moves. He was waived on August 30, 2022, signed back to the practice squad a day later, promoted to the active roster on November 5, 2022, and waived again on November 21, 2022. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 10, 2023, before being released on August 29, 2023.
Houston Texans Era (2023–Present)
On November 1, 2023, Taylor signed with the Houston Texans’ practice squad, beginning a new chapter in his career. He signed a reserve/future contract with Houston on January 22, 2024, and was released on August 27, 2024, before re-signing with the practice squad the same offseason. On October 30, 2024, he was promoted to the active roster, and on January 21, 2025, he signed another reserve/future deal with the Texans.
Taylor was released by the Texans on August 19, 2025, after multiple seasons of work between the practice squad and the active game-day roster. His time in Houston allowed him to continue specializing as a return specialist while serving as a depth running back.
Driving Style and Strengths
At 5-foot-6 and around 185 pounds, Taylor relies on a low center of gravity, rapid acceleration and elite lateral quickness rather than power between the tackles. His strengths include open-field vision, punt-return patience and short-yardage finishing, skills that fit naturally in two-minute offense and special teams packages.
Notable Events and Milestones
Taylor’s signature pro moment remains his two-touchdown performance in New England’s 54–13 win over the New York Jets in October 2021. He also takes pride in earning Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors in 2017 and first-team All-Pac-12 recognition in 2018, awards that marked his transition from high school standout to national college contributor.
J.J. Taylor Career Wins
Although exact career win totals are not fully documented, J.J. Taylor has accumulated individual and team victories across his college and professional career. His highlight-reel wins include Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2017, first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2018, and key touchdown performances in NFL victories for both the Patriots and the Texans.
College Highlights
At Arizona, Taylor produced his most decorated run during the 2017 season, rushing for 828 yards and earning Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. His redshirt sophomore season in 2018 brought 1,434 rushing yards, 49 receiving yards, seven total touchdowns and a kickoff return touchdown against Southern Utah.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond football, Taylor competes as a Rocket League esports player for Team Oxygen, giving him a notable crossover athletic résumé that bridges traditional and digital competition.
J.J. Taylor Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public records do not detail a multi-generational sports lineage for Taylor. His athletic rise is most closely tied to his high school program at Centennial in Corona, California, and to his college development at the University of Arizona.
Personal Life
Taylor’s personal life is largely kept private, and details about a spouse or children have not been publicly confirmed. He continues to focus on his professional football career while balancing his Rocket League esports commitments.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Taylor signed a reserve/future contract with the Houston Texans in January 2025 and spent the offseason competing for a depth role in the backfield and on special teams. His veteran experience in punt and kickoff returns remained a key selling point as the Texans shaped their final roster.
Taylor’s 2025 campaign was halted on August 19, 2025, when he was released by the Texans. For the remainder of the season, his outlook centers on securing another practice squad opportunity or active-roster call-up with an NFL team in need of return-game help.
Looking ahead, Taylor remains an intriguing option for teams that prioritize quickness, special teams versatility and proven pass-catching ability out of the backfield. His dual career in football and Rocket League continues to make him one of the more unique dual-sport professional athletes in the sport.