Jadeveon Clowney Bio
Jadeveon Davarus Clowney, born February 14, 1993, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, is an American professional football defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Standing roughly 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 266 pounds, Clowney built his reputation as one of the most disruptive pass rushers of his generation. He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks, winning the Ted Hendricks Award in 2012, before being selected first overall by the Houston Texans in the 2014 NFL draft.
Across his professional career, Clowney has played for the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, and Dallas Cowboys. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections and one second-team All-Pro honor. On September 14, 2025, he signed a one-year, 3.5 million dollar contract with the Dallas Cowboys, joining the franchise after being released by the Carolina Panthers earlier that year.
Early Life and Background
Jadeveon Davarus Clowney was born on February 14, 1993, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and grew up in a tight-knit family shaped by resilience. His mother, Josenna Clowney, has worked as a processing technician at the Frito-Lay plant in Charlotte, North Carolina, since 1994. His father, David Morgan, was released from prison in 2006 after serving nearly twelve years for a 1995 robbery conviction. With his father incarcerated for much of his childhood, Clowney was raised by his mother and his maternal grandparents, John and Josephine Clowney, along with his mother’s longtime boyfriend, Christopher Jones.
Clowney attended South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, where he played for the Stallions. Already 6 feet 3 inches and 200 pounds as a freshman in 2007, he played running back and defensive end on the junior varsity team before moving permanently to defensive end by his sophomore spring. He starred alongside teammates Stephon Gilmore and DeVonte Holloman, helping South Pointe post a 15-0 record and win the 2008 South Carolina AAAAAA Division 1 state title. Across three varsity seasons, South Pointe went 38-6 while Clowney piled up sacks and tackles at a historic rate, earning the title of South Carolina’s 2010 Mr. Football.
Path to American Football
Throughout middle school and high school, recruiting analysts at Rivals.com, Scout.com, and ESPNU consistently ranked Clowney as the consensus No. 1 overall prospect of the 2011 class. He received scholarship offers from nearly every perennial BCS powerhouse and announced his commitment to South Carolina on his eighteenth birthday, February 14, 2011, selecting the Gamecocks over Clemson, Alabama, Louisiana State, and Florida State. His signing kept a streak alive, as he became the third straight South Carolina Mr. Football to join the Gamecocks.
He also competed on South Pointe’s track and field team as a sprinter, shot putter, and discus thrower. He placed ninth in the 100 meters at the 2011 York County Championships with a career-best time of 11.43 seconds, recorded a personal-best shot put of 14.82 meters at the 2011 State Championships, and ran the fourth leg of the 4×100 meter relay squad that finished third in 42.86 seconds. Those numbers reflected the same explosiveness that scouts saw on the football field.
Jadeveon Clowney Career
Early Career (2011-2013)
Clowney arrived at the University of South Carolina in 2011 and played three seasons under head coach Steve Spurrier. As a true freshman, he started all 12 games, recorded 36 tackles, 8.0 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles, and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year. He became the first freshman to start on the Gamecocks’ defensive line since 2007 and made an immediate impact with a strip-sack of Aaron Murray in the rivalry win over Georgia.
As a sophomore in 2012, Clowney emerged as the best defensive player in college football, setting South Carolina single-season records with 13.0 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss while earning Unanimous All-American honors and the Ted Hendricks Award. He also finished sixth in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting. His junior season ended with the 2014 Capital One Bowl win over Wisconsin, after which he announced he would forgo his senior year and enter the NFL draft.
Houston Texans Era (2014-2018)
Selected first overall by the Houston Texans in the 2014 NFL draft, Clowney joined David Carr and Mario Williams as the third No. 1 overall pick in franchise history. He signed a four-year, 22.2725 million dollar rookie deal that included a 14.5185 million dollar signing bonus. A torn meniscus limited him to seven tackles in four games during his rookie year, and microfracture surgery cut his season short.
Healthy again in 2016, Clowney posted 6 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and 52 total tackles while earning his first Pro Bowl nod and a second-team All-Pro selection. In 2017, he recorded his first NFL interception against Oakland Raiders quarterback Connor Cook in the Wild Card Round and scored his first career touchdown off a fumble by Tom Brady. He was named to two more Pro Bowls in 2017 and 2018, capped by a 2018 season with 9 sacks, 47 tackles, and a fumble recovery touchdown against Indianapolis.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2019)
On August 31, 2019, the Texans traded Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks for Jacob Martin, Barkevious Mingo, and a third-round pick. He made an immediate impact with a sack of Andy Dalton in his Seattle debut and later intercepted Kyler Murray, returning the screen pass for a touchdown in a 27-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, he recorded a strip sack and a fumble recovery touchdown, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
In the NFC Wild Card Round against the Philadelphia Eagles, Clowney recorded five tackles, a sack of Josh McCown, and a controversial helmet-to-helmet hit on Carson Wentz that knocked the Eagles quarterback out of the game. The NFL chose not to fine him for the hit. He was later named a 2020 Pro Bowl alternate.
Tennessee Titans Era (2020)
Clowney signed a one-year, 12 million dollar contract with the Tennessee Titans on September 8, 2020. His season was cut short when he was placed on injured reserve on November 21, 2020, due to a knee injury.
Cleveland Browns Era (2021-2022)
On April 14, 2021, Clowney signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in 14 games and posted 37 tackles, 9 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles, his highest sack total since 2018. He was named a 2022 Pro Bowl alternate. Clowney re-signed with Cleveland on a one-year deal worth up to 11 million dollars in May 2022, but his tenure ended in controversy after he made critical comments about his usage in early January 2023 and was released on March 15, 2023.
Baltimore Ravens Era (2023)
On August 18, 2023, Clowney signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He played in all 17 regular season games, started 15, and finished with 9.5 sacks, 43 total tackles, 5 passes defended, and 2 forced fumbles. He also recorded a sack in the Ravens’ AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Carolina Panthers Era (2024)
On March 27, 2024, Clowney signed a two-year, 20 million dollar contract with the Carolina Panthers. He finished the 2024 season with 5.5 sacks, 46 total tackles, and 4 passes defended before being released by the Panthers on May 8, 2025.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2025-Present)
On September 14, 2025, Clowney signed a one-year, 3.5 million dollar contract with the Dallas Cowboys, marking his eighth NFL team. The signing came two days after an incident in his hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina, in which he was arrested on misdemeanor trespassing and failure to identify charges following a parking dispute. He joined the Cowboys looking to add veteran pass-rushing depth to a defense seeking postseason success.
Driving Style and Strengths
Clowney built his reputation on explosive first-step quickness, violent hand usage, and the rare athletic ability to play from both two- and three-point stances on the edge. He excels at setting the edge against the run while still possessing the speed to chase mobile quarterbacks, and his track-and-field background as a sprinter and shot putter gave him a base of strength and acceleration that translated seamlessly to the NFL.
Notable Events and Milestones
Clowney’s signature moment came in the 2013 Outback Bowl, when his famous hit on Michigan running back Vincent Smith forced a fumble that he recovered himself, setting up a go-ahead South Carolina touchdown and earning him the 2013 ESPY Award for Best Play. He was also a unanimous All-American in 2012 and the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft.
Jadeveon Clowney Career Wins
While defensive end statistics focus on sacks rather than wins, Clowney has built a résumé of team and individual accomplishments across his NFL stops. His biggest team result came with the 2018 Houston Texans, who reached the AFC Divisional Round, and the 2019 Seattle Seahawks, who advanced to the NFC Divisional Round.
NFL Highlights
Clowney recorded his first NFL sack against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in the 2014 preseason and his first regular-season sack against the Miami Dolphins on October 25, 2015. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2016 through 2018 and a second-team All-Pro nod in 2016. With the 2019 Seahawks, he registered his first career regular-season interception off Arizona Cardinals rookie Kyler Murray, returning it for a touchdown.
Other Wins and Performances
In college, Clowney anchored South Carolina’s 11-2 run in 2012 that included a Capital One Bowl win over Nebraska and an Outback Bowl victory over Michigan to open 2013. He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and a consensus No. 1 overall high school recruit in the 2011 class.
Jadeveon Clowney Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Clowney’s cousin, Demon Clowney, plays football for the South Carolina Gamecocks, continuing a clear family connection to the program where Jadeveon starred. His mother, Josenna Clowney, and his maternal grandparents, John and Josephine Clowney, raised him in Rock Hill while his father, David Morgan, served time in prison for much of his early years. That upbringing shaped the close-knit support system that has traveled with him throughout his football career.
Personal Life
Clowney remains closely tied to his hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina, where his immediate family still resides. He has continued to be a visible presence in the community that shaped his football journey, even as he has moved across multiple NFL cities over the past decade.
2025 Season Performance
Clowney entered the 2025 NFL calendar as a free agent after his release from the Carolina Panthers on May 8, 2025. The Cowboys signed him to a one-year, 3.5 million dollar deal on September 14, 2025, adding an experienced pass rusher to a defensive front looking to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
His first weeks in Dallas were marked by off-field headlines after he was arrested in Rock Hill on September 12, 2025, on misdemeanor trespassing and failure to identify charges. Despite the distraction, the Cowboys moved forward with Clowney as part of their edge-rushing rotation alongside their younger defensive ends.
Looking ahead, Clowney’s 2025 outlook centers on providing veteran leadership and situational pass-rush production for the Cowboys. With the contract running through the end of the 2026 league year, both Clowney and the franchise have an opportunity to evaluate a longer-term fit if his late-season production matches the form he showed during his Pro Bowl years in Houston.