Jeremiah Pharms Bio
Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr. (born October 16, 1996) is an American professional football defensive tackle for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing around 300 pounds, he plays on the interior defensive line and contributes to the Patriots’ rotation up front. After beginning his career away from the NFL, Pharms has built his professional resume through indoor and spring leagues before establishing himself on a New England practice squad and later the active roster.
Early Life and Background
Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr. was born on October 16, 1996, in Stockton, California. He grew up in the Stockton area and attended Stagg High School, where he developed into a college-level defensive lineman. His size and strength at a young age pointed him toward a future on the defensive line, and he continued to add bulk as he progressed through school.
Pharms comes from a family with deep football ties. His father, Jeremiah Pharms Sr., played college football at the University of Washington and was part of the 2000 Huskies team that won the Rose Bowl. That connection gave Pharms an early understanding of the work required to compete at a high level and shaped his approach to the game from an early age.
Path to Professional Football
Pharms’s path to the professional ranks was not a traditional one. Rather than sign with a major college program out of high school, he attended multiple schools while continuing to develop as a defensive lineman. He played college football at Sacramento City College, San Joaquin Delta College, and Friends University, moving between programs while staying focused on his goal of reaching the next level.
That unconventional route paid off when he declared for the NFL. Pharms went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft but did not give up on his professional ambitions. He instead began his career in the indoor game, eventually working his way back into the NFL picture through perseverance and steady development along the defensive line.
Jeremiah Pharms Career
Early Career (2021)
After going undrafted in 2020, Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr. made his professional debut with the Wichita Force of the Champions Indoor Football League in 2021. The indoor game gave him a chance to play regularly, refine his technique as an interior defensive lineman, and adjust to the speed of professional football. His time with the Wichita Force served as the foundation for everything that followed.
The indoor season allowed Pharms to showcase his quickness and power against experienced professional opponents. Although the Champions Indoor Football League sits outside the NFL spotlight, the experience helped him sharpen his pass-rush moves and run-defense fundamentals. It also kept him in playing shape and visible to scouts looking for developmental talent.
Pittsburgh Maulers and Path Back to the NFL (2022)
In 2022, Pharms joined the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League, a spring league that brought renewed attention to alternative paths to the NFL. Playing for the Maulers gave him another full season of meaningful reps at the professional level. He finished the year with 22 tackles and two sacks, strong production for an interior defensive lineman.
That performance helped open the door back to the NFL. Following the conclusion of the USFL season, Pharms signed with the New England Patriots on July 19, 2022. Although he was waived on August 30 as teams trimmed rosters, he was re-signed to the Patriots’ practice squad the very next day, keeping him within the organization and on an NFL path.
New England Patriots Era (2022–Present)
Pharms continued to grind within the New England system. On January 10, 2023, he signed a reserve/future contract with the Patriots, securing his place on the offseason roster. The following preseason, on August 29, 2023, he was waived and immediately re-signed to the practice squad, again demonstrating the organization’s interest in retaining him as a developmental piece.
His patience was rewarded on November 4, 2023, when Pharms was signed to the Patriots’ active roster, giving him his first regular-season opportunity in the NFL. On February 11, 2025, he signed a two-year contract extension with New England, a sign that the team viewed him as part of its defensive plans. He was released on September 6, 2025, and re-signed to the practice squad, continuing his role within the Patriots organization.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr. brings a combination of size, leverage, and quickness to the defensive tackle position. At roughly 300 pounds, he is built to hold up against the run while also possessing the foot quickness to challenge interior pass protectors. His background in indoor and spring leagues has made him comfortable playing in tight spaces and reacting quickly to blocks at the line of scrimmage.
Notable Events and Milestones
A defining early milestone came during the 2022 USFL season with the Pittsburgh Maulers, where Pharms recorded 22 tackles and two sacks. Earning an NFL opportunity with the New England Patriots later that summer, and later being elevated to the active roster in November 2023, stand as the most significant moments of his professional journey so far.
Jeremiah Pharms Career Wins
Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr.’s career has been built more on steady development than on trophy collections. His professional resume includes seasons in the Champions Indoor Football League with the Wichita Force, the USFL with the Pittsburgh Maulers, and the NFL with the New England Patriots. Each stop has represented a step forward in his progression as an interior defensive lineman.
League Highlights
Pharms’s most productive statistical season to date came in 2022 with the Pittsburgh Maulers, when he recorded 22 tackles and two sacks. His transition from the USFL to the New England Patriots later that year marked his arrival in the NFL. Signing a two-year extension with the Patriots in February 2025 reflected the franchise’s belief in his continued development.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his statistical production, Pharms’s career wins include consistently earning practice-squad and reserve/future contracts with the Patriots, as well as being elevated to the active roster in November 2023. Those moves underscore the value New England has placed on his size, work ethic, and fit within the defensive line room.
Jeremiah Pharms Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Football runs in the Pharms family. Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr.’s father, Jeremiah Pharms Sr., played college football at the University of Washington and was part of the 2000 Huskies squad that won the Rose Bowl. That pedigree helped shape Pharms’s understanding of the game and the standards required to compete at the highest levels.
Personal Life
Pharms grew up in Stockton, California, where he attended Stagg High School before pursuing his college and professional football career. He has spent his NFL years within the New England Patriots organization since 2022. Details about his marital status and family life outside of football are not publicly documented.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represents another step in Jeremiah Keith Pharms Jr.’s long-term project with the New England Patriots. After signing a two-year contract extension in February 2025, he entered training camp looking to solidify a role on the defensive line. His status shifted on September 6, 2025, when he was released and then re-signed to the practice squad, a familiar pattern in his Patriots tenure that has typically preceded a return to the active roster.
For 2025, Pharms’s main objective remains earning consistent defensive line snaps in New England’s rotation. The Patriots have shown sustained confidence in his development, as evidenced by the multi-year extension and repeated practice-squad moves. His experience at defensive tackle, paired with his work in multiple professional leagues, gives him a clear path back onto the game-day roster when opportunities arise.
Looking ahead, the rest of the 2025 season offers Pharms a chance to translate his practice-squad preparation into measurable regular-season contributions. Whether he is called up as a rotational run-stopper or an interior pass-rusher, his role within the New England defensive line room continues to be defined by patience, persistence, and steady improvement.