Josh Oliver Bio
Josh Oliver (born March 21, 1997) is an American professional football tight end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the San Jose State Spartans before being selected in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Standing at 196 cm and listed at around 120 kg, Oliver has carved out a reputation as a physical, run-first tight end whose blocking has consistently rated among the best at his position. Across his professional career, he has also played for the Baltimore Ravens.
Early Life and Background
Josh Oliver was born on March 21, 1997, in Templeton, California, and grew up in the central coast region of the state. He attended Paso Robles High School in Paso Robles, California, where he quickly became a multi-sport athlete. Football was the focal point of his development, but he also played basketball, earning attention for his versatility and competitive edge.
At Paso Robles, Oliver lined up at tight end, defensive end, and outside linebacker, and was recognized by the San Luis Obispo Tribune with first-team all-county accolades in both football and basketball. During the 2014 season, he recorded 453 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches while helping his team reach the CIF Southern California Division III championship game. On defense, he was named the 2014 CIF Southern Section Northern Division Defensive Player of the Year after posting 13 sacks and two interceptions as a senior.
Path to the NFL
Oliver was initially listed simply as an athlete during the recruiting process, but when he signed a National Letter of Intent with San Jose State, the Spartans coaching staff announced him as a tight end. Then-positional coach Dan Ferrigno publicly stated that Oliver had the tools to become an elite tight end, a projection that proved accurate over the following college seasons.
Oliver played at San Jose State from 2015 to 2018, finishing his college career with 98 receptions for 1,067 yards and seven touchdowns. He was a Mountain West Conference All-Academic honoree in each of his four seasons. As a freshman, his blocking was credited with helping teammate Tyler Ervin break the program’s single-season rushing yardage record, and he also emerged as a receiving threat, catching his first collegiate touchdown during the Spartans’ Cure Bowl victory over Georgia State. Midway through the 2018 season he won the John Mackey Award as the national tight end of the week, earned first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors, and was invited to the Senior Bowl.
Josh Oliver Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Oliver was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round, 69th overall, of the 2019 NFL Draft. His rookie season was cut short when he was placed on injured reserve on November 18, 2019. The following year, he underwent surgery for a broken bone in his foot and was placed on injured reserve again on August 20, 2020, limiting him to only a brief stretch with the Jaguars before the team moved on.
Baltimore Ravens Era (2021–2022)
On March 18, 2021, Oliver was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a conditional 2022 seventh-round selection. In his first season with Baltimore, he appeared in 14 games and posted nine receptions for 66 yards, gradually working his way into a larger role in the offense.
The 2022 season marked a clear step forward. In Week 3 against the New England Patriots, Oliver caught his first career touchdown pass, a one-yard strike from quarterback Lamar Jackson, in a 37–26 win. He finished the year with 14 receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, he graded as the top run-blocking tight end in the NFL among players with at least 200 blocking snaps, cementing his identity as a complete player at the position.
Minnesota Vikings Era (2023–Present)
On March 15, 2023, Oliver signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings, joining an offense looking to emphasize the tight end position. He responded with a productive 2023 season, finishing with 22 receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns. The following year he matched his reception total, posting 22 catches for 258 yards and three touchdowns.
On June 10, 2025, Oliver signed a three-year, $23.25 million contract extension with the Vikings, locking him in through the 2028 season. He has remained a fixture in Minnesota’s scheme, valued for his combination of size, in-line blocking, and dependable hands in the short and intermediate areas of the field.
Driving Style and Strengths
Oliver is best known for his physical, aggressive style as a run-blocker, using his frame to seal edges and displace defenders at the point of attack. His receiving game has steadily grown, with reliable hands and a willingness to work the middle of the field. Coaches have praised his football intelligence and his willingness to do the unglamorous work that tight ends are asked to handle in modern NFL offenses.
Notable Events and Milestones
Oliver’s first career NFL touchdown came from Lamar Jackson in 2022, a milestone that signaled his emergence as a trusted target in Baltimore. He later earned the top run-blocking grade among NFL tight ends from Pro Football Focus in 2022, and his 2025 contract extension with the Vikings highlighted his continued value to one of the league’s most run-heavy schemes.
Josh Oliver Career Wins
Josh Oliver’s professional resume is defined more by consistent production and elite blocking than by prolific touchdown totals. Across his stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, and Minnesota Vikings, he has contributed as both a receiver and a tone-setting blocker, helping each team establish the run while chipping in key catches in the passing game.
NFL Career Highlights
In Baltimore, Oliver registered his first two NFL touchdowns during the 2022 season, both in crucial situations, and finished the year as Pro Football Focus’s highest-graded run-blocking tight end. With Minnesota, he posted back-to-back seasons of 22 receptions in 2023 and 2024, scoring five touchdowns across those two years and anchoring one of the league’s most physical rushing attacks.
Other Notable Performances
At the collegiate level, Oliver earned first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2018, was a Mountain West All-Academic selection every year from 2015 to 2018, and was a Senior Bowl invitee. He was also named the 2014 CIF Southern Section Northern Division Defensive Player of the Year as a high school senior at Paso Robles.
Josh Oliver Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Josh Oliver comes from a family with a strong athletic background. His uncle, Clancy Oliver, played as an NFL defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1969 to 1970 and for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973. His second cousin, Darren Oliver, was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1993 to 2013. His father, Rene Oliver, earned All-Western Football Conference first-team accolades as a cornerback at Cal Poly in 1987 and 1988, helping shape Josh’s competitive foundation.
Personal Life
Josh Oliver was a high school and college teammate of Bailey Gaither, a wide receiver and return specialist who later played in the United States Football League. Public details about Oliver’s personal life beyond his football career remain limited.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Josh Oliver enters the year on the heels of a June 10, 2025 contract extension that keeps him in Minnesota through the 2028 season. The three-year, $23.25 million deal underscores the organization’s confidence in his role as both a blocker and a complementary receiver within their offense. With continuity at tight end and a system built around physicality, Oliver is expected to remain a key piece of the Vikings’ identity.
His 2023 and 2024 production of 22 receptions in each season established a steady baseline, while his five total touchdowns across those years show his continued growth as a red-zone threat. The Vikings’ offensive scheme, which emphasizes the run game and play-action concepts, has provided Oliver with consistent opportunities to leverage his blocking strengths and create favorable matchups in the passing game.
With a stable role and a long-term contract, Oliver is positioned to push toward his first 30-reception NFL season and to continue grading as one of the league’s premier run-blocking tight ends. His blend of size, technique, and reliability makes him a central figure in Minnesota’s plans for the 2025 season and beyond.