Michael Jacobson Bio
Michael Jacobson (born April 4, 1997) is an American professional football tight end who plays in the National Football League. Born in Waukee, Iowa, Jacobson first built a reputation as a college basketball player at the University of Nebraska and Iowa State University before transitioning to football. Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing around 245 pounds, he possesses the size and frame typical of an NFL tight end, a position he has held since signing his first professional football contract in 2021.
Over the course of his football career, Jacobson has spent time with the Seattle Seahawks, the Indianapolis Colts, and the New Orleans Saints, working primarily on practice squads and reserve/future contracts. His journey from basketball standout to professional football player reflects a unique athletic path that has carried him across multiple NFL organizations.
Early Life and Background
Michael Jacobson was born on April 4, 1997, in Waukee, Iowa, to parents Bill Jacobson and Katie Jacobson. He grew up in Waukee, a suburb of Des Moines, and attended Waukee High School, where he developed into a standout multi-sport athlete. His father, Bill Jacobson, played basketball at the University of Omaha in the 1980s and currently works as an orthopedic surgeon. Jacobson’s grandfather also had an athletic background, having played football and baseball at Iowa State, giving the family a strong sporting tradition.
At Waukee High School, Jacobson starred in basketball, where he emerged as one of the top post players in the state of Iowa. As a junior, he averaged 17.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game and earned second-team all-state recognition. On February 3, 2015, he recorded a 34-point, 9-rebound performance in an 82–57 win against Mason City High School, demonstrating his scoring ability around the basket. As a senior, Jacobson averaged 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game, earning First-team All-CIML honors.
Although he received a scholarship offer to play football at Iowa State, Jacobson chose to focus on basketball. He ultimately committed to Nebraska over several other basketball programs, including Harvard, Lehigh, UTEP, Indiana State, and Drake. This decision set the stage for his college career as a basketball player and, eventually, his transition to the NFL.
Path to American Football
Jacobson’s path to professional football began later than most prospects, as he spent his early athletic years on the basketball court. At the University of Nebraska, he made 25 starts as a freshman, averaging 4.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game on a team that finished 16–18. He then started 31 games as a sophomore on a 12–19 squad, improving his averages to 6.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
Following his sophomore season, Jacobson was one of four players to transfer from Nebraska, and he signed with Iowa State, a program he had grown up supporting. He sat out a redshirt season under NCAA transfer rules and spent that year practicing against fellow transfer Marial Shayok. During his junior year at Iowa State, coach Steve Prohm inserted him into the starting lineup following the suspension of Cameron Lard, and Jacobson kept his role even after Lard returned because of his strong play. On November 20, 2018, he scored a career-high 23 points in an 84–68 win against Illinois. He averaged 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a junior, shooting 57.6 percent from the field, and helped the Cyclones reach the NCAA Tournament. That year, he earned Big 12 Conference All-Tournament team honors and was named the 2019 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He averaged 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a senior before turning to professional basketball briefly, signing with Kyiv-Basket of the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague on August 17, 2020. Eventually, his attention shifted to football, a sport he had been offered to play in college, leading to his first NFL opportunity in 2021.
Michael Jacobson Career
Early Career (2021)
Michael Jacobson’s professional football career began on August 6, 2021, when he signed with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was waived just four days later on August 10, 2021, but re-signed to the Seahawks’ practice squad on September 15, 2021. He was released from the practice squad on September 25, 2021, ending his first stint in the league after a brief introduction to NFL operations.
Shortly after his release, on October 5, 2021, Jacobson signed with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad, beginning a longer association with the organization. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Colts on January 10, 2022, securing his place with the team heading into the next league year.
Indianapolis Colts Era (2021–2023)
Jacobson’s time with the Indianapolis Colts spanned parts of three seasons, during which he primarily served on the practice squad. On August 30, 2022, he was waived by the Colts as part of roster moves, and his time with the team was briefly interrupted. He re-signed with the Colts on August 5, 2023, returning to the franchise he had first joined in 2021. However, on August 27, 2023, he was waived again as part of final roster cuts before the start of the 2023 regular season.
Although he never appeared in a regular-season game for Indianapolis, his repeated returns to the Colts showed that the organization valued his size and athletic profile. His persistence through multiple waivers and re-signings helped him maintain a foothold in the NFL despite the positional logjams common at tight end.
New Orleans Saints Era (2023–Present)
On September 13, 2023, Jacobson signed with the New Orleans Saints practice squad, beginning his current chapter in the league. Following the end of the 2023 regular season, the Saints signed him to a reserve/future contract on January 8, 2024, ensuring his place on the roster heading into the next phase of the offseason.
On August 27, 2024, Jacobson was waived by the Saints and re-signed to the practice squad, navigating the typical late-preseason churn that affects many depth players. He signed a reserve/future contract with New Orleans on January 6, 2025, continuing his association with the organization. On August 25, 2025, Jacobson was waived by the Saints, leaving his immediate status open as the 2025 season progressed.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a tight end, Michael Jacobson offers the kind of frame and length that NFL teams look for in a red-zone and blocking role. His basketball background gives him natural body control, strong hands, and the ability to box out defenders, traits that translate well to catching passes in traffic. Listed at 6 feet 7 inches and around 245 pounds, he projects as a positional blocker who can also serve as a short-yardage receiving target.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Jacobson’s football career came on August 6, 2021, when he signed his first NFL contract with the Seattle Seahawks, marking his transition from professional basketball to professional football. His repeated movement between active rosters, practice squads, and reserve/future contracts with three different franchises reflects the persistence required to remain in the league as a late-blooming prospect.
Michael Jacobson Family
Family Background and Athletic Lineage
Michael Jacobson comes from a deeply athletic family. His father, Bill Jacobson, played basketball at the University of Omaha in the 1980s and currently works as an orthopedic surgeon. His mother, Katie Jacobson, raised Michael in Waukee, Iowa, where the family supported his athletic development. Jacobson’s grandfather also played football and baseball at Iowa State, giving the family ties to the Cyclones program that Michael would later represent as a college basketball player.
Personal Life
Michael Jacobson was raised in Waukee, Iowa, and continues to be identified publicly with his hometown. He maintains a presence on social media, including accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, where he shares updates related to his athletic career. Public details about his marital status and children are not widely documented.
2025 Season Performance
Michael Jacobson’s 2025 NFL offseason began with his reserve/future contract with the New Orleans Saints signed on January 6, 2025, securing his place on the roster heading into training camp. His future with the team was reshaped on August 25, 2025, when he was waived by the Saints, leaving him as a free agent available to sign with any NFL franchise. As a tight end, his value to teams lies in his size, blocking ability, and red-zone potential as a developmental prospect.
With the 2025 regular season underway, Jacobson’s path back to an NFL roster will likely depend on whether a team in need of tight end depth offers him a practice squad or active roster opportunity. His prior experience with three organizations, including the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, and New Orleans Saints, gives him a track record of sticking within the league, even as he has not yet appeared in a regular-season NFL game.
Looking ahead, the 2025 season represents another opportunity for Jacobson to secure a more stable role on an active roster. Teams often turn to veteran practice squad players like Jacobson as injuries mount over the course of a long season, and his combination of basketball-honed coordination and football-specific development makes him a logical candidate for a call-up if the right opportunity arises.