Noah Fant Bio
Noah Fant is an American professional football tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing about 249 pounds, Fant has built his career as a pass-catching tight end with the size and athleticism to create mismatches against defensive backs and linebackers alike.
Across his NFL career, Fant has played for the Denver Broncos, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Cincinnati Bengals. He earned recognition as one of the top tight end prospects of his draft class and later developed into a reliable intermediate and red-zone target. His combination of speed, route-running polish, and receiving production has made him a consistent contributor at the professional level.
Early Life and Background
Noah Fant was born on November 20, 1997, in Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up in the same city where he would later become a celebrated high school athlete. Before his high school years, Fant attended Morton Magnet Middle School, where he began playing organized football and developed the foundation of his athletic skills.
Fant attended and played high school football first at Omaha Burke High School before transferring to Omaha South High School. After transferring, he emerged as one of the most productive receivers in the state of Nebraska. At Omaha South, he set a state record with 86 receptions and 1,700 receiving yards, while also scoring 15 touchdowns. His dominant high school career established him as a top college recruit at the tight end position.
Path to American Football
Fant committed to the University of Iowa, joining a program with a strong tradition of developing NFL tight ends. As a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes, he worked his way into the offensive rotation and quickly showed the receiving skills that had made him a record-setting high school player. His production in the passing game drew national attention during his early college seasons.
During his sophomore season at Iowa, Fant tied the national record for touchdowns by tight ends with 11 and led the nation in yards per catch, averaging 16.5 yards per reception. His 11 touchdown receptions set a school record for touchdown catches by a tight end. Those efforts earned him Third-team All-Big Ten Conference honors for the 2017 season. Prior to the 2018 season, Fant was named a preseason All-American, and on November 30, 2018, he announced that he was declaring for the 2019 NFL draft.
Noah Fant Career
Early Career (2019–2021, Denver Broncos)
Fant was selected 20th overall by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. The Broncos acquired the pick after trading down from their 10th overall selection. He made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Oakland Raiders, recording two catches for 29 yards in a 24–16 loss. In Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he caught two passes for 31 yards and his first career touchdown in a 26–24 loss. He finished his rookie season with 40 receptions for 562 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns, earning a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
In the 2020 season, Fant caught five passes for 81 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the year in a Week 1 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football, and he added four catches for 57 yards, a touchdown, and a two-point conversion the following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He closed the year with 62 receptions for 673 yards and three receiving touchdowns. In 2021, he posted 68 receptions for 670 yards and a career-high four receiving touchdowns.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2022–2024)
On March 16, 2022, Fant was traded to the Seattle Seahawks along with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, and defensive lineman Shelby Harris in exchange for quarterback Russell Wilson. On April 12, 2022, the Seahawks picked up his fifth-year option. He finished the 2022 season with 50 receptions for 486 yards and four touchdowns, and in 2023, he started all 17 games for the first time in his career while recording 32 receptions for 414 yards.
On March 13, 2024, Fant signed a two-year, $21 million contract extension with the Seahawks. In the 2024 season, he recorded 48 receptions for 500 yards and one touchdown, continuing his role as a steady target in the passing game. On July 20, 2025, Fant was released by the Seahawks, opening the door for the next stage of his career.
Cincinnati Bengals Era (2025–Present)
After his release from Seattle, several teams expressed interest in acquiring Fant. The Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, and Miami Dolphins all held meetings and private workouts for him. After those sessions, Fant signed a one-year deal with the Bengals on July 31, 2025, joining an offense led by quarterback Joe Burrow.
Fant made an immediate impact in the Bengals’ season opener against the Cleveland Browns, scoring a one-yard touchdown on a pass from Burrow. He finished the game with four receptions off five targets for 26 yards and a touchdown, signaling an early role in the Cincinnati passing attack. His arrival gives the Bengals a proven pass-catching tight end as they pursue postseason success.
Driving Style and Strengths
Fant is best known as a receiving tight end rather than a traditional in-line blocker. His strengths include route-running precision, the ability to separate from linebackers and safeties, and above-average speed for the position. He excels on intermediate crossing routes, seam routes down the middle of the field, and red-zone targets where his catch radius and length create scoring opportunities.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the signature moments of Fant’s career came during his rookie season in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns, when he finished with three catches for 115 receiving yards, including a 75-yard touchdown in a 24–19 Broncos win. He also tied the national record for touchdowns by tight ends during his sophomore season at Iowa, and he has surpassed 60 receptions in multiple NFL seasons, confirming his consistency as a target.
Noah Fant Career Wins
Fant’s career achievements include selection in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2019, First-team All-Big Ten honors in 2018, and Third-team All-Big Ten recognition in 2017. He has also set school records at the University of Iowa for touchdown catches by a tight end, while at the NFL level he has produced multiple 60-plus reception seasons and logged a career-high four receiving touchdowns in 2021.
NFL Highlights
Across his NFL career, Fant has recorded strong production as a pass-catching tight end, with multiple 60-reception seasons and a career-high four receiving touchdowns in 2021 with the Broncos. His most recent touchdown came in his Bengals debut, a one-yard scoring reception from Joe Burrow against the Cleveland Browns, giving him an early signature moment with his new team.
Other Wins and Performances
At the high school level, Fant set a Nebraska state record with 86 receptions and 1,700 receiving yards at Omaha South High School, and he added 15 touchdowns in the same season. In college, his 11-touchdown sophomore campaign at Iowa tied the national record for touchdowns by a tight end and led the nation in yards per catch that year.
Noah Fant Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Fant was raised in Omaha, Nebraska, where he attended Morton Magnet Middle School before continuing his education at Omaha Burke High School and later Omaha South High School. His cousin, Princeton Fant, also plays tight end and does so for the Dallas Cowboys, giving the family a notable presence at the NFL tight end position.
Personal Life
Fant is a Christian. Beyond his faith and his family connection to Princeton Fant, details about his broader personal life are not widely documented in public sources, and he tends to keep his off-field life private while focusing on his professional football career.
2025 Season Performance
Fant’s 2025 campaign began with a free-agency period that saw him sign a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on July 31, 2025. The Bengals, New Orleans Saints, and Miami Dolphins all hosted meetings and private workouts for him, but Cincinnati emerged as the destination, pairing him with quarterback Joe Burrow in an offense seeking additional receiving options.
In the Bengals’ season opener against the Cleveland Browns, Fant made an immediate contribution, catching a one-yard touchdown from Burrow and finishing with four receptions on five targets for 26 yards. That performance signaled a clear role for Fant as a red-zone and chain-moving target in the Bengals’ passing game, and it provided an encouraging start to his Cincinnati tenure.
With a one-year deal in hand, Fant’s outlook in Cincinnati depends on his ability to stay productive as a pass catcher and to build chemistry with Burrow. If he maintains his early-season form, he could play an important supporting role as the Bengals push for a return to the playoffs.