Tarik Black Bio
Tarik Black (born February 10, 1998) is an American professional football wide receiver. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and the Texas Longhorns before beginning his NFL career. At the professional level, Black has spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Miami Dolphins. Listed at 6 feet 3 inches and around 215 pounds, he has worked primarily through practice squads and short-term contracts while pursuing a stable role on an active roster.
Early Life and Background
Tarik Black was born on February 10, 1998, in Hamden, Connecticut. He grew up in the region and attended Cheshire Academy, a preparatory school in Cheshire, Connecticut, where he developed into a top-tier high school prospect. Coming out of Cheshire Academy, Black was rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 81 high school player in the country by ESPN. He was also considered the top recruit in the state of Connecticut and received an invitation to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Black drew scholarship offers from several major college football programs, including Auburn and Alabama. In December 2016, in a Facebook live broadcast, he announced his commitment to play college football at the University of Michigan. His combination of size, route-running polish, and production at the prep level helped position him as one of the most talked-about receiver prospects in his recruiting class.
Path to American Football
Black enrolled early at Michigan in January 2017 and immediately joined the Wolverines’ spring practice. Observers noted that he impressed during those spring sessions, an early sign of his potential to contribute as a freshman. On September 2, 2017, Black started at wide receiver in Michigan’s season opener against Florida and scored a touchdown on his first collegiate reception while finishing with two catches for 83 yards. The debut was a strong introduction to the Big Ten stage.
His progress, however, was slowed by injuries. During the fourth quarter of Michigan’s third game of the 2017 season against Air Force, Black broke his left foot and missed the remainder of the year, finishing with 11 catches for 149 yards and one touchdown in three games. He fractured his right foot just before the 2018 season and played sparingly as a sophomore, recording only four catches for 35 yards. Healthy again in 2019, Black played in 11 games and totaled 25 receptions for 323 yards and one touchdown before entering the transfer portal in December 2019.
In April 2020, Black announced he would graduate-transfer to the University of Texas at Austin. In his single season with the Longhorns, he played in eight games with one start, finishing with 10 receptions for 240 yards and one touchdown. His only start came in the season opener against UTEP, after which he lost the starting job to Brennan Eagles. Black opted not to play in the Alamo Bowl to conclude his college career.
Tarik Black Career
Early Career (2021)
After going unselected in the 2021 NFL Draft, Tarik Black signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent on May 6, 2021. He was waived on August 31, 2021, and re-signed to the Colts’ practice squad the following day. The Colts released him on November 23, ending his first NFL stop. On December 7, 2021, Black was signed to the New York Jets’ practice squad, where he earned a late-season promotion.
He was called up from the practice squad for the Jets’ final game of the 2021 season against the Buffalo Bills and made his first career NFL catch in that appearance. On January 10, 2022, Black signed a reserve/future contract with the Jets to remain with the organization into the next league year.
New York Jets (2021–2022)
Black spent the 2022 offseason with the Jets working to earn a roster spot. On August 30, 2022, he was waived by New York and signed to the team’s practice squad the next day. His practice-squad role with the Jets continued through the early months of the season, but on December 6, 2022, he was released. Across his time with the Jets organization, Black’s most notable on-field moment came in his first NFL catch during the 2021 finale against Buffalo.
Baltimore Ravens (2023)
On January 3, 2023, Black was signed to the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad as the regular season wound down. He re-signed with the Ravens on April 19, 2023, to remain in the organization through the offseason, but was waived on August 29, 2023. Baltimore brought him back to the practice squad on September 26, 2023, and again on December 7, 2023, after a release in October. His tenure with the Ravens ended when he was released on January 17, 2024.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2024)
Black signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on July 31, 2024, looking to break through on an active roster. That opportunity was cut short when he was waived/injured on August 13 and released with an injury settlement on August 19, 2024. The Steelers stay added another chapter to his journeyman path through the league.
Miami Dolphins Era (2024–2025)
On October 23, 2024, Black was signed to the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad, returning to the AFC East. He signed a reserve/future contract with Miami on January 7, 2025, securing a place with the organization into the next league year. On August 19, 2025, Black was waived by the Dolphins, continuing his pattern of moving between practice squads and short-term roster opportunities.
Driving Style and Strengths
Black is a tall, lengthy wide receiver whose game has been built on size, catch radius, and the ability to work the perimeter against man coverage. At 6 feet 3 inches, he presents a sizable target in the red zone and on intermediate routes, and his early college production against Big Ten competition showcased his downfield ball-tracking skills. His path through multiple practice squads has required versatility, special teams reliability, and consistency in practice settings.
Notable Events and Milestones
Black’s most memorable career milestones include his first career NFL catch as a member of the New York Jets against the Buffalo Bills in the 2021 season finale and his touchdown on his first collegiate reception for Michigan against Florida in 2017. His decision to enter the transfer portal after the 2019 season and his graduate transfer to Texas marked another pivotal moment in his development.
Tarik Black Career Wins
Tarik Black has not recorded a verified win as a starting professional in the formats tracked for this profile. His on-field production has come primarily through practice-squad contributions, late-season call-ups, and short stints on active rosters. His biggest statistical moments to date are his first NFL catch with the Jets in 2021 and his early Michigan production, including a debut touchdown against Florida.
Michigan Wolverines Highlights
During his time at Michigan, Black’s most notable highlight came in his first career game, when he scored a touchdown on his first collegiate reception against Florida. He led Michigan in receiving yards at the time of his broken foot in 2017 and returned from a 2018 injury to play a full 2019 season with 25 catches for 323 yards and one touchdown.
Other Wins and Performances
Black’s lone season at Texas produced 10 receptions for 240 yards and one touchdown across eight games, with a start in the season opener against UTEP. At the professional level, his verified results include a first NFL reception with the Jets and several practice-squad stints with Indianapolis, New York, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Miami.
Tarik Black Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
There is no verified public information available about Tarik Black’s parents or broader family background based on the inputs provided for this profile.
Personal Life
There is no verified public information about a spouse, partner, or children for Tarik Black based on the inputs provided. Details about his life away from football have not been confirmed for this profile.
2025 Season Performance
Tarik Black entered 2025 under a reserve/future contract with the Miami Dolphins after signing the deal on January 7, 2025. He participated in the Dolphins’ offseason program with the goal of competing for a role on the active roster or a stable practice-squad position. That opportunity was cut short on August 19, 2025, when he was waived by Miami.
Following his release, Black became a free agent available to sign with any NFL team. His 2025 campaign, like several previous seasons, has been defined by movement between practice squads and short-term contracts rather than sustained on-field production. Whether he lands another opportunity before the end of the 2025 season remains to be seen, but his journeyman profile keeps him on the radar for teams in need of receiver depth.