Tremaine Edmunds Bio
Fe’Zahn Tremaine Edmunds is an American professional football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing around 250 pounds, Edmunds combines rare size with sideline-to-sideline range for the position.
After five seasons in Buffalo, where he developed into a two-time Pro Bowl selection, Edmunds signed a major contract with the Chicago Bears in 2023 and now anchors the middle of their defense.
Early Life and Background
Tremaine Edmunds was born on May 2, 1998, in Danville, Virginia. He grew up in nearby Ringgold, where he attended Dan River High School. Football was a constant in his upbringing, and Edmunds came from a family with deep NFL roots, an environment that shaped his approach to the game from an early age.
At Dan River High School, Edmunds was a three-year letterman who played linebacker, defensive end, and tight end. During his junior season alone, he piled up 123 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, two blocked kicks, and two forced fumbles, earning a nomination for Virginia’s defensive player of the year. He missed most of his senior year with an injury but still earned all-state recognition at both tight end and linebacker. Rated a three-star recruit, he chose Virginia Tech over programs such as Cincinnati, East Carolina, Hampton, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, USC, and Virginia.
Path to the NFL
Edmunds enrolled at Virginia Tech in 2015 and played under head coaches Frank Beamer and Justin Fuente. As a sophomore in 2016, he earned Second-team All-ACC honors, then elevated his play as a junior in 2017, when he was a finalist for the Butkus Award after posting 108 tackles and 5.5 sacks and was named First-team All-ACC.
On January 10, 2018, Edmunds announced through Twitter that he would forgo his remaining eligibility and declare for the 2018 NFL Draft. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he finished fifth among linebackers in the 40-yard dash and stood on those numbers at Virginia Tech’s pro day. NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock ranked him as the second-best linebacker in the draft, while ESPN’s Jeff Legwold and DraftScout.com tabbed him as the top outside linebacker prospect.
Tremaine Edmunds Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
The Buffalo Bills traded up to select Edmunds with the 16th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. At 19 years, 11 months, and 24 days old, he became the second-youngest player ever drafted, trailing only Amobi Okoye in 2007. The Bills signed him to a fully guaranteed four-year, $12.65 million contract that included a $7.28 million signing bonus, and head coach Sean McDermott named him the starting middle linebacker.
Edmunds made an immediate impact, recording his first career sack on Joe Flacco in the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. He picked off Sam Darnold in Week 14 to become the youngest NFL player ever to record an interception, and his December play earned him NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors. He finished his rookie season with 121 total tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles, then was voted a team captain ahead of his second year.
Buffalo Bills Era (2018–2022)
In 2019, Edmunds started all 16 games and tallied 115 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one interception, including a safety-producing sack of Baker Mayfield in Week 10. His strong play earned him his first Pro Bowl selection, replacing the injured Dont’a Hightower. The following year, despite a shoulder injury suffered in Week 1, he appeared in 15 games, recorded 119 tackles with two sacks, and earned a second straight Pro Bowl nod.
Edmunds played a key role in the Bills’ deep 2020 playoff run, posting nine tackles each in Buffalo’s two postseason wins before recording seven tackles in the 38–24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. In May 2021, the Bills exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, a fully guaranteed $12.716 million for 2022. In Week 4 of the 2022 season, he intercepted a pass against the Houston Texans in a 40–0 win and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Chicago Bears Era (2023–Present)
On March 15, 2023, Edmunds signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Chicago Bears, becoming a centerpiece of their defensive overhaul. He quickly emerged as a leader on the field, recording a team-leading 16 tackles in a Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During a Week 15 loss to the Cleveland Browns, he intercepted Joe Flacco and returned it 45 yards for his first NFL touchdown, underscoring his ball-hawking ability at the linebacker position.
Edmunds continued to produce across multiple Bears defensive schemes, with his combination of size, length, and instincts serving as a steadying presence in the middle of the field.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although football is not a driving sport, Edmunds’ style on the field draws on his rare physical tools for the linebacker position. His 6-foot-4 frame, long arms, and straight-line speed let him cover ground from sideline to sideline, while his comfort in coverage helps him match up against tight ends and running backs in the passing game.
Notable Events and Milestones
Edmunds became the youngest NFL player ever to record an interception at age 20 in 2018, the same year his brother Terrell was drafted in the first round, making them the first brothers ever selected in the first round of the same draft. He earned back-to-back Pro Bowl selections in 2019 and 2020 and capped his Bills tenure with a fifth-year option worth $12.716 million.
Tremaine Edmunds Career Wins
Across his NFL career, Tremaine Edmunds has built a résumé headlined by individual accolades and postseason success. While defensive statistics do not register traditional wins, his two Pro Bowl selections and central role in Buffalo’s run to the 2020 AFC Championship Game define his career highlights to date.
NFL Highlights
Edmunds earned his first Pro Bowl honor following the 2019 season after starting every game and recording 115 tackles. He was named to the Pro Bowl again after the 2020 campaign despite playing through a shoulder injury. In the 2020 postseason, he delivered nine tackles in each of Buffalo’s two wins before the AFC Championship Game loss to Kansas City.
With the Bears, Edmunds has continued to make impact plays, including his 45-yard interception return for a touchdown against Cleveland in 2023 and a Week 4 AFC Defensive Player of the Week honor earned while still with Buffalo in 2022.
Other Performances
At Virginia Tech, Edmunds was a two-time All-ACC selection, taking Second-team honors in 2016 and First-team honors in 2017 when he was a Butkus Award finalist. He closed his college career with 213 tackles, 10 sacks, and one interception across three seasons.
Tremaine Edmunds Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Edmunds comes from one of the NFL’s most prominent football families. His father, Ferrell Edmunds, played tight end in the NFL and appeared in two Pro Bowls. His brothers, Trey Edmunds and Terrell Edmunds, both played college football at Virginia Tech, with Terrell going on to be drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tremaine and Terrell made league history as the first brothers ever selected in the first round of the same NFL draft.
Personal Life
Edmunds continues to build his life in the NFL while maintaining close ties to his family in Virginia. His brothers Trey and Terrell have both spent time in the league, with Terrell playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Trey having spent time with the Steelers and New Orleans Saints.
2025 Season Performance
Tremaine Edmunds entered the 2025 season as one of the Chicago Bears’ starting linebackers and quickly reminded the league of his coverage skills. Through his first 10 starts, he tallied four interceptions, nine pass deflections, one sack, and 89 combined tackles, establishing himself as a ball-hawking presence in the middle of the defense.
His season was interrupted in Week 11 against the Minnesota Vikings, when a groin injury forced him onto injured reserve on November 22, 2025. The Bears activated him on December 20, allowing him to return for the stretch run and playoff push.
Looking ahead, Edmunds’ blend of experience, range, and playmaking ability gives the Bears a defensive cornerstone for the remainder of his four-year contract. If he stays healthy, his 2025 interception total already places him among the league’s most productive off-the-ball linebackers and reinforces his value as a long-term leader in Chicago.