Chase Curtis, at 26 years old, is a rookie tight end with the New York Jets, aiming to secure a spot on the team's practice squad. His journey to the NFL has been marked by an eight-year college career, which included two years of junior college baseball and significant transitions from quarterback to wide receiver, and finally to tight end. Curtis also underwent multiple surgeries during his time in college.
Curtis was signed by the Jets after going undrafted out of TCU in the spring. His age makes him older than some of his fellow tight ends on the team, including Kenyon Sadiq, 21, and Mason Taylor, 22. Even Jeremy Ruckert, who is also 26, has already spent four seasons in the NFL.
When Curtis first joined the Jets, he attempted to keep his age a secret from his teammates, but the information eventually surfaced. "It is not as bad as I thought," Curtis said, referring to the teasing. "I tried to keep it quiet there for a while because I didn’t want them to know how old I was."