Jake Ferguson Bio: NFL Career & Latest Updates

Jake Ferguson is one of the notable tight ends in the NFL and an important part of the Dallas Cowboys offense

The Wisconsin product has developed from a fourth-round draft pick into a regular starter and a reliable red-zone target for quarterback Dak Prescott.

Ferguson is currently attracting attention among U.S. football searches during the 2026 NFL season.

His recent performance has helped bring his name into the spotlight again.

In Week 2 of the 2026 season the Cowboys defeated the Washington Commanders 37-20 and Ferguson caught four passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns.

The two touchdown catches made him one of the key players in Dallas’ offensive performance.

Dallas selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Since then he has steadily increased his role and became one of the team’s most recognizable tight ends.

This article looks at who Jake Ferguson is, his age, football background, college career, NFL journey, statistics, recent performances and why his name is attracting attention in 2026.

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Who Is Jake Ferguson?

Jake Ferguson is an American professional football player who plays tight end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was born on January 18, 1999, in Madison, Wisconsin.¹

Ferguson grew up in a football family and developed into a highly regarded player during his school years. He eventually played college football for the University of Wisconsin.

Ferguson is listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 250 pounds. His size gives him a useful combination of receiving ability and blocking strength.

The tight end position requires players to contribute in several areas and Ferguson has been used both as a receiver and as a blocker during his NFL career. The Cowboys selected Ferguson with the 129th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

His selection came after a productive college career at Wisconsin. Ferguson played in 47 college games and caught at least one pass in every appearance.

That consistency became one of the characteristics associated with his game. His early NFL seasons were about learning and earning a larger role.

By 2023 he had become a major part of the Dallas passing attack. He finished that season with 71 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns.

That breakout campaign established Ferguson as a player capable of producing significant numbers at the NFL level.

4 more Cowboys Nation! Let’s work pic.twitter.com/747ap0EOVk

— Jake Ferguson (@jqfergy11) July 28, 2025

Age and Early Life

Jake Ferguson was born in 1999, which makes him 27 years old in 2026. He comes from Wisconsin and attended Madison Memorial High School.

Football was an important part of his development from an early age. Ferguson’s family also has a strong connection to football.

His grandfather, Barry Alvarez, was a longtime college football coach and athletic director at Wisconsin. That connection gave Ferguson a close relationship with one of the most influential figures in Wisconsin football history.

Growing up around the sport helped Ferguson understand the demands of football. However, his own career was built through his performance on the field.

At Madison Memorial, he established himself as a talented tight end before continuing his development at Wisconsin.

Quick Profile

Jake Ferguson’s College Career at Wisconsin

Ferguson chose to play college football for the Wisconsin Badgers.²

Wisconsin has traditionally been known for producing physical football players and tight ends. Ferguson fit naturally into that environment.

He played four seasons for the Badgers and appeared in 47 games. One of his most notable achievements was catching a pass in every college game he played.

That consistency was a sign of the reliable hands that later became part of his NFL profile. Ferguson also became a productive receiver in the Wisconsin offense.

He finished his college career with 145 receptions for 1,618 yards and 13 touchdowns. His ability to contribute as both a blocker and receiver made him an appealing prospect for NFL teams.

Rather than being viewed only as a pass-catching tight end, Ferguson entered the NFL with experience in a more complete role.

Jake Ferguson and the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys selected Ferguson in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. His rookie season gave Dallas a glimpse of what he could eventually become.

Ferguson appeared in all 16 games and started eight. He finished with 19 receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

Those numbers were modest compared with his later production but his rookie season was an important step. The Cowboys gradually gave Ferguson more responsibility.

His role increased significantly after Dalton Schultz left Dallas following the 2022 season. Ferguson responded with his strongest season to that point in 2023.

He played all 17 games and recorded 71 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns.

His 71 catches demonstrated that he could become a consistent target in a high-level NFL passing offense. That season also helped establish a strong connection between Ferguson and Dak Prescott.

Breakout Season in 2023

The 2023 season was a major turning point in Ferguson’s career. He became one of Prescott’s dependable targets and regularly contributed on important downs.

His ability to find open space in the middle of the field made him particularly useful against defenses focused on Dallas’ wide receivers.

Ferguson finished the year with 71 receptions and 761 receiving yards. He also scored five touchdowns.

For a young tight end still developing his game, those numbers represented a significant step forward. His performance also changed expectations around him.

He was no longer simply a young player learning the Cowboys’ offense. He had become an important piece of it.

A Difficult 2024 Season

Ferguson’s production changed in 2024. He played 14 games and recorded 59 receptions for 494 yards.

He did not score a receiving touchdown that season. The drop in touchdown production was particularly noticeable because Ferguson had scored five times in 2023.

He also dealt with a changing Dallas offense and missed three games. Still, his 59 receptions showed that he remained an important part of the passing game.

NFL careers rarely develop in a straight line. Ferguson’s 2024 season demonstrated that receiving numbers can change because of offensive circumstances, availability and opportunities.

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Strong 2025 Production

Ferguson returned to the end zone in a significant way during the 2025 season.³

He played all 17 games and recorded 82 receptions for 600 yards and eight touchdowns.

The 82 receptions represented a career high at that point. His eight touchdown catches also matched the importance of his role near the goal line.

Ferguson’s 2025 season showed that his 2023 production was not simply a one-year development.

He had become a consistent NFL tight end who could provide Dallas with receptions, yardage and red-zone production.

Jake Ferguson in the 2026 NFL Season

The 2026 season has started with Ferguson remaining in the Cowboys’ offensive plans. Through the first two games he has six receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns.

His first two games have produced very different receiving totals. In Week 1 against the New York Giants, Ferguson caught two passes for six yards.

The following week against Washington, his role became much more visible. Ferguson caught four passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns in Dallas’ 37-20 victory over the Commanders.

Both touchdowns came from Dak Prescott. The performance gave Ferguson an immediate increase in attention during the early weeks of the 2026 season.

The Cowboys’ official game recap noted that Ferguson’s second touchdown came on a 12-yard pass from Prescott.

The score also marked the third time in Ferguson’s career that he had recorded two touchdowns in a single game.

Why Is Jake Ferguson Trending?

There are several reasons Jake Ferguson’s name is receiving attention during the 2026 NFL season. The biggest recent reason is his Week 2 performance against Washington.

Ferguson caught two touchdown passes in the Cowboys’ 37-20 win. Touchdowns naturally attract attention in fantasy football, sports coverage and social media because they can quickly change a player’s weekly impact.

His connection with Dak Prescott is another reason. Prescott threw four touchdown passes against Washington.

Two went to Ferguson while two went to CeeDee Lamb. That made Ferguson directly responsible for half of Prescott’s touchdown passes in the game.

His name is also familiar to fantasy football players. Tight ends who have a role in the red zone can attract considerable attention because touchdowns can have a major impact on weekly fantasy scores.

Ferguson’s 2025 season also gives fans a reason to watch his 2026 numbers. He entered the current campaign after recording 82 receptions and eight touchdowns the previous season.

Jake Ferguson’s Playing Style

Ferguson’s game is based on a combination of size, reliability and versatility.

At 6 feet 5 inches, he provides a large target for quarterbacks. His frame can be particularly useful in the red zone where tight spaces make size and positioning important.

He is also capable of working underneath coverage and finding openings across the middle of the field. His role is not limited to receiving.

Ferguson entered the NFL with a reputation for being a reliable blocker. That matters because tight ends often need to switch between blocking and running receiving routes during the same game.

A tight end who can perform multiple jobs gives an offense more flexibility. Ferguson has continued to develop in that role as his NFL experience has grown.

Jake Ferguson and Dak Prescott

The relationship between a tight end and quarterback can be important in an NFL offense.

Ferguson has developed a notable connection with Dak Prescott during his time in Dallas.

Prescott has repeatedly looked toward Ferguson in the passing game, especially when Ferguson is able to find space in the middle of the field or near the end zone.

Their connection was particularly visible against Washington in Week 2 of the 2026 season. Prescott found Ferguson for two touchdowns as Dallas earned a 37-20 victory.

The performance was another example of Ferguson’s ability to contribute directly to the Cowboys’ scoring offense.

Jake Ferguson Career Stats

The following table summarizes Ferguson’s NFL receiving statistics through Week 2 of the 2026 season. These figures show how Ferguson’s role has grown since entering the league.

His career total through two games of the 2026 season stands at 237 receptions for 2,078 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns.

His 2023 season remains his highest yardage season, while his 2025 campaign produced his highest reception and touchdown totals.

Season	Team	Games	Receptions	Receiving Yards	Average	Long	Touchdowns
2022	Dallas Cowboys	16	19	174	9.2	30	2
2023	Dallas Cowboys	17	71	761	10.7	40	5
2024	Dallas Cowboys	14	59	494	8.4	27	0
2025	Dallas Cowboys	17	82	600	7.3	26	8
2026	Dallas Cowboys	2	6	49	8.2	14	2
Career	Dallas Cowboys	66	237	2,078	8.8	40	17

What Makes Jake Ferguson Important to the Cowboys?

Ferguson’s value to Dallas comes from his ability to fill several roles.

He can be used as a receiving target. He can line up in different positions. He can contribute as a blocker. He can also become an option in the red zone.

That versatility gives the Cowboys another way to attack opposing defenses. Dallas already has major receiving threats such as CeeDee Lamb.

Ferguson gives Prescott a different type of target. When defenses focus heavily on wide receivers, a tight end can sometimes find space underneath or in the middle of the field.

Ferguson’s size also makes him useful around the goal line. His two-touchdown performance against Washington in Week 2 demonstrated exactly that type of value.

What Could Be Next for Jake Ferguson?

The 2026 season is still in its early stages, so Ferguson’s final numbers are impossible to know.

However, his recent performance has put him back in the spotlight.

He began the season with two receptions for six yards against the Giants before producing four receptions for 43 yards and two touchdowns against Washington.

The contrast shows how quickly a player’s weekly numbers can change in the NFL. Ferguson will continue to be an important part of the Cowboys’ passing offense as the season develops.

His ability to remain healthy and maintain a role in the red zone will be important factors in his production.

For Cowboys fans, the main question is how consistently the Week 2 touchdown production can translate into the rest of the season.

 

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FAQ’s

Who is Jake Ferguson?

Jake Ferguson is an American professional football tight end who plays for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. Dallas selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft after his college career at Wisconsin.

How old is Jake Ferguson?

Jake Ferguson was born on January 18, 1999. He is 27 years old in 2026.

How tall is Jake Ferguson?

Jake Ferguson is listed at 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 250 pounds.

What team does Jake Ferguson play for?

Ferguson plays tight end for the Dallas Cowboys.

When was Jake Ferguson drafted?

The Dallas Cowboys selected Ferguson with the 129th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Where did Jake Ferguson play college football?

Ferguson played college football at the University of Wisconsin.

Conclusion

Jake Ferguson’s journey from a fourth-round NFL draft pick to an established Dallas Cowboys tight end has been built through steady development.

His early NFL numbers were modest, but his role expanded significantly after his rookie season. The 2023 campaign brought a major jump in production with 71 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns.

Ferguson remains one of the important receiving options in the Dallas offense. His size, blocking ability and experience give him multiple ways to contribute.

As the 2026 NFL season continues, Cowboys supporters and fantasy football fans will be watching to see how his role develops.

His recent performance has already shown that he can become a major part of Dallas’ scoring offense when his opportunities come.

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