Anthony Firkser

Last updated

Anthony Firkser
Anthony Firkser.jpg
Firkser in 2021
Personal information
Born: (1995-02-19) February 19, 1995 (age 29)
Manalapan, New Jersey, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:246 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school: Manalapan (NJ)
College: Harvard (2013–2016)
Position: Tight end
Undrafted: 2017
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Receptions:115
Receiving yards:1,207
Receiving touchdowns:5
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Anthony Paul Firkser (born February 19, 1995) is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football at Harvard and signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2017. [1] He has played in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, and Detroit Lions.

Contents

Early years

Firkser was born in Englishtown, New Jersey to Alex and Donna Firkser. He is Jewish and he and his family belonged to Temple Shaari Emeth in Manalapan, where he celebrated his bar mitzvah. [2] [3] [4]

Firkser was a multi-sport athlete at Manalapan High School. [5] In basketball, Firkser played point guard, scoring 21.3 points with 7.6 assists per game. He finished his career second in school history with 1,362 points. In his senior year, the Shore Basketball Coaches named Firkser the Shore Conference Co-Player of the Year. He was also named the Shore Conference ‘A’ North Division Offensive Player of the Year and made the all-state team.

He competed at the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel as a guard for the 18-and-under gold medal-winning Team USA basketball team. On the team, he played alongside Spencer Weisz. [2] [4] [6]

Firkser did not begin playing football until his sophomore year in high school. During Firkser's three-year high school career, the Manalapan football team went 30–6 and won three consecutive ‘A’ North Division titles. During one stretch, Manalapan had an 18-game winning streak within the division. After a semifinal visit in the state playoffs his sophomore year, Firkser and his teammates played for the NJSIAA Central Jersey title in his junior and senior years. While at Manalapan, Firkser set career school records in receptions (110), receiving yards (2,118) and touchdown receptions (19). After his senior year, he was named All-Shore Offensive Player of the Year as a senior wide receiver. Firkser also was a two-time All-Shore first-team selection. [7]

College career

Firkser was recruited by Harvard University and four other universities. Citing the university's academic program and the school's willingness to let him play both basketball and football, Firkser committed to play for coach Tim Murphy at Harvard on October 17, 2012. [8]

Firkser saw his first collegiate action in 2014 as a sophomore. He appeared in 10 games for Harvard and made 32 catches for 485 yards. His four touchdown receptions tied for first on the team and he ranked second on the team in both catches and yards. After the season, Firkser was named to the All-Ivy League second-team. Firkser started nine games and caught 22 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns in 2015 as a junior. For the second consecutive season, he was named to the All-Ivy League second-team. As a senior in 2016, Firkser started all 10 games for Harvard and made 45 receptions for 702 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named to the All-Ivy League first-team. [9]

At the end of his collegiate career, Firkser ranked 12th all-time in school history in receptions, ninth all-time in receiving yards, and sixth all-time in touchdown receptions. He graduated from Harvard in 2017 with a degree in applied mathematics. During the 2018 offseason, Firkser participated in actuarial credential exams in hopes of potentially pursuing a post-football career as an actuary. [1]

College statistics

Harvard Crimson
SeasonTeamGPReceiving
RecR/GYdsY/GAvgTD
2014 Harvard 10323.248548.515.24
2015 Harvard 9222.437241.316.93
2016 Harvard 10454.570270.215.67
Career29993.41,55953.815.714

Professional career

Pre-draft

Coming into the 2017 NFL Draft, scouting reports projected Firkser to best fit with a National Football League (NFL) team in a role of a fullback/tight end hybrid player. Scouts believed Firkser was tough, intelligent, and relatively athletic. Scouts also praised him for his ability to quickly get into pass routes and adjust to errant throws. However, scouts negatively viewed him as possessing just average size and questioned his strength as a blocker. [10]

On March 19, 2017, Firkser participated in the Harvard Pro Day, an event at which Harvard football players demonstrate their skills to an audience of NFL scouts and coaches. Nearly half of the NFL teams attended this event. [11]

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 1+5⁄8 in
(1.87 m)		246 lb
(112 kg)		31+1⁄4 in
(0.79 m)		9+7⁄8 in
(0.25 m)		4.82 s1.69 s2.70 s4.29 s7.06 s31.5 in
(0.80 m)		9 ft 2 in
(2.79 m)		21 reps
All values from Pro Day [12]

New York Jets

Firkser signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent on May 5, 2017. [13] He was waived by the Jets on September 2, 2017. [14]

Kansas City Chiefs

On November 29, 2017, Firkser was signed to the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs. [15] He signed a reserve/future contract with the Chiefs on January 8, 2018. [16] He was waived on April 30, 2018. [17]

Tennessee Titans

2018 season

On May 14, 2018, Firkser was signed by the Tennessee Titans. [18]

Firkser in 2018 Anthony Firkser 2018 08-09.jpg
Firkser in 2018

In the preseason, Firkser was second on the team in both receptions (10) and receiving yards (108). On September 1, 2018, he was named to the Titans' initial 53-man roster. [19] He was waived by the Titans on September 17, and was re-signed to the practice squad the next day. [20] [21] He was promoted to the active roster on October 8. [22] During Week 6, Firkser caught his first NFL reception in a 21–0 shoutout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. [23] During a Week 13 26–22 victory over the Jets, Firkser scored his first NFL career touchdown on a 12-yard reception from Marcus Mariota. [24]

Firkser finished the 2018 season with 19 receptions for 225 yards and a touchdown. [25]

2019 season

Firkser with the Tennessee Titans in 2019 Anthony Firkser 2019 12-22.jpg
Firkser with the Tennessee Titans in 2019

Firkser began the season as one of four tight ends on the Titans' opening day roster along with veterans Delanie Walker, Jonnu Smith, and MyCole Pruitt. For the first six weeks of the regular season, Firkser played sparingly and was even a healthy inactive in Week 4. During that six-week span, he caught just one pass for 25 yards. After Walker was later placed on injured reserve, [26] Firkser played a larger role in the Titans offense. During Week 10 against the Chiefs, he caught three receptions for 36 yards and his only touchdown of the regular season as the Titans won by a score of 35–32. [27]

Firkser finished the 2019 season with 14 receptions for 204 yards and a touchdown. [28] Ironically, Firkser's first two career touchdowns were against the Jets and Chiefs – the two teams that had previously waived him.

The Titans finished the regular season with a 9–7 record and were the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs. Firkser played his first postseason game on January 4, 2020, against the defending Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. In that game, he caught two passes for 23 yards and a touchdown in the Titans' 20–13 upset road victory in the Wild Card Round. With the touchdown, Firkser became the first player from Harvard to score a touchdown in an NFL postseason game. [29] Firkser's final reception of the season was also the final touchdown of the Titans' 2019 season. He caught a 22-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship in a 35–24 road loss to the Chiefs. [30]

2020 season

On February 13, 2020, Firkser signed a one-year extension with the Titans. [31] [32]

During Week 6, Firkser recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game in a 42–36 overtime victory against the Houston Texans. Firkser finished the game catching eight of nine targets from Ryan Tannehill for 113 yards, and added a touchdown in the first quarter. [33]

Firkser finished the 2020 season with 39 receptions for 387 yards and a touchdown. [34] In the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, he caught two passes for 44 yards in a 20–13 loss to the Ravens. [35]

2021 season

On March 17, 2021, Firkser re-signed with the Titans on a one-year deal. [36]

During Week 11 against the Texans, Firkser scored his first touchdown of the season when he recovered a fumble in the end zone. He finished the 22–13 loss with five receptions for 26 yards and the aforementioned touchdown. [37] During a Week 17 34–3 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Firkser caught three passes for 24 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the season. [38] In the regular-season finale against the Texans, Firkser had four receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown in the 28–25 road victory. [39]

Firkser finished the 2021 season with 34 receptions for 291 yards and two touchdowns. [40]

Atlanta Falcons

On April 12, 2022, Firkser signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. [41] He was released on August 30. [42] He was signed to the practice squad the next day. [43] He was promoted to the active roster on September 13. [44] In the 2022 season, he appeared in 11 games and started one. He had nine receptions for 100 yards. [45]

New England Patriots

On May 25, 2023, Firkser signed with the Patriots. [46] He was released on August 29, 2023. [47]

Detroit Lions

On October 10, 2023, the Detroit Lions signed Firkser to their practice squad. [48] He was promoted to the active roster on December 30. Firkser was released on January 4, 2024 and re-signed to the practice squad, but promoted back on January 13. [49]

NFL career statistics

Regular season

YearTeamGamesReceivingFumbles
GPGSRecYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2018 TEN 1201922511.828100
2019 TEN 1511420414.639100
2020 TEN 161393879.945100
2021 TEN 151342918.624221
2022 ATL 111910011.122000
2023 DET 20000.00000
Career 7141151,20710.545521

Postseason

YearTeamGamesReceivingFumbles
GPGSRecYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2019 TEN 3034515.022T200
2020 TEN 1024422.035000
2021 TEN 10000.00000
2023 DET 30188.08000
Career 8069716.235200

Personal life

Firkser's older brother, Josh, played football at Wagner. [50] [51]

See also

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References

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  2. 1 2 Silow, Andrew (May 9, 2013). "Local athletes to compete in Israel Games | New Jersey Jewish News". New Jersey Jewish News. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  3. ↑ Fine, Jeremy (August 23, 2017). "7 Jewish NFL Stories to Watch in 2017". Oy!Chicago. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
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  5. ↑ "Anthony Firkser fields offers from academic elite, leads Manalapan". USA TODAY High School Sports. September 6, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  6. ↑ Shoam, Amir (August 7, 2013). "Maccabiah: U.S. Wins Five Basketball Medals". The Philadelphia Jewish Voice. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
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  46. ↑ "Patriots Sign TE Anthony Firkser; Place LB Raekwon McMillan on Injured Reserve". Patriots.com. May 25, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  47. ↑ "Patriots Make Roster Moves to Reach the 53-Man Roster Limit". Patriots.com. August 29, 2023.
  48. ↑ "Detroit Lions sign veteran CB, TE to practice squad". Pride of Detroit. SB Nation. October 10, 2023.
  49. ↑ Reisman, Jeremy. "Detroit Lions cut TE, add defender to the practice squad". Pride of Detroit. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
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  51. ↑ "Firkser excelled in both football and basketball". Central Jersey Archives. August 14, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
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