Jermey Parnell

Jermey Parnell

No. 78 Jacksonville Jaguars
Position:	Offensive tackle
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1986-07-20) July 20, 1986
Place of birth:	Blytheville, Arkansas
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Gosnell (AR)
College:	Mississippi
Undrafted:	2009
Career history
New Orleans Saints (2009)* Miami Dolphins (2010) New Orleans Saints (2010)* Dallas Cowboys (2010–2014) Jacksonville Jaguars (2015–present)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl Champion (XLIV)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2014
Games played: 69 Games started: 22 Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Jermey Parnell (born June 20, 1986) is an American football offensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football and basketball at Ole Miss. He also played for the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys.

Early years

Parnell attended Gosnell High School in Gosnell, Arkansas, where he lettered in basketball, helping his team to the state semifinals, while earning all-state honors twice and averaging a double-double during his junior and senior seasons.

He accepted a basketball scholarship to play at the University of Mississippi, where he played four years. In 2009 as a senior, although he hadn’t played football since the eighth grade, head coach Houston Nutt convinced him to try out for the team, which led him to play in five games as a defensive end.

Professional career

New Orleans Saints (first stint)

Parnell signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2009 as an undrafted free agent to play defensive end. He was waived at the end of training camp, but spent the rest of the season on their practice squad where he was tried at defensive tackle, tight end and the offensive line. He was released by the Saints before the start of the 2010 season.

Miami Dolphins

Parnell was claimed by the Miami Dolphins to their active roster, where he remained for 20 days until being released on September 25, 2010, to make room for Patrick Brown, whom the Dolphins claimed off waivers from the New York Jets.

New Orleans Saints (second stint)

After his release, he was signed to the New Orleans Saints' practice squad on September 29, 2010.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys' signed him to their active roster on October 14, 2010 with the intention of converting him to a full-time offensive tackle. The next year he participated in his first six career games, playing in special teams and as a backup offensive tackle.

On April 26, 2012, he was re-signed to a three-year contract. That same season after Tyron Smith suffered a high ankle sprain against the Cleveland Browns, he replaced him as the team starting left tackle and also in the next game against the Washington Redskins. When Smith returned, he was worked into a regular rotation with starting right tackle Doug Free. The next year, he was expected to compete for the right tackle position with Free, but suffered a hamstring injury during the preseason and fell behind.

In 2014, he started eight games at right tackle including the playoffs, after Free was sidelined with a foot fracture and an ankle injury.

Jacksonville Jaguars

On March 11, 2015, Parnell signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent, to become the starter at right tackle and help to upgrade one of the worst offensive line situations in the league. He started 15 games and was declared inactive in the last contest of the season because of a hamstring injury.

Personal life

He is married to Kadeshia Fortune-Parnell. He met his wife in college at Mississippi. She is a teacher and a track and field coach.

External links

• Jacksonville Jaguars bio