Purdue-to-Maryland transfer center who started all 12 games for the Terrapins before signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent.
Josh Kaltenberger built a reputation as a steady interior lineman across five college seasons split between Purdue and Maryland. He went undrafted in 2025 but earned his way onto the Los Angeles Chargers' roster through the practice squad grind, making his NFL debut in the Hall of Fame Game.
Path to the league
Kaltenberger played for Purdue from 2020 to 2023, working his way up from a redshirt freshman into a part-time starter at center, then transferred to Maryland for his final season in 2024, where he started all 12 games at center for a Terrapins offense that ranked among the Big Ten's passing leaders. He signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 draft.
Career highlights
Kaltenberger's collegiate resume is built on durability and versatility, having started games at center for two different Power Four programs. His 2024 season at Maryland, anchoring a top-tier Big Ten passing attack for all 12 games, was the strongest of his college career.
2025 season recap
Kaltenberger made his professional debut in the Chargers' Hall of Fame Game before being cut in final roster reductions on August 26, 2025. He was re-signed to the practice squad the next day and cycled on and off it through the season before signing a reserve/futures contract with Los Angeles on January 13, 2026.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Josh Kaltenberger
- ESPN: Josh Kaltenberger
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Center
- Group
- offense
- College
- Maryland
- Hometown
- Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
