An Ivy League standout at Princeton who has carved out a journeyman NFL career as a depth tight end.
Stephen Carlson built his football name at Princeton, where he was one of the most productive receiving tight ends in Ivy League history, before signing with Cleveland as an undrafted free agent. He has since bounced between practice squads and active rosters, most recently with the Bears, as a depth piece at tight end.
Path to the league
Carlson starred at Princeton from 2015 to 2018, earning second-team All-Ivy League honors as a senior in 2018 after catching 51 passes for 683 yards and five touchdowns during the Tigers' Ivy League championship season. He finished his college career third in program history in touchdown catches (16) and eighth in receiving yards (1,632), and signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
Career highlights
Carlson saw his most extended NFL action with Cleveland in 2019 and 2020, though he has totaled just six career catches for 62 yards in limited opportunities. He signed with the Chicago Bears as an unrestricted free agent in May 2023.
2025 season recap
Carlson missed the entire 2024 regular season with a collarbone injury and has continued to work as a depth tight end fighting for roster spots, with his NFL playing time remaining limited in recent seasons.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Stephen Carlson
- ESPN: Stephen Carlson
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | browns | 16 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 |
| 2019 | browns | 9 | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 1 | 21 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Tight End
- Group
- offense
- College
- Princeton
- Hometown
- Jamestown, NY, USA
- Age
- 29
- Status
- active
