NFL CAREER – After spending the his first six NFL seasons with the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints signed Anfernee Jennings following the NFL Draft to add to the competition at the edge position. The former Alabama standout was originally a third round pick (87th overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft and has played in 75 career regular season games with 40 starts, posting 210 tackles (130 solo), 7.5 sacks, 27 stops for loss, 25 quarterback hits, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2025, Jennings played in 14 regular season games with three starts, as the Patriots advanced all the way to Super Bowl LX and recorded 19 tackles (13 solo), two sacks, one fumble recovery and seven special teams stops. In four postseason contests, he recorded 16 stops (nine solo), two sacks and one pass breakup.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed by the New Orleans Saints, 4/28/26; Released by the New England Patriots, 3/11/26; Signed by New England to a three-year contract extension, 3/13/24; Placed on Injured Reserve by New England, 8/31/21; Signed to a four-year contract by New England, 5/7/20; Selected by New England in the third round (87th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.
2025 – When the Patriots advanced to Super Bowl LX in his final season in New England, Jennings played in 14 regular season games with three starts and recorded 19 tackles (13 solo), two sacks, one fumble recovery and seven special teams stops. In four playoff appearances with three starts, he recorded 16 stops (nine solo), two sacks for loss of 18 yards, five tackles for loss and one pass breakup...Recorded one solo tackle/sack/stop for loss vs. Cleveland, Oct. 26…Recorded one solo tackles/sack/stop for loss and one special teams tackle at Baltimore, Dec. 21…In regular season finale vs. Miami, 1/4/26, started and finished with a season-high four tackles (three solo) and two sacks…In AFC Wild Card Playoff vs. L.A. Chargers, 1/11/26, made two solo tackles and one sack, as Patriots held Chargers to 2017 total net yards…In AFC Divisional Playoff vs. Houston, 1/18/26, made five tackles (two solo) and one sack, as Patriots surrendered only 48 yards on 22 carries (2.2 avg.) and forced Texans QB C.J. Stroud into a 28.0 passer rating. 2024 – Played and started in 16 games at outside linebacker, finishing with a career-high 78 total tackles (43 solo, 35 assists), 2.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits, one forced fumble and one pass defensed. Missed game at San Francisco, Oct. 29, due to injury…Returned to action and the starting lineup vs. Miami, Oct. 6, after missing a game due to injury and recorded his first sack of the year when he combined with DL Daniel Ekuale for a sack of QB Tyler Huntley in the first quarter for a seven-yard loss…Registered his first full sack of the season and had his first-career two-sack game, contributing to the team's total of nine sacks at Chicago, Nov. 10, tied for the second-most sacks in a single game in team history. Dropped QB Caleb Williams for a three-yard loss in the first quarter and added a six-yard sack of Williams in the fourth quarter. Played a key role in holding the Bears offense to 142 total yards, the Patriots' fewest yards allowed since Nov. 20, 2022, when they held the New York Jets to 103 total yards…Finished with seven tackles and one forced fumble on the one-yard line on a carry by WR Greg Dortch at Arizona, Dec. 15. 2023 – Played in 15 games with 14 starts and registered 66 tackles (49 solo, 17 assists), 1.5 sacks for a loss of 10 yards, 14 tackles for loss, four quarterback hits and one fumble recovery. Was inactive for the first two games of the season…Made his first start of the season at the N.Y. Jets, Sept. 24 and recorded five tackles (four solo, one assist) and one tackle for loss…Took over as the starter at linebacker vs. New Orleans, Oct. 8 after LB Matthew Judon suffered a season-ending injury…Recovered a fumble by QB Tua Tagovailoa in the third quarter at Miami, Oct. 29, setting up the Patriots offense on the Dolphins 25-yard line. The recovery would lead to a K Chad Ryland 38-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 17-10…Had a critical tackle for loss on a third-and-one situation vs. Washington, Nov. 5, where he and DL Deatrich Wise Jr. tackled QB Sam Howell for a loss of two yards and held Commanders to a field goal deep into Patriots territory…Recorded first sack of season at N.Y. Giants, Nov. 26, with a seven-yard sack of QB Tommy DeVito in third quarter. He combined with Wise on a fourth-down sack for his first career multi-sack game…Was part of defense vs. L.A Chargers, Nov. 3, that held the Chargers to just 29 yards on 24 carries for a 1.2-yard average. It is the fewest rushing yards allowed since holding Miami to 15 yards on Oct. 29, 2015…Had a crucial fourth-and-goal stop on the Patriots two-yard line on the Broncos first possession of the game at Denver, Dec. 24…Tied his season-high with three tackles for loss vs. N.Y. Jets, 1/7/24…He collected three tackles for loss in week 13 at Pittsburgh, Dec. 7. 2022 – Played in 16 games with three starts and recorded 27 total tackles (15 solo, 12 assists), 1.5 sacks for 16 yards, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. Was inactive for the season-opener at Miami, Sept. 11…Played in his first game since rookie season in 2020 at Pittsburgh, Sept. 18…Made first start of season at Cleveland, Oct. 16. Had two tackles as well as combined on a sack with LB Mack Wilson Sr. in third quarter on third down, which led to a punt. Part of the defensive unit that held Cleveland, who entered game with the top-ranked rushing attack, to 70 rushing yards. It was the first time of season Browns had less than 170 rushing yards…Made second consecutive start on defense vs. Chicago, Oct. 24…After registering his first career sack at Cleveland, Oct. 16, he followed with a second sack when he forced a fumble and a 13-yard sack in the second quarter. Had six total tackles (two solo, four assists)…Started the game at Minnesota, Nov. 24 and had two tackles. 2021 – Placed on injured reserve on Aug. 31 and missed the entire season. 2020 – Played in 14 games with four starts and totaled 20 tackles. Inactive vs. Las Vegas, Sept. 27 and vs. N.Y. Jets, 1/3/21…Made his NFL debut in the season-opening win vs. Miami, Sept. 13 and made a tackle…Made his first NFL start at linebacker vs. Denver, Oct. 18 and made three tackles…Started at linebacker and tallied a season-high five tackles vs. San Francisco, Oct. 25.
COLLEGE – Was an All-SEC First Team selection by coaches and the Associated Press as a senior in 2019. Was also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker…Played in 13 games and recorded 83 tackles, eight sacks, one forced fumble, one interception and five passes defensed in 2019…Played in 15 games as a junior and posted 51 tackles, 6.5 sacks, one interception, 11 passes defensed and two fumble recoveries, one of which was returned for a touchdown…Appeared in 11 games while shifting into a starting role on defense and made 41 tackles, one sack, forced two fumbles and defensed two passes as a sophomore…Played in 15 games and posted 19 tackles as a redshirt freshman…Redshirted as a true freshman in 2015…Earned two degrees in college, in human performance and in exercise science and public health.
PERSONAL – Recorded 170 tackles as a senior at Dadeville (Ala.) HS in 2014 with 88 solo stops, 14 sacks, nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles…Finished with 29 sacks in his high school career…Antonio Anfernee Jennings was born on May 1, 1997 in Alexander City, Ala.
