Background and career
Christian Blaize Hackenberg (born February 14, 1995) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, and was selected by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. Hackenberg spent two seasons with the Jets, before being released, becoming only the third quarterback selected in the first or second round of the common-draft era (since 1967) not to play a game in his first two seasons. He was also a member of the Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals, although he never actually played in an NFL game. He was only activated for four games in his career, all with the Jets. Following his stint in the NFL, Hackenberg was drafted by the Memphis Express in the second round of the 2019 AAF QB Draft. He saw his first meaningful action since leaving Penn State. However, he was benched after three games, and never returned before the league folded in midseason.
Hackenberg is from Palmyra, Virginia, and attended Fluvanna County High School for his freshman year before transferring to Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia. He was ranked as the best pro-style quarterback recruit by ESPN, and the second best pro-style quarterback recruit by Rivals.com.
Hackenberg committed to Penn State after being recruited by a tandem of Penn State coaches – quarterbacks coach Charlie Fisher and running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Charles London, turning down offers from Alabama, UConn, Florida, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Scouted as a five-star recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, and the No. 2 pro-style quarterback in the nation, Hackenberg was described as an accurate, drop-back passer with ample athleticism who had a high ceiling.
As a true freshman in 2013, Hackenberg was named the team's starting quarterback. In the first three games of the season, he twice earned Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week accolades, with a 72-percent completion percentage, 851 yards, 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. In a game against Eastern Michigan, he set the Penn State single-game record for passing yards by a freshman with 311 (previous record of 280 held by Zack Mills). Coach Bill O'Brien commended Hackenberg's leadership of the team, noting that the team fed off his calm demeanor, in contrast to O'Brien's fiery personality. He did note that Hackenberg made some mistakes typical of younger players, but he was on the fast track to grasping O'Brien's complex offensive schemes. Hackenberg was a five-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week and was named the 2013 Big Ten Football Freshman of the Year. Hackenberg broke ten school freshman records, and one overall Penn State record in 2013. Hackenberg finished his college career with totals of 8,318 passing yards, 48 passing touchdowns, 31 interceptions, and six rushing touchdowns. On January 2, 2016, he officially declared for the 2016 NFL draft.
According to ESPN's Todd McShay, Hackenberg was the fifth-best quarterback among those eligible to enter the draft.
The New York Jets selected Hackenberg in the second round (51st overall) of the 2016 NFL draft. On May 12, 2016, the New York Jets signed Hackenberg to a four-year, $4.66 million contract featuring a $1.6 million signing bonus. Hackenberg made his preseason debut on August 27, 2016, during the third preseason game against the New York Giants, where he completed 6 out of 16 passes for 105 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also played in the preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 1, 2016, where he was 11 for 31 with 54 passing yards and an interception returned for a touchdown. Hackenberg began the regular season as the Jets' fourth-string quarterback. However, he never played a down during the season. He was inactive for the first 15 regular season games, and was only active in the season finale due to a decimated depth chart. Throughout the season, he remained on the bench behind starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was benched for ineffective play; Geno Smith, who went on season-ending injured reserve list; and Bryce Petty, who also suffered a season-ending injury.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
