Sport: Football
Born: December 3, 1997
Town: Plainfield, New Jersey
Rashan Gary was born December 3, 1997 in Plainfield, NJ. His mother, Jennifer Coney, raised him as a single parent along with his sister, Nafeesa. Soft-spoken, humble and respectful, Rashan drew plenty of attention whenever he stepped on a football field., where he was big, fast and mean. In youth football, he overwhelmed opponents with his physical prowess, yet impressed his coaches by absorbing many of the technical fine points that young players ignore. In many respects, he was a student of a game he had already mastered.
At the age of 11, Rashan was six feet tall and 240 pounds and was forced to play with older boys. Jennifer invested in private instruction to make sure he was developing at the fastest possible rate and made sure college scouts were keeping an eye on his progress. Rutgers offered him a scholarship in 8th grade.
Rashan played varsity football as a freshman and sophomore for Jon Stack at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. In 2014, a controversy erupted when Rashan agreed to attend Paramus Catholic High School amidst charges that he had been recruited, which is against NJSIAA rules. The school was near his mom’s place of work, so it made sense from a transportation standpoint. The recruiting allegation was never proved and he went on to become just the third consensus #1 high school player in the country. Rashan recorded 13.5 sacks as a defensive lineman in 2015 was named NJ.com Defensive Player of the Year. Under coach Chris Partridge, the Paladins became the top-rated team in the state.
Rashan stood over 6’4” and tipped the scales at 275-plus pounds by his senior season. He was aggressively recruited by three dozen top NCAA programs, including USC, Auburn and Clemson. But Michigan had the inside track. Following Rashan’s junior year, the Wolverines hired Coach Partridge and added him to their staff. After earning MVP honors in the Under Armor All-America Game in January, Rashan officially declared for Michigan, joining friend and on-field foe Jabrill Peppers in Ann Arbor.
Rashan saw regular action in 2016 and became a standout in 2017 as a defensive end. His speed and agility also enabled him to drop back and function as an outside linebacker. The Wolverines started strong, going 8–2 in their first 10 games, but then dropped their final three to Big Ten rivals Wisconsin and Ohio State, followed by South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. For his part, Rashan was named first-team All-Big Ten and won the Katcher Award as the team’s top front-line defender.
As a junior in 2018, Rashan played with a torn labrum that kept him off the field for much of the fall. Nevertheless, he was named All-Big Ten once again. Michigan lost its final regular season game to Ohio State to finish 8–2, snaring a berth in the Peach Bowl. Rashan decided to skip his senior season and declared he would enter the NFL draft. As a precaution he sat out the bowl game, which the Wolverines lost to Florida, 41–15.
Prior to the 2019 draft, Rashan formed his own sports agency to represent himself and other pro athletes. He went at #12 overall to the Green Bay Packers. Rashan played his rookie year with the Packers with a surgically repaired labrum. The team worked him into defensive packages as a pass-rushing linebacker. He recorded his first sack as a pro against the Broncos in Week 3 and got his second in a December victory over the Bears. He saw action on special teams in the Packers’ two playoff games—a victory over the Seahawks and a loss to the 49ers.
The Packers continued to employ Rashan selectively in 2020. He recorded 5 sacks and was regarded as one of the most disruptive defensive players in the NFL. IN 2021, he finally moved into a full-time starting role and finished the year with 9.5 sacks and 81 quarterback pressures. Rashan played his finest game in a playoff loss to the 49ers, setting up huge expectations as the 2022 season began.
Rashan’s 2022 season started well but ended in agony when he was carted off the field in Week 9 with a torn ACL. He returned to the field for Green Bay in 2023 and played well in 11 appearances as the team played him judiciously. In a Week 3 win over the Saints, Rashan registered his first three-sack game and finished the year with nine to lead the club. He teamed with fellow linebacker Preston Smith and linemen Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt to total 30 for the season as the Packers made the playoffs and demolished the Cowboys in the Wild Card game. They nearly upended the 49ers a week later but blew a fourth-quarter lead. Rashan also recovered a pair of fumbles in 2023.