Former safety Tony Jefferson is the latest to make a comeback at the NFL after his last stint playing in the league was 2022.
It will be interesting to see if teams are interested in signing the long-time pro the closer we get to training camp, as he wasn’t on a team last year. This rest potentially would make him fresh considering the amount of injuries he has had previously for multiple teams.
Jefferson could provide a team needing safety some experience as a locker room veteran and depth in the secondary, potentially making 2024 his last chance at making an impact on the field.
Tony Jefferson Last Spent Time with the New York Giants
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In 2022, Tony Jefferson initially signed to the New York Giants practice squad and was elevated to the active roster after 2 weeks to start the season. Unfortunately due to a foot injury, the veteran safety was sidelined most of the year on injured reserve for the Giants and wasn’t able to make an impact in his 1-year stint in New York.
In 2023, Jefferson announced his retirement to work in Baltimore for their scouting department for a season.
Before his 2nd stint with the Ravens, the 32-year-old also was in San Francisco for a season after sitting out the whole 2020 NFL season. With the 49ers, Jefferson was put on injured reserve after he signed to their practice squad and then the active roster in 2021 and only played in 2 games.
Injuries have been a big part of his later season NFL career, and are hopefully not as big of an issue moving forward.
Tony Jefferson, Arizona Cardinals’ Undrafted Gem at Safety
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It took the undrafted rookie from Oklahoma in 2013 a few years before capturing one of the starting safety spots in Arizona in 2016, as Tony Jefferson was solid with the Cardinals for 2 seasons, even contributing as a backup at times.
The veteran had 157 combined tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 3 sacks, and 2 interceptions with 1 returned for a touchdown, while starting 15 total games from 2014 and 2015 with the Cardinals. In 2016, Jefferson started 14 games but his season was cut short due to an injury that sidelined him on injured reserve after he signed a 1-year deal to return to Arizona.
As a free agent in 2017, he left as one of the better safeties available on the market to sign with the Ravens on a 4-year contract. In Baltimore, Jefferson was a starter for 2017 and 2018 but after, couldn’t stay healthy enough to be a full-time contributor like his 2019 season due to a season-ending knee injury.
He was with the Ravens for 4 seasons before signing with other teams, returning to Baltimore as a player and as a team intern for scouting. Jefferson had his best season with the team in 2018, as he had a career-high 6 pass deflections and was a solid starter the year before when he first joined as a free agent in 2017.
Could Tony Jefferson Reunite with the Baltimore Ravens again?
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Out of the potential teams needing a veteran safety, familiarity with the organization could lead to Tony Jefferson coming back to Baltimore for the 3rd time, as a player after not playing in 2023. He was with the Ravens for a few months before he was released in August the season they drafted Kyle Hamilton in the 1st round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
In 2021, he signed with Baltimore to their practice squad and later the active roster, and although the experienced safety re-signed in 2022, Jefferson was cut before the regular season. The Ravens could use some depth at strong safety, as they have 7th-round pick Sanoussi Kane and undrafted rookie Beau Brade only competing for that spot behind the star Hamilton.
Baltimore has also looked to upgrade their depth at the position, meeting with former Seattle Seahawks strong safety Jamal Adams just last week.
Tony Jefferson spent last season with the Ravens scouting team as an intern but has been in football shape looking for a team, according to Bleacher Report NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.
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