Bilal is a former American football team player selected in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Powell signed a one-day contract with the Jets on April 26, 2022, after being unsigned in 2020 and 2021.
Bilal Powell is a professional football player who plays in the National Football League. He served as a running back for the New York Jets from 2011 to 2019.
Powell is considered a hardworking and dedicated player who would give the team his best. Likewise, it wouldn’t hurt to have a player with such a work ethic on your team anyway.
Furthermore, he underwent surgery for his neck injury in 2019 but has been cleared to get back on the field since 2020.
His surgery was almost career-threatening, but the player now looks and feels much better. Bilal told an interviewer that he was “fully healthy and ready for a call.”
Here are some quick facts about him before getting into details about the Jets player’s life and career.
Bilal Powell | Quick Facts
Full Name | Bilal Powell |
Birth Date | October 27, 1988 |
Birth Place | Lakeland, Florida, the United States |
Nick Name | None |
Religion | Christian |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African American |
Education | University of Louisville |
Horoscope | Scorpio |
Father’s Name | Kenny Powell |
Mother’s Name | Stephanie Powell |
Siblings | Not Available |
Age | 36 Years Old |
Height | 5’10” (1.78 m) |
Weight | 204 lb (92 kg) |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Build | Athletic |
Profession | NFL Player |
Recent Team | New York Jets |
Position | Running Back |
Active Years | Retired |
Marital Status | Married |
Wife | Jessica Powell |
Kids | Two; Tavis and Nya |
Net Worth | $5 million |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Merchandise | Jersey Football Card, Autographed College Card |
Jersey Number | 29 |
Last Updated | November, 2024 |
Bilal Powell | Early Life, Family, And Education
Bilal Powell was born in Lakeland, Florida, the United States. His parents are Kenny Powell and Stephanie Powell.
Sadly the information regarding his siblings (brother or sister) is unavailable.
The NFL player’s start hasn’t been the easiest one. Stephanie was single and raised Bilal alone, as his father was a drug addict.
Moreover, the athlete’s father was constantly in and out of jail. Due to the absence of a fatherly figure, his life started to derail at an early age.
Childhood Days
Powell was kicked out of school for the first time in seventh grade and again in ninth grade. Likewise, he used to get into fights.
Thereafter, he started hanging out with the wrong crowd and was involved in gang activities. Not to mention, as a teenager, the footballer used to carry a gun.
While sharing his story, he revealed that he even took the gun to his high school a few times.
Furthermore, the then-high schooler was seriously injured in a fight and had to be rushed to the emergency room.
Fortunately, Powell was able to recover from his injury fully. After that, the running back decided to turn his life around.
Changing For The Better
Bilal started reading the bible and grew his faith in god. Similarly, he started putting more effort into football and his academics.
By the time Powell finished high school at Lake Gibson High School, he had received two college offers from Michigan State and Southern Miss.
However, the NFL player chose to attend the University of Louisville to play collegiate football for the Louisville Cardinals. He served the Cardinals for four years before entering the NFL draft.
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Bilal Powell | Age, Height, And Weight
Since the Jets player was born on October 27, 1988, he is 36 years old as of 2024.
Likewise, he is born under the Zodiac sign Scorpio.
Furthermore, Powell talked about great care for his health and diet. As a result, he is in great shape and has a toned physique.
Besides that, he is 1.78 m tall and weighs 204 lb. This seems to be a perfect height and weight for a football player like him.
Bilal Powell | Football Career
High School And College Career
The running back played high school football for Lake Gibson High School. He had developed quite impressive skills as a high schooler.
As a result, he received multiple college offers. In the end, Bilal decided to attend the University of Louisville after high school graduation.
Initially, he helped the Louisville Cardinals with their offense. During his final freshman game, the athlete made 91 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown, followed by seven kick returns for 178 net yards.
In his final year at Louisville, he assisted the team in the 2010 Beef’ O’ Brady’s Bowl win.
Hence, the NFL player was named on the All-Big East Conference first team. He was also invited to the 2011 Senior Bowl.
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NFL Career
The New York Jets drafted Bilal in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Likewise, he was the 126th pick overall.
Furthermore, he signed a four-year-long contract worth $3,226,500 with $400,500 guaranteed in his rookie year. Besides that, in his debut game, he played against the Denver Broncos.
However, he only played two games in his first year in the NFL. Nevertheless, he showed the Jets his skills and worth in his next season.
He scored his first multiple touchdowns in a game against the St. Louis Rams, where he ran for 42 yards on 11 carries.
Following his contract end in 2014, the Jets offered him a one-year contract worth $2 million for 2015.
After a fruitful season, the footballer signed a three-year-long contract worth $11,250,000 in 2016. However, during the 2018 season, Powell endured a neck injury that landed him on the injured list.
He was back again with the New York team for the 2019 season as he re-signed with them. However, when the 2019 season ended, he was declared a free agent.
You can check Powell’s football news, career rankings, and projections on the FantasyPros sites.
Career Highlights And Awards
- Fourth-team Phil Steele All-American (2010)
- First-team All-Big East (2010)
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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The ACC Football Honors Class of 2022 Honors
The Former University of Louisville running back Bilal Powell was selected to represent the Cardinals, the league announced on Wednesday.
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Bilal Powell | Marriage, Wife, And Kids
The footballer is married to Jessica “Jessi” Powell. The two met in college and started as friends.
Jessica was in the marching band and also played basketball. Hence, both of them were athletic and had a lot in common.
Powell realized that he was head over heels in love with Jessi after attending a friend’s funeral. He understood that life was concise and everything you have can be taken away from you in a second.
So, he asked his now-wife to marry him without any further delay. Shortly after their wedding, the couple moved to New York, where Bilal played for the Jets.
The duo has two kids; a son named Tavis and a daughter named Nya. The NFL player’s wife is his biggest supporter, and Powell is very blessed to have her in his life.
They recently celebrated their 10th anniversary, and the footballer considers Jessi his ride-or-die. Furthermore, the pair reside in Louisville, Kentucky, with their two kids.
Bilal is currently in 2022, with his wife Jessica with his three children: Tavis, Nya, and Amara; and settle in Louisville, Kentucky, as their home.
“Powell stated, “My wife is working alongside me as a realtor and home interior designer. I’m building custom homes.”
2022 Update
Bilal Powell is a quiet, laid-back man, so it’s safe to say that when the Jets selected him out of Louisville in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, his first thought wasn’t to buy some branded jewelry.
“I had a small gathering in my apartment, and my wife missed it. She was actually in the restroom,” Powell laughed. “My friend, when he heard my name, started screaming her name, and everybody else was going crazy. I just sat in silence because I dreamt about that moment. And when that moment finally comes, it just doesn’t seem real.”
Powell’s tenure with the Jets ended on April 26, 2022, when he signed a one-day contract with the team and retired.
“It meant a lot to me because I always wanted to be a Jet. When I came out of college, they showed the most interest in me,” Powell said. “At the time, Rex Ryan was there as the head coach. You had Anthony Lynn. You had (general manager) Mike Tannenbaum. Those guys allowed me to live out my dreams; I always wanted to be a guy that wanted to be on one team throughout my career.
He retired from the Jets with 3,675 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, the eighth most in team history.
Powell signed a one-day contract with the Jets on April 26, 2022, after being unsigned in 2020 and 2021.
Bilal Powell | Net Worth, Salary, And Career Earnings
The running back has earned most of his wealth through his career in the National Football League. Bilal’s net worth is estimated at $5 million.
However, his career earnings amount to $17,535,329. Furthermore, he started with a salary of $775,500 in 2011, which eventually grew to $4 million in 2018.
Likewise, in 2019, Powell earned $1,020,000, including bonuses. Nevertheless, NFL is not his only source of income.
The athlete is into real estate and is the co-owner of GreyBuilt Homes. He and his business partner Aaron Witt work to customize people their dream homes.
Not to mention, Bilal has already sold many houses with his partner. Moreover, he envisions building six to eight homes this year. His most recent project is in Floyd Knobs, Indiana.
Trend Graph
Bilal is a famous player who is retired now, and his graph seems pretty stagnant,
Although fans, time and again search for him.
Bilal Powell | Social Media Presence
Bilal is on Instagram with 15.7 K followers. The athlete usually shares his most cherished NFL moments with the Jets and often posts throwback pictures.
View this post on Instagram
Likewise, he also promotes his business, GreyBuilt homes, through his Instagram account.
Similarly, the Jets player is on Twitter with 19.3 K followers. He mostly shares NFL-related events, news, and highlights through his tweets.
Bilal Powell | FAQs
Is Bilal Powell still on the Jets?
No, as of June 2021, Bilal Powell is not on the Jets. The Florida native became a free agent in 2019 and hasn’t signed with any other team yet.
Is Bilal Powell retired?
After being a free agent in 2019, Powell signed a one-day contract with the Jets on April 26, 2022, and is retired now.
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