Josh Uche is an American-born professional football player for the NFL team New England Patriots. He has been playing in the linebacker position for the Patriots since they chose him in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Although it seemed almost impossible for him to get into the NFL during his initial college season, Uche later made an unbelievable comeback. His performance in the last season helped him get into the Patriots roster in 2020.
He was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten for his impressive senior season for the Michigan Wolverines in 2019.
Josh has worked his backside off to reach the place he is now in. Uche admits that he was not very good at playing football when he was a kid, and because of this, he was subjected to constant bullying.
At one point, he had even thought of leaving football and pursuing a career in some other field of work. However, he persevered and finally achieved what he thought was impossible for his father, who kept pushing him forward.
If you want to know more about him, please read this article right to the end. We will discuss Uche’s early life, career, net worth, and more here.
But let’s start with some quick facts about him first.
Josh Uche | Quick Facts
| Full Name | Joshua Uche |
| Date of Birth | September 18, 1998 |
| Birth Place | Miami, Florida, the USA |
| Known as | Josh Uche |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Age | 26 Years Old |
| Height | 1.85 m/6 feet 1 inch/185 cm |
| Weight | 245 lb./111 kg |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Not available |
| Mother’s Name | Not available |
| Siblings | Yes (names- not available) |
| Ethnicity | Nigerian-American |
| Education |
|
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Girlfriend | None |
| Kid | None |
| Profession | Football player |
| NFL Draft | 2020/ Round: 2/ 60th Pick |
| Position | Linebacker |
| League | National Football League (NFL) |
| Active Years | (2020-Present) |
| Net Worth | $1- $5 Million |
| Currently Plays For | New England Patriots |
| Career Highlights & Awards | Second Team All-Big Ten (2019) |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| New England Patriots Merch | Football Trading Card |
| Last Update | December 2024 |
Josh Uche | Early Life & Education
Joshua Uche, famous as Josh Uche, was born to his Nigerian immigrant parents on September 18, 1998.
Born and brought up in Florida, Josh initially attended the local public school in Miami before he went to study high school at Christopher Columbus HS during his sophomore year.
Before he was in Columbus, his daily routine was all about studies, and he got very little time to practice football, although his father wanted him to play games and enhance his skills.
Josh, too, tried his best to play well and wanted to make his dad proud, but he rarely got a chance to play for his team.
The coaches and friends there made fun of him and always let him down.
He remembers now that because of constant bullying, he just wanted to keep away from practice sessions and leave football altogether. However, his father never let him do that and strictly ordered him to do what he was told to, i.e., never leave playing football.
Even though he felt so much pressure, Josh continued his sports career and academic duties.
After graduating high school from Columbus in 2015, Josh enrolled in the University of Michigan for further studies. He eventually graduated with a degree in political science from the University in 2019.
Josh Uche | Career
High School Career
Uche’s decision to transfer to Columbus High School proved to be highly fruitful. Even though the head coach, Chris Merritt, and his defensive coach Pedro Marti, found him frustrated and unpolished, they recognized his potential.
Marti spent extra hours training Uche and taught him many things, including reading tactics of offensive linesmen, correct ways of utilizing hands, etc.
He started progressing gradually and later played a crucial role in leading his team to the Florida 8A state championship games in his last two seasons.
College Career
Josh got a football scholarship upon his high school graduation and played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. However, his troublesome days had just begun instead of becoming over.
He could only play four games in his first season as he tore his meniscus and had to take rest for almost the entire season. Similarly, his second season was ruined by another injury.
He was frustrated and almost on the verge of breaking down when the coaches scolded him when he complained about not getting enough playtime even after recovering from injury.
However, the 2018 season marked his return, and he had a decent overall performance. It guaranteed his prominent position in the team during his final season.
Josh utilized his opportunity to the fullest in his senior season, in which he recorded 35 tackles, playing all 13 games. Consequently, he won the team’s Best Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.
NFL Career
The New England Patriots chose Josh Uche as the 60th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Josh did not have a good start to his career as he sadly suffered a foot injury at the beginning of the season and had to take a month-long rest before returning to the field.
He finished his rookie season with nine tackles, appearing in nine games.
Uche had his first career sack against the Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Furthermore, Josh Uche had more playtime in his second season and was far better this time. At the end of the season, he had twelve tackles and three sacks in 12 games.
The struggling linebacker is back for the Patriots in the new 2022 season and hoping to achieve something big this time.
Josh Uche | Net Worth & Earnings
Josh Uche is only at the beginning of his career, but he has already earned a good amount of money through the league games. Anyways, his net worth is still below $5 million.
After the Patriots chose him in the 2020 draft, he immediately signed a four-year contract worth $5.38 million.
For his rookie season, the club had paid him around $610k as his base salary.
In addition, Uche received over $300k as a bonus.
Even though Josh has not been able to perform well for his team, the team has been entirely benevolent to him as he has received large amounts of salary. He has a base salary of nearly $1.1 million in the 2022 season.
He has already earned over $2.5 million in his NFL career.
Josh Uche | Age, Weight & Height
As of 2024, Josh Uche is 26 years old.
Regarding his physical features, Josh looks sturdy and is pretty tall. When he first joined Michigan, his head coach Merritt remembers that he was extremely skinny. However, he later grew interested in the gym and loves doing workouts now.
As a result, Uche is currently very fit and looks muscular. He stands tall at 1.85 meters (6 feet 1 inch) and weighs approximately 245 lb.
Josh Uche | Does He Have a Girlfriend?
Josh Uche is never known to have dated a girl to date. He may have had some affairs in the past, but only he and those around him know the truth.
However, we can tell that Josh is single and not dating anyone. Moreover, there is no reliable information on the Internet about his love life.
Josh is still very young, but he is mature beyond his years. He had a tough childhood and knew very well how to prioritize things. So, he thinks he should focus on his professional career and is doing the same.
The Josh Uche Foundation
Besides being an outstanding player, Josh Uche is an exceptional human being. He has already set up a nonprofit organization named the Josh Uche Foundation that looks forward to helping troubled youths of society.
The foundation primarily focuses on empowering and educating youth about mental health issues, providing mentorship, and helping them become a better person.
The player himself had endured a lot of psychological problems back in his college days, and he is aware of how all those conversations and motivational interactions can play an essential role in helping the youths.
Furthermore, his foundation is working on developing a mental health app for young athletes.
Social Media Presence
Instagram: @josh_uche
Our DL alums are having a day already! @_Uche35 gets in on the action with the sack!#ProBlue | https://t.co/3RgouEckJV pic.twitter.com/p5DeCuFkzD
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 6, 2022
Twitter: @_Uche35
Josh Uche Popularity
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
How many sacks does Josh Uche have?
Josh Uche has only sixteen and a half sacks, appearing in forty career games. However, the number may rise in the coming year because Uche is still an active NFL player with great potential.
What number is Josh Uche?
Josh Uche wears jersey number 55 for the New England Patriots of the NFL.
