Edmunds with theBuffalo Bills in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 49 – Chicago Bears | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1998-05-02)May 2, 1998 (age 27) Danville, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 251 lb (114 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school | Dan River (Ringgold, Virginia) | ||||||||||||||||
| College | Virginia Tech (2015–2017) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2018: 1st round, 16th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
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Fe'Zahn Tremaine Edmunds (born May 2, 1998) is an American professionalfootballlinebacker for theChicago Bears of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theVirginia Tech Hokies and was selected by theBuffalo Bills in the first round of the2018 NFL draft.
Edmunds attendedDan River High School inRinggold, Virginia.[1] As a three-year letter, Edmunds appeared at linebacker, defensive end, and tight end. During his junior season alone, Edmunds accumulated 123 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, two blocked kicks, and two forced fumbles, and was nominated for Virginia's defensive player of the year.[2] He would miss most of his senior season due to an injury, but he was nonetheless named all-state at both tight end and linebacker. A 3-star recruit, Edmunds committed to play football atVirginia Tech over various offers fromCincinnati,East Carolina,Hampton,Kentucky,Maryland,North Carolina,USC, andVirginia, among others.[3][4]
Edmunds played at Virginia Tech from 2015 to 2017 under head coachesFrank Beamer andJustin Fuente. As a junior in 2017, he was a finalist for theButkus Award after recording 108 tackles and 5.5 sacks.[5] After the season, he decided to forgo his senior year and enter the2018 NFL draft.[6][7] He finished his career with 213 tackles, 10 sacks, and 1 interception.
On January 10, 2018, Edmunds released a statement throughTwitter announcing his decision to forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the2018 NFL draft.[8] Edmunds attended theNFL Scouting Combine inIndianapolis and completed the majority of drills, but opted to skip the short shuttle, three-cone drill, and vertical jump. Among all linebackers performing at the NFL Combine, Edmunds finished fifth in the 40-yard dash, 12th in the broad jump, and tied for 14th in the bench press.[9]
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On March 14, 2018, Edmunds participated at Virginia Tech'spro day, but opted to stand on his combine numbers and only performed positional drills. He attended pre-draft visits with theBuffalo Bills,Green Bay Packers, andSan Francisco 49ers.[10][11] At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Edmunds was projected to be a first round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked as the top outside linebacker prospect in the draft by DraftScout.com andESPN analyst Jeff Legwold. He was also ranked as the second best stack linebacker bySports Illustrated and the second best linebacker in the draft by NFL analystMike Mayock.[12][13][14]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft4+1⁄2 in (1.94 m) | 253 lb (115 kg) | 34+1⁄2 in (0.88 m) | 9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | 4.54 s | 1.60 s | 2.65 s | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) | 19 reps | |||
| All values fromNFL Combine[15][16] | ||||||||||||
TheBuffalo Bills selected Edmunds in the first round (16th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.[17] In order to select Edmunds, the Bills traded their first (22nd overall) and third round (65th overall) picks to theBaltimore Ravens in exchange for a first round pick (16th overall) and a fifth round pick (154th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft.[18][19] Edmunds became the second youngest player to be drafted in NFL history at 19 years 11 months 24 days old, only behindAmobi Okoye at 19 years old 10 months 18 days, in2007.[20] Edmunds' brother,Terrell, went on to be drafted in the first round (28th overall) by thePittsburgh Steelers. Terrell's selection earned them the distinction of becoming the first pair of brothers to be drafted in the first round of the same draft in NFL history.[21]
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On May 12, 2018, the Bills signed Edmunds to a fully guaranteed four-year, $12.65 million contract that includes asigning bonus of $7.28 million.[22][23] He entered training camp slated as the starting middle linebacker afterPreston Brown departed in free agency. Head coachSean McDermott named Edmunds the starting middle linebacker to begin the regular season. He started alongside outside linebackersMatt Milano andLorenzo Alexander.[24]

He made his professional regular season debut and first career start in the Bills' season-opener at theBaltimore Ravens and recorded seven combined tackles, deflected two passes, and made his first career sack during their 47–3 loss.[25] Edmunds made his first career sack on Ravens' quarterbackJoe Flacco for less than a one-yard loss in the second quarter.[26] Edmunds recorded his first NFL interception against theNew York Jets in week 14, picking offSam Darnold. At age 20, he became the youngest NFL player ever to record an interception.[27] Following a strong month of play, Edmunds was named the NFL defensive rookie of the month in December after recording 43 tackles, 4 passes defended, 1 sack and 2 interceptions.[28] Overall, he recorded 121 total tackles on the year with two sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
Edmunds was named a team captain at the beginning of the year.[29] He notched his first sack of the season in week 10 against theCleveland Browns, taking down quarterbackBaker Mayfield in the endzone for a Billssafety.[30]In week 11 against theMiami Dolphins, Edmunds recorded a team high 12 tackles and made a half sack onRyan Fitzpatrick in the 37–20 win.[31]In week 14 against theBaltimore Ravens, Edmunds recorded 8 tackles and his first interception of the season off a pass thrown byLamar Jackson during the 24–17 loss.[32]In the AFC wild card game against theHouston Texans, Edmunds recorded a team high 12 tackles, sacked quarterbackDeshaun Watson once, and recovered a fumble forced byTre'Davious White onDeAndre Hopkins during the 22–19 overtime loss.[33] Edmunds started every game in his sophomore season, recording 1 interception, 1 1/2 sacks, and 115 tackles.[34] Edmunds was named to the2020 Pro Bowl, the first Pro Bowl of his career, in replacement of the injuredDont'a Hightower.[35]
In Week 9 against theSeattle Seahawks, Edmunds recorded a team high 11 tackles and sackedRussell Wilson once during the 44–34 win.[36] Despite dealing with a lingering shoulder injury suffered during week 1 against the Jets,[37] Edmunds was able to garner his second Pro-Bowl selection with his play after recovering.[38] In 15 games, Edmunds recorded 119 tackles (77 solo), two sacks, four tackles for a loss and three passes defended.
In Buffalo's two playoff wins, he recorded nine tackles each game and broke up three passes. He would then record seven tackles in Buffalo's 38–24 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.
In May 2021, the Bills exercised the fifth-year option on Edmunds' rookie contract,[39] worth a guaranteed $12.716 million for the 2022 season.[40]
In Week 4, Edmunds recorded six tackles and an interception in a 40–0 win over the Texans, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week.[41]

On March 15, 2023, Edmunds signed a four-year, $72 million contract with theChicago Bears.[42] In Week 2, in a loss against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, Edmunds recorded a team-leading 16 total tackles.[43] During the Week 15 loss to theCleveland Browns, Edmunds recorded an interception off ofJoe Flacco and returned it 45 yards for his first NFL touchdown.[44]
Edmunds began the 2025 season as one of Chicago's starting linebackers, recording four interceptions, nine pass deflections, one sack, and 89 combined tackles across 10 starts. In Week 11 against theMinnesota Vikings, Edmunds suffered a groin injury that caused him to be placed on injured reserve on November 22, 2025.[45] He was activated on December 20, ahead of the team's Week 16 against theGreen Bay Packers.[46]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | TfL | QBH | Sck | Sfty | PD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2018 | BUF | 15 | 15 | 121 | 80 | 41 | 5 | 7 | 2.0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2019 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 115 | 66 | 49 | 10 | 4 | 1.5 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2020 | BUF | 15 | 15 | 119 | 77 | 42 | 4 | 3 | 2.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2021 | BUF | 15 | 15 | 108 | 70 | 38 | 7 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2022 | BUF | 13 | 13 | 102 | 66 | 36 | 6 | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2023 | CHI | 15 | 15 | 113 | 69 | 44 | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 61 | 15.3 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2024 | CHI | 17 | 17 | 110 | 60 | 50 | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2025 | CHI | 13 | 13 | 112 | 61 | 51 | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 2.5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Career | 119 | 119 | 900 | 549 | 351 | 43 | 24 | 8.5 | 1 | 59 | 14 | 98 | 7.0 | 45 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | TfL | QBH | Sck | Sfty | PD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2019 | BUF | 1 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2020 | BUF | 3 | 3 | 25 | 14 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2021 | BUF | 2 | 2 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2022 | BUF | 2 | 2 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2025 | CHI | 2 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Career | 10 | 10 | 84 | 58 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 1.0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | |
His brothers,Trey andTerrell also played college football at Virginia Tech.[47][48] Terrell was also drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft in the first round by thePittsburgh Steelers while Trey is a free agent who has played for thePittsburgh Steelers andNew Orleans Saints. Their father,Ferrell Edmunds, also played in the NFL, appearing in two Pro Bowls.[49] Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds are the first set of brothers to be drafted in the first round of the sameNFL draft.[50]