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Bradlee Joseph Ioane Anae (/əˈnaɪ/ ə-NY; born October 17, 1998) is an American professional football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah.

Early life

Anae grew up in Laie, Hawaii and attended Kahuku High & Intermediate School, where he was a member of the basketball, football, and track teams. As a senior, he contributed to the school earning a 13-0 record and winning the Division 1 state title. He received All-state and second-team All-USA Hawaii honors. He is of Samoan descent.

Rated a three-star recruit, Anae committed to play college football at the University of Utah over offers from Vanderbilt and BYU. He followed his older sister Adora, who was a volleyball scholar athlete at the school.

College career

Anae played in six games for Utah as a true freshman defensive end backup, recording four tackles and two sacks. He started 9 games at right defensive end and one at defensive tackle for the Utes during his sophomore year, registering 39 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles, with a team-leading 7.0 sacks and tying for the team lead with 10.0 tackles for loss.

As a junior, he started all 14 games (the last 11 at right defensive end). He led the Pac-12 Conference with 8.0 sacks and finished third in the conference with 15.5 tackles for loss along with 51 total tackles (fifth on the team), three passes broken up, 2 forced fumbles and was named first-team All-Pac-12. He considered entering the 2019 NFL draft, but ultimately decided to return for his senior season.

As a senior, he started all 14 games at left defensive end and was part of a stout defensive unit that saw 6 players selected in the 2020 NFL draft. Anae was named preseason first-team All-Pac-12 and to the Bednarik Award watch list going into his senior year. He tied the Utah career sack record with 29.5 after posting 1.5 sacks against Colorado on November 30, 2019. Anae broke the career sack record in the 2019 Alamo Bowl, the final game of his career, with a half sack against the University of Texas. Anae finished his senior season with 14 starts, 41 tackles, 13.0 sacks, 14.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble, while being named first-team All-Pac-12, consensus All-American selection, received the Morris Trophy as the best defensive lineman in the Pac-12 and was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award. He also participated in the 2020 Senior Bowl, where he had 3 sacks and received defensive MVP honors.

He finished his college career with 38 starts out of 47 games, 30 sacks (school record), 210 sack yards (school record), 41.5 tackles for loss (fourth in school history), 245 tackle for loss yards (school record) and 6 forced fumbles (tied for eighth in school history).

College statistics

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Anae was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round with the 179th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, after dropping because he didn't test well at the NFL Scouting Combine. As a rookie, he appeared in the first six games with minimum playing opportunities. After defensive end Randy Gregory returned from his suspension, Anae was declared inactive in nine of the last 10 contests. It was later reported in the media, that the team's defensive end depth and his struggles against the run were the reasons for his lack of playing time. He played mainly on special teams and had one defensive tackle.

On September 24, 2021, he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. On October 6, 2021, he was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. On November 2, 2021, Anae was waived after committing a defensive offsides penalty on fourth-and-5 in the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings, that kept a drive alive. On November 4, 2021, he was re-signed to the practice squad. He appeared in 4 games as a backup defensive end, making 2 defensive tackles.

New York Jets (first stint)

On January 19, 2022, Anae signed a reserve/future contract with the New York Jets. He was waived on August 30, 2022 and signed to the practice squad the next day. On January 7, 2023, he was promoted to the active roster to provide depth for the season finale against the Miami Dolphins.

In 2023, he returned to the team to compete for a roster position. He was placed on injured reserve on May 25, 2023. He became an unrestricted free agent and was not re-signed at the end of the season.

Atlanta Falcons

On May 13, 2024, Anae signed with the Atlanta Falcons. He was waived on August 25.

New York Jets (second stint)

On November 18, 2024, Anae signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). However, on December 18, the New York Jets signed Anae to their practice squad.

Personal life

Anae's father, Brad Anae, played college football at BYU and was an honorable mention All-American in 1980 and a third-team All-America selection in 1981 and played three seasons in the United States Football League. His two uncles, Matt and Robert Anae, also played at BYU and Robert is currently the offensive coordinator at NC State University.

References

1. Olson, Max (August 6, 2019). "Bradlee Anae pets sharks, jumps off cliffs and makes Utah something to fear". The Athletic. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
2. "Bradlee Anae living his dream as NFL player in America". July 6, 2024.
3. Stark, Alex (February 3, 2016). "Signing Day Commit No. 2: DE Bradlee Anae". BlockU.com. SB Nation. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
4. "Utah football: When it comes to the defensive line, Utes are in the deep end". Salt Lake Tribune.
5. Gunther, Kyle (January 30, 2018). "Bradlee Anae is the most important defensive player for the Utes in 2018". ESPN700Sports.com. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
6. "NFL teams would have drafted Ute defensive linemen Bradlee Anae". Salt Lake Tribune.
7. "Why Utah's Bradlee Anae and Leki Fotu are returning for their senior seasons". Deseret News. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
8. Mauss, Jeremy (July 26, 2019). "Utah's Bradlee Anae Did Not Say That Offensive Quote About BYU". KSL.com. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
9. "New co-mayor of Sack Lake City: Bradlee Anae ties Utah sack record in win over Colorado". Deseret News. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
10. Genessy, Jody (December 31, 2019). "Bradlee Anae gives Utes one positive to remember about the Alamo Bowl, becomes all-time sacks leader". Deseret News. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
11. Kragthorpe, Kurt (December 19, 2019). "Utah's Bradlee Anae clinches consensus All-America status and the Utes land their highest-ranked recruit". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
12. Kostecka, Ryan (December 11, 2019). "Anae wins Morris Trophy for top Pac-12 defensive lineman". SI.com. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
13. "Bradlee Anae Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
14. "2020 NFL Draft Scout Bradlee Anae College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
15. Gehlken, Michael (April 25, 2020). "The Cowboys drafted Bradlee Anae late, and a disappointing 40-yard dash might be the culprit". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
16. "Cowboys roster move: Dallas waives defensive end Bradlee Anae after playing 11 games with team". Blogging the Boys. SB Nation. November 2, 2021.
17. Greenberg, Ethan (January 19, 2022). "Jets Sign DL Bradlee Anae to Reserve/Future Contract". NewYorkJets.com.
18. Lange, Randy; Greenberg, Ethan (August 30, 2022). "Final Cuts: Jets Move 27 Players to Trim Roster to NFL's 53-Man Limit". NewYorkJets.com.
19. Lange, Randy (August 31, 2022). "Jets Sign 13 Players to Practice Squad". NewYorkJets.com.
20. Greenberg, Ethan (January 7, 2023). "Jets Place 5 on Injured Reserve, Sign 5 to Active Roster for Season Finale vs. Dolphins". NewYorkJets.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
21. Greenberg, Ethan (May 25, 2023). "Jets Sign WR Jerome Kapp". NewYorkJets.com.
22. Lange, Randy (January 23, 2024). "D-Line Reset , Jets' Powerful Line Plans to Keep Up the Pressure in '24". NewYorkJets.com.
23. "Falcons sign TE Ross Dwelley plus 3 rookie minicamp tryout players". AtlantaFalcons.com. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
24. Waack, Terrin (August 25, 2024). "Falcons begin 53-man roster cutdown, release 13 players". AtlantaFalcons.com.
25. Larnsen, James. "Stallions Sign Bradlee Anae & Stantley Thomas-Oliver". Pro Football Newsroom. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
26. Allen, Eric (December 18, 2024). "S Jalen Mills Placed on Injured Reserve". NewYorkJets.com.
27. Furlong, Josh (August 26, 2019). "Amid a family pedigree of Cougars, Utah's Bradlee Anae ready to leave his mark". KSL.com. Retrieved May 1, 2020.

External links

• Utah Utes bio

• 1998 births
• Living people
• People from Laie
• Sportspeople from Honolulu County, Hawaii
• Players of American football from Hawaii
• American football defensive ends
• American sportspeople of Samoan descent
• Utah Utes football players
• All-American college football players
• Dallas Cowboys players
• New York Jets players
• Atlanta Falcons players
• Pacific Islander American players of American football
• Birmingham Stallions (2022) players