Where Are They Now? Jared Crick
Jared Crick: From Haymaker to Cornhusker.
Once a dominant force on the Cornhuskers’ defensive line, Jared Crick is a name that the Cornhusker faithful still remember with admiration. Crick’s career as a Blackshirt was marked by his relentless drive and aggressive play style, earning him numerous awards and making him a key player for the Cornhuskers. But what happened after Crick left Memorial Stadium for the last time as a player in 2011?
Jared Crick was born on August 21st, 1989, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He would spend his first few years here before his parents decided to move back to their hometown in Cozad, Nebraska. It was here where Crick’s football journey would officially begin. Crick would strap on his shoulder pads for the first time in the 7th grade and would fall in love with the game. Once in high school, Crick would dominate multiple sports including football, basketball, and shot put. In basketball, Crick would almost average a double-double while leading his team in scoring and rebounding. Meanwhile, in shot put, Crick would prove to be among the best in Nebraska after finishing in second place at state with a throw of 60 10-¼. As impressive as he was on the court or in the throwing ring, Crick would truly show what he was capable of on the football field. As a senior, he would go on to earn All-Nebraska honors, second-team Super-State honors and finally first-team honors for Class B. His athletic dominance would bring in multiple scholarship offers, including one to Kansas, but Jared knew he always wanted to be a Cornhusker.
Jared Crick’s collegiate career at Nebraska was nothing short of stellar. Crick started his career as a defensive end, but would move inside to defensive tackle after the spring of 2008. As a defensive tackle, Crick was known for his ability to disrupt opposing offenses, combining strength, impressive speed, and his relentless drive. His performance would go on to earn him spots on several All-Big 12 teams and a recipient and finalist for countless awards and honors. All this combined made him a prominent NFL prospect.
However, in 2011, Crick’s collegiate career took a
hit when he suffered a season-ending injury. Despite this setback, he would enter the NFL Draft. Once seen as a 1st round pick, Crick would fall to the 4th round and be selected with the 126th pick by the Houston Texans. Upon being drafted, NFL Draft Expert, Mel Kiper had this to say about Jared Crick. “He’s not J.J. Watt, but Crick could be used the same way in Wade Phillips’ scheme. Undersized for an NFL 4-3 DT, I see Crick using his quickness as a penetrating 3-4 DE. I once had a first-round grade on Crick. He landed in the fourth round only because of a laundry list of recent injuries — though he did start every game in 2009 and 2010. He could be a steal if he can stay on the field.”
Crick’s NFL career began with promise. He made a notable impact with the Texans, contributing as a defensive end. His ability to apply pressure and make plays was evident during his time with Houston. During the 2014 and 2015 seasons Crick pushed himself into the starting position and ended up playing 31 of 32 games over those 2 years. After his time with Houston, the Denver Broncos would sign Jared to a two-year contract. In 2016, Crick would play the most snaps out of any defensive lineman in the NFL and prove to be a reliable piece to a dominant Broncos defense. Unfortunately, injuries would come back to plague him, affecting his ability to maintain a consistent performance on the field, and in the following September, he would find himself on the injured reverse list. Crick’s journey through the NFL was marked by both accomplishments and challenges, demonstrating his resilience and dedication to the sport.
After leaving the NFL, Jared Crick shifted his focus away from professional football. He would spend roughly the next calendar year rehabbing from a back surgery in Denver. With the prospect of football no longer in his future Jared and his wife, Emily, decided it was time to move back to “The Good Life”. “We had just planned to move back to Nebraska, we were thinking Lincoln or Omaha but we couldn’t really decide. So we would just decide to move back to Cozad, back to where both our families are, and look at all of our prospects.” Crick would go on to say, “We landed back in Cozad in late 2019, just kind of hanging out and that’s when Coronavirus hit. Lincoln was shut down, Omaha was shut down. All the places that were potential landing spots all shut down. So we just decided to stay put until all of that blew over, but we just fell in love with it and decided to stay.”
As of now, Jared Crick is enjoying a much quieter life compared to the high-octane world of professional sports. Today you can find Jared working as an Insurance Agent for Farm Bureau Financial Services, where he enjoys educating and helping people. When Jared isn’t working, he is spending time with his family and enjoying the small-town life. When asked if he has any major plans for the future, Crick said, “I think this is what I’m doing for the long haul. Obviously, we would love to stay in Cozad, all of our people are here, my business is here, so that’s the plan.” While Jared might not be on the field anymore, he remains a beloved figure among Nebraska football fans and is remembered for his contributions both on and off the field.
