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Robby Blake Bortles (born April 28, 1992) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football for the UCF Knights, winning AAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2013. Bortles was selected by the Jaguars third overall in the 2014 NFL draft.

Key Information

As the Jaguars' starting quarterback from 2014 to 2018, Bortles set franchise records for single-season passing yards and touchdowns in 2015. His most successful season was in 2017 when he helped bring the Jaguars to their first division title and AFC Championship Game appearance since 1999. However, Bortles also led the league in interceptions in 2015 and had a league-high 75 interceptions by the end of his five years with Jacksonville. After being released by the Jaguars in 2018, he spent his final three seasons as a backup for the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, and New Orleans Saints.

Early life

[edit]

Robby Blake Bortles[1][2] attended Oviedo High School in Oviedo, Florida, where he excelled in football and baseball for the Lions.[3] As a senior, he completed 151 of 233 passes for 2,211 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He finished his high school career with a Seminole County record 5,576 career passing yards and 53 touchdowns.[4]

Labeled a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Bortles was listed as the No. 44 pro-style quarterback in his class.[5] Bortles chose UCF over offers from Colorado State, Purdue, Tulane, and Western Kentucky.[6]

College career

[edit]

Bortles accepted the offer from UCF, which was the first college to offer him a scholarship and was located near his home. He was redshirted as a true freshman in 2010. As a redshirt freshman in 2011, he played in 10 games, completing 75 of 110 passes for 958 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions.[7] As a sophomore in 2012, he started all 14 games at quarterback. He completed 251 of 399 passes for 3,059 yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 285 yards and scored eight touchdowns.[8][9] He was the MVP of the 2012 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl after completing 22 of 32 passes for 271 yards with three touchdowns and 79 rushing yards against the Ball State Cardinals.[10]

Bortles with UCF in 2013

In 2013, Bortles led the Knights to the inaugural championship of the American Athletic Conference, earning the league's automatic berth to a BCS bowl, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Passing for 301 yards and rushing for 93 yards and four touchdowns, Bortles led UCF to an upset of fifth-ranked Baylor, 52–42. Bortles was named the Offensive MVP of the game, which was UCF's first major bowl win in school history.[11] In his final collegiate season, he was 259-of-382 for 3,581 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He added 87 rushes for 272 yards and six rushing touchdowns.[12]

College statistics

[edit]

As a starter from the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Bortles had a 22–5 (.815) record for the Knights. As of 2016, his career passer rating of 153.9 is the highest for any UCF quarterback with at least 500 pass attempts and he was fourth in career completions, yards, and touchdowns behind Daunte Culpepper, Ryan Schneider, and Darin Hinshaw.[13][14]

Season Team Passing Rushing
GP GS Cmp Att Pct Yds TD Int Rtg Att Yds TD
2010 UCF Redshirt Redshirt
2011 UCF 10 0 75 110 67.8 958 6 3 153.9 21 4 1
2012 UCF 14 14 251 399 62.9 3,059 25 7 144.5 87 285 8
2013 UCF 13 13 259 382 67.8 3,581 25 9 163.4 87 272 6
Total 37 27 585 891 66.2 7,598 56 19 153.9 195 561 15

Professional career

[edit]

Pre-draft

[edit]

On January 5, 2014, Bortles announced that he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2014 NFL draft.[15][16]

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span Wingspan 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Wonderlic
6 ft 5 in
(1.96 m)		 232 lb
(105 kg)		 32+7⁄8 in
(0.84 m)		 9+3⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		 6 ft 6 in
(1.98 m)		 4.93 s 1.75 s 2.86 s 4.21 s 7.08 s 32.5 in
(0.83 m)		 9 ft 7 in
(2.92 m)		 28[17]
All values from NFL Combine[18][19][20]

Jacksonville Jaguars

[edit]

2014 season

[edit]
Bortles with the Jaguars in 2014
See also: 2014 Jacksonville Jaguars season

On May 8, 2014, at the 2014 NFL draft, Bortles was chosen in the first round with the third overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars.[21] Bortles was the first of an eventual 14 quarterbacks to be drafted.[22][23]

On June 18, 2014, Bortles signed his rookie contract worth $20.6 million guaranteed for four years with the team.[24]

During Week 3, Bortles made his NFL debut when he came in relief of Chad Henne in the second half of a 44–17 blowout loss to the Indianapolis Colts.[25] He went on to complete 14-of-24 passes for 223 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.[26] Following the game, head coach Gus Bradley named Bortles the starter going forward.[27] In the next game, Bortles made his first NFL start against the San Diego Chargers. He ended the game 29-of-37 for 253 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in a 33–14 road loss.[28] His 78.4 percent completion percentage set a record for a rookie quarterback's first start.[29] Two weeks later against the Tennessee Titans, he produced 336 yards on 32-of-46 passes (three franchise rookie records), but the Jaguars lost 14–16 due to a blocked field goal.[30] During Week 13 against the New York Giants, Bortles threw for 194 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions and 68 rushing yards. They narrowly won 25–24 after trailing by 21 points.[31] The 21-point comeback marked the largest in franchise history at the time.[32] Three weeks later, he led the Jaguars to a Thursday Night Football 21–13 victory over the Titans. He completed 13 of 26 passes for a touchdown and no interceptions along with 50 rushing yards.[33]

Bortles established himself as a dual-threat quarterback in his rookie season by rushing for 20 or more yards seven times in 2014, second only to Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks.[34] However, he also led the NFL and set franchise records in taking 55 sacks for 345 yards lost, and compiled a 3–10 record as a starter.[35][36]

2015 season

[edit]
See also: 2015 Jacksonville Jaguars season

Bortles, after having a strong preseason in his second year, started the 2015 season slow with a touchdown and two interceptions in the season-opening 20–9 loss to the Carolina Panthers.[37] In the next game, he led the Jaguars on a comeback drive against the Miami Dolphins to seal their first victory of the season. Bortles threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.[38] During Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bortles threw for a then-career-high four touchdowns for 303 yards along with 21 rushing yards. However, this was not enough as the Jaguars lost 38–31.[39] During Week 13, he broke the Jaguars single game record with five touchdown passes in a 42–39 road loss to the Titans.[40]

The Jaguars finished with a 5–11 record in 2015, and Bortles again led the league in sacks taken (51) and interceptions thrown (18).[41] However, the season was also a success for the second-year quarterback in many ways. Bortles set the Jaguars single-season franchise records for passing touchdowns (35), passing yards, (4,428), pass completions (355), and pass attempts (606).[42][43] His 90-yard touchdown throw to Allen Robinson in Week 16 was the longest in the NFL that year. His passer rating was above 80 in eleven games, and he threw a touchdown pass in the Jaguars' first 15 games of 2015, a franchise record. After throwing no touchdowns in the regular season finale, he shared second place with Eli Manning, Cam Newton, and Carson Palmer, behind only Tom Brady's 36. He was also seventh in the NFL in passing yards with 4,428, behind Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Brady, Palmer, Matt Ryan, and Manning.[44] He was ranked 56th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.[45]

2016 season

[edit]
See also: 2016 Jacksonville Jaguars season
Bortles signing an autograph in 2016

Bortles compiled a disappointing 3–13 record for the 2016 Jaguars, amid considerable turnover in the organization.[46] During a nine-game losing streak, offensive coordinator Greg Olson was replaced by Nathaniel Hackett in Week 8, and head coach Gus Bradley by Doug Marrone in Week 16. The following week, Bortles caught his first career reception from wide receiver Marqise Lee on a 20-yard trick play that netted a touchdown and led to a Christmas Eve 38–17 victory over the Titans.[47] It was his only game with a passer rating of over 100 in 2016 (compared to five in 2015).

Bortles finished the 2016 season with 3,905 yards passing and a 58.9 completion percentage, 23 touchdown passes, 16 interceptions (4th in the NFL), but just 34 sacks, and five 300+ yard games (7th in the NFL).[48][49] Following the season, he stated that he had suffered from a Grade 1 right AC joint sprain in Week 8, and suffered from wrist tendinitis in the latter part of the season, which could explain his regression.[50]

2017 season

[edit]
See also: 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars season

On May 1, 2017, the Jaguars picked up the fifth-year option on Bortles's contract.[51]

On August 26, he was named the starting quarterback to begin the regular season after a competition with Chad Henne.[52] Through the first 11 games of the season, Bortles was relatively inconsistent. He had an excellent Week 3 with four passing touchdowns and no interceptions for a 128.2 rating in a 44–7 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in London.[53] He broke 300 yards passing just once in Week 7 with 330 passing yards, one passing touchdown and no interceptions for a 124.7 rating against the Colts.[54] Excluding these games, Bortles averaged 185.6 yards per game, no games of either 300+ yards or 100+ rating, and had seven touchdowns and eight interceptions in those nine games. Through 12 weeks, out of the 20 eleven-game starters, Bortles was 17th in yardage and touchdowns, and 18th in rating. However, he had a 100+ rating in the next three consecutive games, compiling 8 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, and 300+ yards in three of the next four games.

During Week 15 against the Houston Texans, Bortles finished with 326 passing yards and three passing touchdowns as the Jaguars won, 45–7, helping the team clinch their first playoff berth in 10 years.[55] In the next game against the San Francisco 49ers, Bortles finished with a season-best 382 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and three interceptions as the Jaguars lost on the road by a score of 44–33.[56] Despite the loss, the Jaguars clinched the AFC South due to the Titans losing to the Los Angeles Rams.[57] Bortles finished the regular season with 3,687 passing yards, 21 touchdowns to 13 interceptions, and an 84.7 quarterback rating (21st of 35 players with at least 200 attempts).[58]

After finishing 10–6, the Jaguars made the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the 2017 AFC Playoffs.[59] In the Wild Card Round, the Jaguars defeated the Buffalo Bills by a score of 10–3 in Bortles's first playoff game. He completed 12 of 23 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. He also had a game-high 88 yards rushing on 10 carries.[60] He joined Michael Vick (2004) as the only quarterbacks with more rushing than passing yards in a postseason game since the 1970 merger,[61] and the 75 net passing yards was the lowest by a winning postseason quarterback since Joe Flacco in the 2009 postseason.[62] Due to his poor passing performance against the Bills, Bortles received heavy criticism from analysts and even other players in the league. When confronted about these criticisms, Bortles stated that he "couldn't care less" and even said, "There's people who think LeBron James sucks, so if that happens, I'm sure there will always be people who always think I suck."[63][64] However, Bortles bounced back in the Divisional Round, leading the Jaguars to beat the heavily favored Pittsburgh Steelers on the road by a score of 45–42. Bortles completed 14 of 26 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown to stifle a Steelers comeback.[65] This would be Jacksonville's first AFC Championship Game appearance since 1999, but they lost to the New England Patriots on the road by a score of 24–20 after spoiling a 20–10 lead in the fourth quarter. Bortles finished the game completing 23 of 36 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown.[66] He finished the playoffs completing 57.6% of his passes for 594 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also rushed for 121 yards.[67]

2018 season

[edit]
See also: 2018 Jacksonville Jaguars season

On February 24, 2018, Bortles signed a three-year, $54 million contract to stay with the Jaguars through the 2020 season.[68]

Bortles and the Jaguars had a 3–1 start to the season.[69] Between sub-200-yard games in Week 1 and Week 3, Bortles faced the Patriots in 97-degree heat and finished with 377 passing yards, four touchdowns, and an interception in the 31–20 victory.[70] In Week 4, he passed for 388 yards in a 31–12 win over the New York Jets.[71] In the next game, he recorded a career-high 430 passing yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he also threw four interceptions and took five sacks in the 30–14 road loss.[72] The following week against the Dallas Cowboys, Bortles threw for 149 yards, a touchdown, and an interception to Jeff Heath in triple coverage in a 40–7 road loss.[73] During Week 7 against the Texans, he lost a fumble on the opening possessions of each half. Bortles was benched for Cody Kessler after he lost the second fumble, finishing the day with a career-low 61 yards on 12 attempts.[74] At the time, the Jaguars had the league's second-best defense but had lost three games in a row; Bortles was tied for second-worst in the league with four sub-200-yard passing games, third-worst with eight interceptions, and seventh-worst with five fumbles.

Nevertheless, head coach Doug Marrone elected to leave Bortles as the starter for the Week 8 matchup in London against the Philadelphia Eagles. He fumbled the opening snap, but played through a shoulder injury to finish with 286 yards and a touchdown. He led the Jaguars on three straight scoring drives late in the game to draw within six points before completing just two of his last nine passes in the 18–24 loss.[75][76] After a Week 9 bye, the Jaguars went on the road to face the Colts. Bortles finished the game with 320 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 10 of 11 passes for two scoring drives to open the second half, and a drive to the 23-yard line in the waning moments of the 4th quarter before a Rashad Greene fumble allowed the Colts to kneel out the clock and preserve a 29–26 victory.[77] In the next game, Bortles completed 10 of 18 passes for a career-fourth-worst 104 yards in a 20–16 loss to the Steelers.[78] The following week, he completed 12 of 23 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions in a 21–24 road loss to the Bills.[79]

The next day, Marrone announced that Bortles would be benched in favor of Cody Kessler for the Week 13 matchup against the Colts.[80] He was then 30th of 34 qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage, quarterback rating, and yards-per-attempt, and second-worst only to the Oakland Raiders's Derek Carr with eight losses.[81] In Week 16 against the Dolphins, Bortles entered the game in relief of a struggling Kessler in the late second quarter, was promptly sacked on third down, benched, then reentered the game in the late third quarter where he completed five of six passes for 39 yards and rushed four times for 26 yards to help lead the Jaguars to a 17–7 victory.[82] Bortles started the season finale against the Texans,[83] but was ineffective with just 107 yards and an interception on 28 attempts.[84] On the season, in Bortles' 13 appearances for the Jaguars, he compiled a 4–9 record,[85] and was 22nd of 25 players with at least 13 appearances in completion percentage (60.3%), yards (2,718), yards per game (209.1), touchdowns (13), and 23rd in passer rating (79.8); his 11 interceptions ranked 15th. His 357 rushing yards was sixth among quarterbacks.[86]

Bortles was released by the Jaguars on March 13, 2019, after the team signed quarterback Nick Foles.[87] Over his five years with the Jaguars, Bortles led the league in interceptions (75 in 75 games, a league-leading 13 of which were returned for touchdowns) and second among quarterbacks in fumbles (46) to Russell Wilson.[88]

Los Angeles Rams (first stint)

[edit]

On March 18, 2019, Bortles signed a one-year contract with the Rams to be Jared Goff's backup.[89]

Bortles played three snaps of a Week 7 blowout of the Atlanta Falcons with a 20-point lead late in the fourth quarter.[90] Five days prior, Bortles was reunited with his former Jaguars teammate Jalen Ramsey in a trade that sent Ramsey to the Rams in exchange for first round picks in 2020 and 2021, as well as a fourth round pick in 2021. In his second appearance, a Week 10 loss to the Steelers,[91] Bortles appeared in only one play, a third down with two yards to go; the team did not pick up the third down conversion. Bortles' third and final appearance of the season came in a week 13 blowout victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Bortles saw action in a seven-play drive and completed his first pass of the season.[92]

Denver Broncos

[edit]

On September 24, 2020, Bortles was signed by the Denver Broncos after an injury to starter Drew Lock.[93] Bortles was released by the Broncos on October 17, 2020, after Lock recovered from his shoulder injury.[94] Bortles was re-signed to Denver's practice squad two days later.[95] On November 28, 2020, Bortles was placed on the practice squad/COVID-19 list after coming in close contact with Jeff Driskel, who tested positive for the virus.[96] Bortles and the other three quarterbacks on the Broncos roster were fined by the team for violating COVID-19 protocols.[97] He was restored to the practice squad on December 1.[98]

Los Angeles Rams (second stint)

[edit]

On December 29, 2020, Bortles was signed by the Rams off the Broncos' practice squad following an injury to starter Jared Goff.[99]

Green Bay Packers

[edit]

On May 24, 2021, Bortles signed a one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers worth $1 million.[100] He was released on July 27, 2021.[101] On November 4, 2021, Bortles was re-signed to the Packers practice squad as the backup for Jordan Love after starter Aaron Rodgers was unavailable for Week 9 due to a COVID-19 diagnosis.[102] On November 6, 2021, he was elevated to the active roster, for a game against the Chiefs.[103] He was released on November 15.[104]

New Orleans Saints

[edit]

On December 24, 2021, Bortles was signed by the New Orleans Saints to back up rookie quarterback Ian Book after starter Jameis Winston tore his ACL in week 8. His backup Trevor Siemian and third stringer Taysom Hill both contracted COVID-19.[105] On January 6, 2022, Bortles was placed on the Saints COVID-19 protocol list and was inactive for their Week 18 matchup against the Falcons.[106] He signed a reserve/future contract with the Saints on January 12, 2022.[107] On April 5, the Saints waived Bortles, who had asked to be released from his contract following the team's decision to sign Andy Dalton.[108]

He announced his retirement on the podcast Pardon My Take on October 5, 2022.[109]

NFL career statistics

[edit]
Legend
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season

[edit]
Year Team Games Passing Rushing Sacks Fumbles
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg TD Sck SckY Fum Lost
2014 JAX 14 13 3–10 280 475 58.9 2,908 6.1 11 17 69.5 56 419 7.5 0 55 345 7 3
2015 JAX 16 16 5–11 355 606 58.6 4,428 7.3 35 18 88.2 52 310 6.0 2 51 320 14 5
2016 JAX 16 16 3–13 368 625 58.9 3,905 6.2 23 16 78.8 58 359 6.2 3 34 197 8 0
2017 JAX 16 16 10–6 315 523 60.2 3,687 7.0 21 13 84.7 57 322 5.6 2 24 123 9 3
2018 JAX 13 12 3–9 243 403 60.3 2,718 6.7 13 11 79.8 58 365 6.3 1 31 173 8 2
2019 LAR 3 0 – 1 2 50.0 3 1.5 0 0 56.2 2 −9 −4.5 0 0 0 0 0
2020 DEN 0 0 – Did not play
LAR 0 0 –
2021 GB 0 0 –
NO 0 0 –
Career 78 73 24–49 1,562 2,634 59.3 17,649 6.7 103 75 80.6 283 1,766 6.3 8 195 1,158 46 13

Postseason

[edit]
Year Team Games Passing Rushing Sacks Fumbles
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg TD Sck SckY Fum Lost
2017 JAX 3 3 2–1 49 85 57.6 594 7.0 3 0 91.0 17 121 7.1 0 5 32 4 0
2020 LAR 0 0 – Did not play
Career 3 3 2–1 49 85 57.6 594 7.0 3 0 91.0 17 121 7.1 0 5 32 4 0

Jaguars franchise records

[edit]
  • Most passing touchdowns in a season – 35 (2015)[110]
  • Most passing yards in a season – 4,428 (2015)[111]
  • Most pass attempts in a season – 625 (2016)[112]
  • Most passing touchdowns in a game – 5 (Week 13, 2015, vs. Tennessee Titans)[113]
  • Most consecutive games with a passing touchdown – 15 (Week 1, 2015–Week 16, 2015)[114]
  • Most passing attempts in a game – 61 (Week 5, 2018, vs. Kansas City Chiefs)[115]
[edit]

Bortles was the subject of a long-running gag on the NBC TV comedy The Good Place, where Jason Mendoza, a former Jacksonville resident, continues his fandom of the Jaguars, and Bortles in particular, into the afterlife.[116][117]

Personal life

[edit]

Bortles is the son of Rob and Suzy Bortles. Rob was a wrestler and football player in high school; Suzy played high school softball.[118] Bortles' brother, Colby, was a third baseman with the Ole Miss baseball team, and was drafted in the 22nd round of the 2017 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers.[119][120][121] Colby now coaches baseball at Charleston Southern University.[122]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Blake Bortles

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Blake Bortles (born April 28, 1992) is an American former professional football quarterback who played for the ( and enjoyed an eight-year career in the (NFL), primarily as the starting quarterback for the . At UCF, Bortles set school records with 7,598 passing yards, 56 touchdowns, and a 22–5 record as a starter, earning American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2013 and Offensive MVP after leading the Knights to a 52–17 victory over Baylor. Selected third overall by the Jaguars in the , Bortles ranks second in franchise history in passing yards (17,646), completions (1,558), and passes (103) during his tenure from 2014 to 2018, starting 70 of his 75 appearances and guiding the team to a 10–6 record and the in 2017. In , he threw for 4,428 yards and 35 passes (tied for second in the ), though his career also included 75 interceptions and a 59.3% completion rate over 78 total games. After being released by Jacksonville following the 2018 season, Bortles served as a backup for the (2019 and 2020), (2020), (2021), and (2021), with his last action occurring in 2019. Bortles announced his retirement from the on October 5, 2022, at age 30, reflecting on a career that included nearly $48 million in earnings and a memorable playoff run with the Jaguars despite inconsistencies and injuries.

Early years

Early life and family

Blake Bortles was born on April 28, 1992, in . He was raised in the nearby suburb of , in a competitive, sports-focused household. His parents, Rob and Suzy Bortles, both had athletic backgrounds; Rob was a wrestler at and a linebacker at , while Suzy excelled in high school and served as a cheerleader in college. Bortles has a younger brother, Colby, who followed a path in baseball, playing college ball at the and later being drafted by the Tigers. From a young age, Bortles was immersed in sports through his family's influence, particularly his father's role as a youth coach. Rob coached Blake in leagues, where he initially played fullback and linebacker, drawn to the physicality of those positions rather than quarterbacking, which he viewed as less tough. This early exposure instilled a strong competitive drive, as everything in the Bortles home turned into a contest. Bortles' interest in football took root during these youth league days, laying the foundation for his later athletic development.

High school career

Bortles attended in , where he played quarterback for the Lions under coach Wes Allen. He was also a three-year letterman in . During his high school career, Bortles set County records with 5,576 passing yards and 53 touchdowns. In his senior season of 2009, he completed 151 of 233 passes for 2,211 yards and 28 touchdowns while throwing 8 interceptions, leading the team to a 9-2 record. Bortles received All- County and All- honors as a senior, and he was ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect in the Top 100 and No. 63 in the Top 100. He was also recognized as the top in by the . Rated a three-star recruit by , Bortles drew interest from multiple programs and received scholarship offers from UCF, USF, FAU, Bethune-Cookman, Colorado State, Purdue, Tulane, and Western . He committed to UCF in October 2009 and officially signed with the Knights on , February 3, 2010.

College career

University of Central Florida

Bortles signed with the in February 2010 after a standout high school career at in , where he was recruited as a pro-style . He redshirted his true year in 2010 to develop further behind established signal-callers. As a redshirt in 2011, Bortles served primarily as the backup to starting Jeff Godfrey, appearing in 10 games and completing passes at a 68.2% clip with six touchdowns while earning a spot on the All-Freshman Team. Entering the 2012 season as a , Bortles won the starting job and guided the Knights to a 10-4 record, including a East Division title and a victory in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg against Ball State. He threw for 3,059 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding eight rushing scores, earning second-team All- honors for his dual-threat contributions that helped elevate UCF's offense. This breakout campaign solidified Bortles' role as the program's cornerstone , setting the stage for further success. In , Bortles led UCF to a program-best 12-1 record as the starter, capturing the American Athletic Conference championship with key victories in close games. He passed for 3,581 yards and 25 touchdowns at a 67.8% completion rate, also rushing for 272 yards and six scores, en route to being named the AAC Offensive Player of the Year and a semifinalist for the . The season culminated in UCF's first major bowl appearance, a dominant 52-42 upset victory over No. 17 Baylor in the , where Bortles earned Offensive MVP honors after throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns. Bortles' 12-1 mark as a starter in marked a pivotal chapter in UCF's rise, contributing to ' first-ever bowl win and establishing him as a dynamic leader who blended arm strength, mobility, and poise under pressure.

College statistics

Blake Bortles accumulated the following passing and rushing statistics during his three seasons as the starting for the from 2011 to .

Passing Statistics

SeasonCompletionsAttemptsCompletion %YardsTouchdownsInterceptions
20117511068.295863
201225139962.93,059257
201325938267.83,581259

Rushing Statistics

SeasonCarriesYardsTouchdowns
20112141
2012872858
2013872726
Over his college career, Bortles completed 585 of 891 passes for 7,598 yards and 56 touchdowns with 19 interceptions, while rushing for 561 yards and 15 touchdowns on 195 carries.

Professional career

2014 NFL draft

Bortles measured 6 feet 5 inches tall and 232 pounds at the in February 2014. During the event, he recorded a time of 4.93 seconds, a 32.5-inch , and a 115-inch broad jump, performances that placed him among the top s in athletic testing. His size and arm strength were highlighted as prototype traits for an NFL , though scouts noted areas for improvement in footwork and consistency. Pre-draft evaluations praised Bortles for his above-average arm strength, which allowed him to make throws across all field levels, and his physical frame that suggested durability in the . However, reports criticized his accuracy on intermediate and deep passes, often attributing inconsistencies to poor mechanics and under . Analysts projected him as a top-10 selection, with many him as the second- or third-best quarterback prospect behind and ahead of . His senior season at UCF, including a standout performance in the , elevated his draft stock by demonstrating poise in high-stakes games. On May 8, 2014, during the first round of the NFL Draft in , the selected Bortles third overall, making him the highest-drafted from the in program history. The Jaguars, who held the No. 3 pick after finishing 2–14 in 2013, viewed Bortles as the long-term solution at following years of instability at the position. Dave Caldwell emphasized Bortles' upside and leadership potential in announcing the pick. Bortles signed his rookie contract with the Jaguars on June 18, 2014, a four-year deal worth $20.65 million that was fully guaranteed, including a . The agreement also featured a team option for a fifth year, aligning with standard terms for top-10 picks under the NFL's rookie wage scale.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Bortles was selected by the with the third overall pick in the , becoming the franchise's starting quarterback as a . In his debut season, he started 13 of 14 games, passing for 2,908 yards with 11 touchdowns and a league-high 17 interceptions, contributing to the Jaguars' 3–13 record. His turnover issues persisted into 2015, where he set franchise records with 4,428 passing yards and 35 touchdowns but threw 18 interceptions, helping the team to a 5–11 finish. The following year, , brought further struggles as Bortles threw for 3,905 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions across all 16 starts, aligning with another disappointing 3–13 season marked by ongoing accuracy and decision-making concerns. Bortles experienced a significant turnaround in 2017, passing for 3,687 yards with 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while starting all 16 games, which propelled the Jaguars to a 10–6 record and their first playoff appearance since 2007. He led Jacksonville to decisive victories in the Wild Card and Divisional rounds against the and , respectively, before a 24–10 loss to the in the , where he threw for 293 yards and one touchdown. This postseason run highlighted his growth under improved offensive line protection and defensive support, though he did not earn honors. Entering 2018 on a three-year extension worth $54 million signed in , Bortles started the first 12 games, compiling 2,718 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions amid mounting struggles. The Jaguars stumbled to a 3–9 record by midseason, prompting head coach to bench him in favor of following a Week 12 loss to the Houston Texans. Jacksonville finished 5–11, and the team released Bortles in March 2019 after signing , clearing $18.5 million in cap space. Over his five seasons with the Jaguars from 2014 to 2018, Bortles started 73 of 75 games, amassing 17,646 passing yards, 103 touchdowns, and 75 interceptions, establishing himself as the second-leading passer in franchise history behind Mark Brunell. His tenure encapsulated both the team's lowest points and a brief resurgence, with his 2015 touchdown total remaining a single-season franchise record.

Los Angeles Rams

Following his release from the Jacksonville Jaguars in February 2019, Bortles signed a one-year contract worth $1 million with the Los Angeles Rams on March 18, 2019, to serve as the backup quarterback to Jared Goff. Bortles spent the 2019 season in a reserve role, appearing in three regular-season games without recording a start; his only passing statistics came in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals, where he completed 1 of 2 attempts for 3 yards while also rushing once for a 10-yard loss. The did not retain Bortles after the conclusion of his contract at the end of the 2019 season, allowing him to enter unrestricted free agency in March 2020.

Later career stints

Following his brief stint with the in 2019 as a backup , Blake Bortles continued his career as a journeyman signal-caller in emergency and roles across several teams. In 2020, Bortles signed a one-year with the on September 24 to serve as the backup to after starter suffered a thumb injury. He did not appear in any games during the preseason or regular season before being released on October 17. Later that year, on December 29, the signed him to their following an injury to starter , but Bortles did not play in any contests and recorded no statistics. Bortles joined the ' practice squad on November 5, 2021, amid injuries at the quarterback position, including to . He was elevated to the active roster for the Week 9 game against the but did not enter the contest. The Packers released him from the on November 15. Shortly after, on December 24, he signed to the ' as the team dealt with absences. Bortles was elevated for the Week 16 matchup against the on December 27 but saw no action and recorded no statistics. The Saints signed Bortles to a reserve/future contract on January 11, 2022, positioning him as a potential depth option behind Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton. However, he was released on April 5 after the team added veteran quarterbacks to the roster. Bortles remained unsigned for the 2022 season and announced his retirement from the NFL on October 5, 2022, at age 30. Throughout these later stints from 2020 to 2022, Bortles functioned exclusively as a and emergency quarterback, with no starts since his final one in 2018 with the Jaguars. He appeared in no games with statistical contributions during this period. Over his eight-season career, spanning 2014 to 2022, Bortles played in 78 games and made 73 starts, all as the primary starter for the Jaguars.

Career statistics and records

Regular season

Bortles appeared in 78 regular season games over his career, starting 73 of them primarily with the from 2014 to 2018 and briefly with the in 2019.

Passing Statistics

The following table summarizes Bortles' regular season passing performance year by year:
YearTeamGames (G)Completions/Attempts (Cmp/Att)Yards (Yds)Touchdowns (TD)Interceptions (INT) (Rate)
2014JAX14280/4752,908111769.5
2015JAX16355/6064,428351888.2
2016JAX16368/6253,905231678.8
2017JAX16315/5233,687211384.7
2018JAX13243/4032,718131179.8
2019LAR31/230056.2
Career781,562/2,63417,6491037580.6

Rushing Statistics

Bortles was also a notable rushing , utilizing his mobility to extend plays and contribute to the ground game. The following table details his regular season rushing statistics year by year:
YearTeamGames (G)Attempts (Att)Yards (Yds)Touchdowns (TD)
201414564190
201516523102
201616583593
201716573222
201813583651
2019LAR32-90
Career782831,7668
Across his six seasons as a primary starter, Bortles amassed 17,649 passing yards, 103 passing touchdowns, and 75 interceptions in the regular season.

Postseason

Bortles led the Jacksonville Jaguars to their first playoff appearance since 2007 during the 2017 season, where he started all three postseason games and guided the team to two victories before falling in the AFC Championship Game. His playoff performance showcased improved efficiency compared to earlier career struggles, with no interceptions across 85 attempts, though his passing was complemented by a stout defense and effective rushing contributions. In the Wild Card round on January 7, 2018, Bortles completed 12 of 23 passes for 87 yards and 1 , while adding a game-high 88 rushing yards on 10 carries, helping the Jaguars secure a 10–3 defensive-minded win over the —the team's first playoff victory in 11 years. The following week in the Divisional round, he went 14 of 26 for 214 yards and 1 , plus 35 rushing yards on 5 carries, in a thrilling 45–42 upset over the , where the Jaguars' defense forced four turnovers. Bortles' postseason run ended in the on January 21, 2018, against the , where he completed 23 of 36 passes for 293 yards and 1 , but managed just -2 rushing yards on 2 carries in a narrow 24–20 loss. Bortles appeared in no other NFL postseason games after 2017.

Postseason Passing Statistics

YearTeamGamesGames StartedCompletionsAttemptsCompletion %YardsTDsINTsPasser Rating
2017JAX33498557.65943091.0
Career-33498557.65943091.0
In the , Bortles also recorded 17 rushing attempts for 121 yards and no touchdowns, highlighting his mobility as a key factor in Jacksonville's postseason success.

Franchise records

During his tenure with the from 2014 to 2018, Blake Bortles established several franchise records and rankings as the team's primary . He ranks second in franchise history with 17,646 passing yards, trailing only Mark Brunell's 25,698 yards. Similarly, Bortles holds the second-most passing touchdowns in Jaguars history with 103, again behind Brunell's 144. Bortles also ranks third among Jaguars quarterbacks in career games started, with 76 appearances, following Brunell's 125 and David Garrard's 78. In terms of high-output performances, he recorded 20 games with 300 or more passing yards, placing second in franchise history behind Brunell's 22. On a single-season basis, Bortles set the Jaguars' record for passing touchdowns with 35 in 2015, surpassing David Garrard's previous mark of 18 from 2007. That same year, he established the franchise single-season passing yards record with 4,428, eclipsing Brunell's 4,367 from 1996. In 2017, Bortles threw for 3,687 yards, ranking third in team history for a single season.
CategoryRecord/RankingDetailsSource
Career Passing Yards2nd (17,646)Behind (25,698)Pro-Football-Reference
Career Passing TDs2nd (103)Behind (144)Pro-Football-Reference
Career Starts (QB)3rd (76)Behind (125), (78)FootballDB
300-Yard Games2nd (20)Behind (22)StatMuse
Single-Season Passing TDs1st (35, 2015)Record set vs. previous high of 18 (, 2007)FootballDB
Single-Season Passing Yards1st (4,428, 2015)Record set vs. previous high of 4,367 (, 1996)StatMuse
Single-Season Passing Yards3rd (3,687, 2017)Behind 2015 (self) and 1996 ()ESPN

Personal life and legacy

Personal life

Blake Bortles was born on April 28, 1992, in , to parents Rob and Suzy Bortles. Bortles attended the (UCF), where he played and majored in interpersonal/organizational communication. Bortles has two children, a named and a son named Bowen. Bortles is an avid golf enthusiast and has hosted annual charity golf tournaments through his foundation to support community causes. He has also gained a reputation for his casual, laid-back lifestyle, which has inspired internet memes and humorous online portrayals of his off-field persona. In 2016, Bortles established the Blake Bortles Foundation to support children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as first responders in Jacksonville and Oviedo, Florida. The foundation hosts events like football camps for youth in his hometown of Oviedo. Additionally, Bortles has contributed to UCF athletics, co-donating $500,000 with former teammate Latavius Murray in 2021 to renovate the sports medicine center at the Wayne Densch Center.

Retirement and post-NFL activities

Bortles announced his retirement from the on October 5, 2022, at the age of 30, following eight seasons in . He made the announcement during an appearance on the "Pardon My Take" , stating that he had not touched a football since January 2022 and had quietly retired without informing others, expressing a desire to pursue a normal life outside professional football. This came after his release from the in April 2022, marking the end of his brief stint there. Since retiring, Bortles has engaged in media appearances, including podcast episodes where he reflects on his career and life after football. He has also pursued engagements focused on overcoming obstacles, with booking fees estimated at $50,000–$100,000 for live events as of 2025. In his post-NFL endeavors, Bortles has ventured into business investments, notably investing in and backing the launch of Momentous Sports in 2025 alongside former NFL players and , making a sizable personal investment. The firm focuses on acquiring stakes in teams and developing stadium-anchored . Additionally, he has taken on advisory roles in football coaching, influencing Jacksonville Jaguars head coach by sharing experiences from their overlapping time with the , which helped shape Coen's coaching mindset. As of November 2025, Bortles has shown no interest in returning to play and remains firmly retired from the .

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