NFL CAREER – Jesse James joined the Saints during OTAs, looking to bring veteran experience in catching the football and making an impact as a blocker in to the Black and Gold tight end room. The Glassport, Pa. native was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round (160th overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Penn State. The ninth-year pro appeared in 14 games with nine starts in 2021, totaling seven receptions for 62 yards (8.9 avg.) with one touchdown for the Chicago Bears and contributed to the Cleveland Browns offense for the first two contests of 2022 before suffering a season-ending biceps injury. In eight seasons for Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland, James has played in 104 regular season games with 63 starts, catching 157 passes for 1,522 yards (9.7 avg.) with 12 touchdowns. In six playoff contests with three starts for Pittsburgh, he has recorded 13 receptions for 171 yards.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS –Signed by the New Orleans Saints, 5/31/23; Placed on Injured Reserve by Cleveland, 09/20/22; Signed by the Cleveland Browns, 9/05/22; Reinstated by Chicago Bears from Reserve/COVID-19, 12/29/21; Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 by Bears, 12/16/21; Signed to a one-year contract by the Chicago Bears, 7/27/21; Released by Detroit, 3/12/21; Signed to a four-year contract by the Detroit Lions (UFA-Pit.), 3/14/19; Signed to a four-year contract by Pittsburgh, 5/14/15; Selected in the fifth round (160th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
202*2* – Appeared in two games with the Cleveland Browns before suffering season-ending biceps injury. 202*1* – Appeared in 14 games with nine starts and recorded seven receptions for 62 yards (8.9 avg.) with one touchdown in his only season in Chicago...Collected first and only touchdown of season, an eight-yard grab from Justin Fields and tied a season-high of three receptions for a season-high 38 yards at San Francisco, Oct. 31. 2020 – Played in all 16 games for the fifth consecutive season with seven starts for Detroit and collected 14 receptions for 129 yards (9.2 avg)...Tallied a season-high three receptions for 28 yards and caught a touchdown in the process at Arizona, Sep. 27…Caught a nine-yard TD pass at Chicago, Dec. 6. 20*19* – Played in all 16 games with 11 starts for Lions and recorded 16 receptions for 142 yards...Recorded three receptions for 18 yards vs Los Angeles Chargers, Sep. 15…Caught a season-long 23-yard reception, at Minnesota, Dec. 8… Tied his season-high in receptions with three grabs for 31 yards at Tampa Bay, Dec. 15. 2018 – Played in all 16 games with seven starts, totaling 30 receptions for career-high 423 yards (14.1 avg) with two touchdowns in his final season in Pittsburgh…Collected three receptions for 60 yards in Week One at Cleveland, Sep. 9… Had his best statline all season, five receptions for a career-high 138 yards with one touchdown and also caught the longest pass of his career (46 yards), vs. Kansas City, Sep. 16…Tied season-high for receptions when he recorded five catches for 26 yards at Cincinnati, Oct. 14. 2017 – Played in all 16 regular season games with 14 starts and tallied a career-high 43 receptions for 372 yards (8.7 avg.) with three touchdowns for Pittsburgh...Totaled six receptions for 41 yards and had a multi-touchdown game, recording career-high two in a season-opening win at Cleveland, Sep. 10…Collected five receptions for 21 yards with a TD in a win vs. Tennessee, Nov. 17…Recorded a career-high ten receptions for season-high 97 yards, in victory vs Baltimore, Dec. 11…Contributed in postseason as he caught one ball for 12 yards in the Divisional Round vs. Jacksonville, 1/14/18. 2016 – Played in all 16 regular season games with 13 starts for Steelers and totaled 39 receptions for 338 yards with three touchdowns and posted 11 grabs for 137 yards in three postseason starts/games… Recorded a season-high six receptions for 43 yards with one touchdown in a win vs. New York Jets, Oct. 9…Collected four receptions for a season-high of 59 yards in a loss vs. Dallas, Nov. 13…Contributed heavily in the playoffs, recording five receptions for 83 yards in a win in the Divisional Round at Kansas City, 1/16/17…Also made his mark in the AFC Championship game, collecting five receptions for 48 yards, at New England, 1/22/16. 2015 – In his rookie season, he played in eight regular season games and started two, totaling eight receptions for 56 yards with a touchdown for the Steelers…Recorded two receptions for 13 yards and caught his first NFL touchdown in a win vs. Oakland, Nov. 8…Tallied three receptions for 30 yards and had a 20-yard grab, which were all season-highs in win vs. Indianapolis, Dec. 7…Grabbed 22-yard catch in Divisional Round at Denver, 1/17/16.
COLLEGE – Played in 31 games with 21 starts for the Nittany Lions, including 13 starts as a junior in 2014…Totaled 78 receptions for 1,005 yards (12.9 yards per catch) and 11 touchdowns over career…Played in all 12 games his sophomore season and had 23 receptions for 335 yards and three TDs…Played in eight games as a true freshman, one of six to get playing time, with six starts and had 15 catches for 276 yards and five touchdowns and was selected as an honorable mention Freshman All-American. Caught his first collegiate touchdown vs. Navy. Made first career start in a win against Temple…Majored in kinesiology.
PERSONAL – A two-time second-team all-state performer at South Allegheny (McKeesport, Pa.) HS…He earned first-team All-Century Conference at tight end as a junior and senior, after making 71 receptions for 1,030 yards and 10 touchdowns during his final two seasons with the Gladiators…Selected a team captain during each of his final three seasons at South Allegheny…James was invited to play in the Semper-Fidelis All-American game and was named to the 2011 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22…MaxPreps rated James the nation's No. 3 tight end during his senior season.
