X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Rest Easy Hefty Lefty - A Jared Lorenzen Tribute

Following the sad news of his passing, Brady Grove takes a look back at the enigmatic former New York Giants quarterback Jared Lorenzen and the impact he had on football fans on the field and off.

This week, Big Blue Nation, New York Giants fans, and the football world as a whole were hit with the extremely sad and untimely news that Jared Lorenzen had passed away at the age of 38.

There's a good chance that you never had Lorenzen on your fantasy football draft radar or that you haven't been following his football career for a good while, but the "Hefty Lefty" was nearly impossible to not notice. With the agility and body control that he possessed as a 6-4, 285 lb quarterback through his days with the University of Kentucky and New York Giants, he is quite easily one of the most unique athletic talents and purely physical frameworks that has ever existed in the professional ranks. That doesn't even touch how daunting he became in his arena football days in Lexington, Owensboro, and Northern Kentucky.

What did Jared Lorenzen mean to the New York Giants organization and fan base? Let's look back at his life and brief pro career in memory of a truly memorable athlete.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

College Days

What did Jared Lorenzen mean to the state of Kentucky and Big Blue Nation? A whole lot, especially for a state that goes through its fair share of miserable college football droughts. As the 1998 Kentucky Mr. Football out of Highlands High School, he was a homegrown talent who took his talents to Lexington to try his hand in the ultra-competitive SEC. Once there, he instantly became a fan favorite, dazzling the hopeful Bluegrass spectators with behind-the-head throws, belief-defying runs out of the backfield, and gargantuan hits that made the opposition think twice about ever crossing his path again.

In four years, he accumulated 10,354 passing yards, 78 passing touchdowns, and an absolutely jaw-dropping 283 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, while also receiving All-SEC Second Team honors in 2002 and setting several school offensive records along the way.

 

NFL Career

In the NFL, Lorenzen never became a starter, instead serving as the backup to former SEC foe Eli Manning from 2004 to 2007. Throughout that time, Lorenzen was continually praised by teammates and team personnel for being an all-around great guy and a fantastic teammate with a tireless work ethic and relentless competitive drive. How relentlessly competitive was Lorenzen? Eli Manning credits him to this day for his drill work in practice that helped him build the skills necessary to complete "the Helmet catch" to David Tyree.

So at least in that way, it is very easy to see how the Giants 2008 Super Bowl victory and one of the biggest upsets in the history of sports would never have happened without the help of Jared Lorenzen. Whether it was mirroring the physique of defensive opponents or manhandling his way through fourth and one situations, there has yet to be a replacement to the level of preparation that Lorenzen could offer an NFL squad.

 

A Character Who Will Be Missed

After he put his NFL days behind him, he returned to Kentucky to coach at his alma mater, Highlands High School, before reentering the playing ranks by joining the regional arena football circuit. Over this period of years, Lorenzen grabbed headlines by putting his gargantuan frame under center for the Kentucky Horseman, Northern Kentucky River Monsters, and Owensboro Rage, winning Ultimate Indoor Football League MVP in 2011 and serving as league commissioner in 2012.

Then, after a more diverse football career than most would ever get to enjoy, Lorenzen once again inspired and lit a fire under countless individuals across the country with "The Jared Lorenzen Project." Chronicled by "E:60," Lorenzen discussed his battle with several health issues and obesity and was amazingly able to lose 100 pounds over the course of the project. He continued to remain close to the heart of Kentucky Wildcats football, remaining a fan favorite long after his time playing for the BBN by guest hosting Kentucky Sports Radio shows during the football season and leading halftime chants at Kroger Field.

A great human being can't at all be encapsulated by their career in professional sports, and the much-too-early passing of Jared Lorenzen will be felt on a much greater level than the fact that he could throw a football really well. With that in mind, the competitiveness, energy, and showmanship that he brought to the field for the Kentucky Wildcats and New York Giants and his outlook on life outside of football, he brought a ton of joy to people's lives and made a lot of smiles, and that is something lasting to celebrate. So for the Big Blue Nation and football fans everywhere, thank you, and rest easy "Hefty Lefty."

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jake Mangum

Rays Place Jake Mangum On 10-Day Injured List With Groin Strain
José Tena

Jacob Young, Jose Tena Sitting Out On Thursday
Kyle Gibson

Dealing With Minor Back Tightness
Triston Casas

Small Mechanical Tweak Working For Triston Casas
Tyler Lockett

Titans Likely To Use Tyler Lockett In The Slot
CJ Abrams

Reinstated From 10-Day Injured List
Washington Commanders

Commanders Trying To Trade Back From No. 29 Pick

Colston Loveland Could Be First Tight End Selected
Eli Morgan

Shut Down From Throwing For 2-3 Weeks

Jaguars Could Be Eyeing Trade Up For Travis Hunter
Javier Assad

Heading To Chicago To Be Examined
Jake Bauers

In Starting Lineup Against Giants

Jayden Higgins A Potential First-Round Pick?
Brandon Marsh

Starting Rehab Assignment On Thursday
Brendan Donovan

Expected To Return On Friday
Breece Hall

Available For Trade?
Patrick Bailey

Getting Breather In Series Finale
William Contreras

Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Caleb Durbin All Sitting On Thursday
Trent Grisham

Activated From Paternity List
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome, Ogbo Okoronkwo Could Be Available Via Trade During The Draft
Tobias Myers

Activated Off Injured List, Starting On Thursday
Arizona Cardinals

Paris Johnson Jr. Completely Healthy This Offseason
Jacob Stallings

Nick Martini Sitting In Game 1
Carolina Panthers

Derrick Brown Expected To Be Ready For Start Of Season
Jorge Polanco

Sitting Against Lefty
Denver Broncos

Broncos Fielding Calls For No. 20 Pick In NFL Draft
David Festa

Optioned To Triple-A

Browns, Giants Both Like Jaxson Dart
Willi Castro

Placed On 10-Day Injured List

Kevin Stefanski Thinks Travis Hunter Can Succeed As Two-Way Player
Hagen Smith

Showing Strikeout Potential At Double-A
Texas Rangers

Kohl Drake Strikes Out 10 On Wednesday
Linus Ullmark

Attempts To Overcome Playoff Struggles Thursday
Robby Snelling

Tallies Nine Punchouts For The Second Time This Season
Anthony Cirelli

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Logan Thompson

Comes Up Big In Game 2
Connor McMichael

Strikes Twice In Wednesday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Tallies Four Points In Game 2 Victory
Adrian Kempe

Notches Two Goals, Two Assists In Wednesday's Win
Tyler Seguin

Gives Stars Series Lead With Overtime Winner
Gabriel Landeskog

Delivers Six Hits In First Game Since 2022
NFL

Browns, Giants, Patriots Receive Calls For Picks Nos. 2-4
Tyler Herro

Scores Game-High 33 Points In Wednesday's Loss
Donovan Mitchell

Fires In 30 Points In Game 2 Win
Paolo Banchero

Notches 32 Points In Game 2 Loss
Jaylen Brown

Posts 36-Point Double-Double Wednesday
Jalen Green

Erupts For 38 Points In Game 2 Victory
Brandin Podziemski

Limited To 14 Minutes Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III

Set For MRI Thursday
George Kittle

Wants To Be Highest-Paid Tight End
Tyler Lockett

Joining The Titans

Will Shedeur Sanders' Game Translate To The NFL?
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Could Go With Offensive Lineman At No. 6 Overall
NFL

Jaguars, Raiders Looking To Trade Up In First Round
New Orleans Saints

Saints Won't Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Trevor Penning
Nick Chubb

Not Interested In Retirement
George Pickens

Drawing Trade Interest
Brandin Podziemski

Upgraded To Available
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Michael Porter Jr.

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Davion Mitchell

Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Al Horford

Starts Game 2
Michael Porter Jr.

Practices On Wednesday
Jayson Tatum

Out On Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart

May Miss Another Game Thursday
NYI

Cal Clutterbuck Announces Retirement
Pavel Zacha

Recovering From Small Procedure
Nikolaj Ehlers

To Miss At Least Two More Games
Miro Heiskanen

Still Out On Wednesday
John Klingberg

Enters Oilers Lineup For Game 2
Evander Kane

To Make Season Debut Wednesday Night
Gabriel Landeskog

Likely To Play In Game 3
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Posts Big Double-Double In Game 2 Loss
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Julius Randle

Leads Timberwolves In Scoring In Game 2
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Nets 31 Points In Lakers Win
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
John Tavares

Collects Two Points In Overtime Win
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Frederik Andersen

Posts 40th Postseason Win
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Kirill Kaprizov

Leads Wild To Valuable Road Win
Matthew Tkachuk

Returns With Three-Point Performance
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Anthony Cirelli

Suffers Undisclosed Injury Tuesday
Gabriel Vilardi

May Return To Jets Lineup Thursday
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF