Will Iowa Native Peewee Jarrett Get His Football Opportunity in 2025?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Peewee Jarrett will be playing for the Tucson Sugar Skulls of the Indoor Football League (IFL) beginning in March, per Jarrett himself.

One of the best things about being a sports fan is it truly instills your belief in the underdog. I gravitate to stories about individuals who have been doubted, or who had uphill battles during their collegiate careers en route to the pros. That being said, when I first heard the name "Peewee Jarrett," I immediately knew it would be hard to forget.

Beyond being a unique name (his birthname is Byron Jarrett Jr.), Jarrett's sports story is one filled with heartbreak, injuries, transfers, success, and now, uncertainty. Jarrett's name made headlines in late April when the Des Moines, IA native was signed by the New York Jets following the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, just a little over a week later, Jarrett was cut by the Jets. He wasn't signed by an NFL or any other team for the 2024 season.

With the United Football League (UFL) season starting in just a couple months, the Indoor Football League (IFL) going strong, and The Arena League showing promise, I can't help but wonder if Jarrett will see another opportunity come his way in 2025. Hell, the Iowa Power, who are set to begin play in Dubuque's Five Flags Center later this year, could use a couple quarterbacks, I'm sure.

Growing up in Des Moines, Peewee Jarrett's football career began at Herbert Hoover High School, where he threw for over 5,000 yards and over 50 touchdowns in his career. However, his individual success was somewhat eclipsed by his team's lack thereof (they won five games in his final two seasons). Jarrett received no offers to play college football. Not even from a D-III school.

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Jarrett enrolled at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls for the 2018 season. He appeared in seven games before missing the rest of the season due to injury. His grandmother fell ill, and as a result, he moved closer to her. She passed in 2019. Meanwhile, two shoulder surgeries resulted in him not playing at all that year.

Jarrett subsequently transferred to Iowa Central Community College in 2020, just in time for the pandemic to hit and cancel the season. He was seriously considering quitting football. Instead, he continued on, and had a rock-solid season in 2021, which led to him getting an opportunity to transfer to West Florida (D-II).

During his two seasons with the Argonauts, he became the first player in school history to throw for over 5,000 yards with over 1,000 rushing yards to boot. Although the odds were seemingly stacked against him, he declared for the 2024 NFL draft following his second season with West Florida.

Despite signing with the Jets, his time with the time was brief. He revealed in a post on Twitter that his release was due to the team's concerns with his prior surgeries and the subsequent healing process.

Despite this setback, Jarrett continues to work hard and stay ready for any opportunities that come his way in 2025.

With the deluge of football leagues around the country, not to mention multiple teams in Iowa, such as the Iowa Woo (The Arena League) and the aforementioned Iowa Power, I see no reason why any shouldn't take a flyer on the hometown kid.

Read more about Peewee Jarrett on his Wikipedia page.