Jermaine Kearse
His gravity-defying Super Bowl catch became an instant classic, defining a career built on clutch plays for the Seattle Seahawks.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American football player and coach·Birthday: February 6·Millennials
Biography
Jermaine Kearse's path to NFL immortality was anything but guaranteed. An undrafted free agent out of the University of Washington, he clawed his way onto the Seattle Seahawks roster, embodying the team's 'always compete' ethos. He wasn't the fastest or tallest receiver, but he developed a reputation for making critical catches when the stakes were highest. This culminated in the 2014 NFC Championship game, where his overtime touchdown sent the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Just two weeks later, his absurd, juggling, 33-yard reception while pinned against a defender set up the go-ahead score in Super Bowl XLIX, a play forever etched in playoff lore. After his Seattle tenure, he provided veteran leadership for the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, his career a story of local kid made good through relentless determination and a flair for the dramatic.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jermaine was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jermaine Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Jermaine's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made the game-winning touchdown catch in overtime of the 2014 NFC Championship Game to send Seattle to the Super Bowl.
- Executed a legendary juggling 33-yard reception in Super Bowl XLIX that is considered one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history.
- Won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks as a key contributor in their dominant 2013 season.
- Caught a 35-yard touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLVIII, helping secure the franchise's first championship.
Did You Know?
He played high school football at Lakes High School in Lakewood, Washington, the same school that produced NFL star Reggie Williams.
His iconic Super Bowl catch happened against the New England Patriots' cornerback, Malcolm Butler, who would later make the game-sealing interception.
He was a standout track athlete in high school, competing in the long jump and sprints.
“They said I couldn't, so I worked until the play was mine to make.”
