There are many fantastic stories in the preseason. None may be better than Jared Bernhardt, who caught the game-winning TD pass from rookie Desmond Ridder in the Atlanta Falcons’ 27-23 victory over the Detroit Lions on Friday.
Why you ask?
Because two years ago Bernhardt was a lacrosse star at the University of Maryland.
He ended his lax career as the Terrapins’ all-time record holder in career points (290), goals (202), single-season points (99), single-season goals (71), goals in a single NCAA tournament (18), and points in a single NCAA tournament (24).
That earned Bernhardt the 2021 Tewaaraton Award, given to the nation’s best lacrosse player, equivalent to the Heisman Trophy in college football.
From Maryland, he ended up at Ferris State University, where he led the Bulldogs to a 14-0 record and rushed for three touchdowns in a 58-17 win in the national championship over Valdosta State.
Overall, Bernhardt passed for 1,322 yards and 11 touchdowns and ran for 1,273 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2021.
During his prep football career, Bernhardt totaled more than 4,000 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns over his final two seasons running the triple option. As a senior, he rushed for 1,457 yards and 12 touchdowns and passed for 751 yards and six scores in 11 games.
The son of Catherine and the late Jim Bernhardt, Jared comes from an athletic family. His father played football and lacrosse at Hofstra and later became a longtime collegiate football coach and later an assistant for the NFL’s Houston Texans. Two older brothers, Jake and Jesse, both played lacrosse at Maryland and were members of the 2018 USA Gold Medal Lacrosse Team who went on to play professionally in Major League Lacrosse and the Premier Lacrosse League.
He signed with the Falcons as a free agent at the end of April and that set the stage for his heroics on Friday.
Jared Bernhardt, who won the Tewaarton Trophy as the best lacrosse player in the country at Maryland and then led Ferris St. to a DII national title last year as a QB, is signing with the Falcons to play WR/KR, per source. Awesome story. pic.twitter.com/Pi7OXOJU7B
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 30, 2022
Ridder 🤝 Bernhardt
Stealing our hearts📺: @nflnetwork | @FOX5Atlanta
📲: Falcons App pic.twitter.com/pHriME3qKK— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 13, 2022
Safe to say it is going to be a happy flight back home 🛫#ATLvsDET || #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/2oTeV9zNdB
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 13, 2022
Jared Bernhardt just became the first college lacrosse player to EVER score an NFL touchdown.
Wow. Congratulations, Jared!!! 🥍
— The Post Game Podcast (@the_post_game) August 13, 2022
And no, he didn’t throw the football into the net behind the goalposts to celebrate his game-winning reception.
Years ago another pretty good lacrosse player went on to have a nice NFL career. Remember Jim Brown?
