Jake Paul built a lucrative professional boxing career by converting his online following into pay-per-view buys. Fighting primarily as a cruiserweight, El Gallo compiled a 12-2 record with seven knockouts.
He secured high-profile victories over former UFC champions Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, and Nate Diaz. A devastating sixth-round knockout loss to former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in December 2025 sidelined him with a broken jaw. This extended medical suspension created immediate uncertainty regarding his future in combat sports. Now, the 29-year-old is looking beyond the ring to shift his athletic trajectory entirely.
Jake Paul announced his intention to transition to American football and pursue an active NFL career. Rather than seeking professional tryouts immediately, Paul planned to enroll at Stanford University and walk onto the Cardinal football team as a slot receiver. He views collegiate competition as a required developmental stage to learn the position. Speaking to Andreessen Horowitz aka a16z, Jake Paul stated:
I do have NFL aspirations after boxing. I want to play slot receiver, and so I think to get that experience, college first would be good so I could walk onto the Stanford team.
I’m being serious. I was originally thinking I’ll just go straight to the Cleveland Browns or Dallas Cowboys, but they’re probably going to want to see me play first. So, it might be better if I start off in college and have a little bit of an advantage over the younger, not as big kids before going into the NFL.” (Timestamp: 59:25-59:41)
The cruiserweight initially considered bypassing the NCAA system. He eyed direct entry into the league, targeting his hometown Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys. Paul quickly recognized that NFL front offices demand recent game film before evaluating undrafted free agents.
Standing 6-foot-1 and fighting near 200 pounds, Paul matches the standard physical dimensions of an NFL slot receiver. He lacks recent gridiron experience, having not played organized football since attending Westlake High School in Ohio.
By joining an ACC program like Stanford, Paul believes his age and physical maturity will provide an edge against standard collegiate defensive backs. Stanford officials have not confirmed any contact regarding his roster status.
Jake Paul’s Boxing Career Remains Uncertain After Broken Jaw
Jake Paul took the biggest risk of his combat sports tenure last December, stepping into the ring against former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. The heavily promoted Netflix showcase ended brutally in the sixth round at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
Joshua delivered a crushing right hand that sent the 29-year-old cruiserweight to the canvas, resulting in a knockout loss and a double fracture of his mandible. Six months later, the physical toll of that massive blow continues to sideline the polarizing YouTube star.
Paul recently admitted his professional boxing days might be permanently over due to the severity of the structural damage. This revelation marks a massive shift for a fighter who previously competed multiple times a calendar year. Surgeons installed titanium plates to stabilize his broken jaw and removed at least one tooth to properly align the break.
Doctors have yet to medically clear him for basic contact sparring. He told Ariel Helwani in May that a return to the ring entirely depends on how the bone heals around the inserted hardware. He will also require a dental implant before considering any physical contact.
The extended medical suspension halts an active fight schedule that pushed Paul to a 12-2 professional record. Reports indicate he generated over $92 million for the Joshua fight alone. Despite staying in shape with light mitt work, he acknowledges the severe physical limitations surrounding his weakened jaw structure.
Paul is undergoing new imaging scans to determine if the bone fusion will ever allow him to safely absorb heavy head strikes again. If medical professionals deny him clearance, the knockout loss to Joshua will stand as the final chapter of his combat sports run.
