A.J. Green Bio
Adriel Jeremiah “A.J.” Green (born July 31, 1988) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, earning first-team All-American honors before being selected by the Bengals with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. He is regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of the 2010s decade, accumulating 727 receptions for 10,514 receiving yards and 70 touchdowns across his career.
Early Life and Background
A.J. Green was born on July 31, 1988, in Summerville, South Carolina. When Green was just 4 years old, his older brother and only sibling died in a car accident while heading to a school carnival. Green attended Summerville High School, where he was a three-sport athlete competing in football, basketball, and track and field. He played wide receiver for the Summerville Green Wave under coach John McKissick. Green credited his hand-eye coordination development to juggling, which he learned as early as second grade, eventually mastering four items at once.
Green was widely considered one of the top national football prospects of the Class of 2008, ranked number one nationally by Sports Illustrated. As a junior, he recorded 75 receptions for 1,422 yards and 16 touchdowns, becoming the only junior nominated to the USA Today All-American first-team. His 5,373 career receiving yards rank second in National Federation of High Schools all-time records, while his 279 career receptions rank fourth. He also excelled in track and field, competing as a long jumper with a top jump of 19 feet 6 inches and a triple jumper.
Green was named to the Rivals.com Junior All-America team and participated in the Under Armour All-America Game. He was also a member of the Summerville High basketball team that won the 2007-2008 South Carolina state championship. Rivals.com ranked him as the number nine prospect for the high school class of 2008, while Scout.com named him their number ten prospect nationally.
Path to Professional Football
Green verbally committed to the University of Georgia in October 2006 and signed his letter of intent on February 6, 2008. He played for coach Mark Richt’s Georgia Bulldogs from 2008 to 2010. In his freshman season, Green set Georgia freshman records with 56 catches for 963 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the SEC in receiving yards. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year and second-team All-SEC by the conference coaches while earning Associated Press All-SEC first-team honors.
As a sophomore in 2009, Green continued his dominance despite missing time due to a left shoulder injury. He recorded 53 catches for 808 yards and six touchdowns, leading the team in all receiving categories. He earned first-team All-SEC honors from multiple publications including the Associated Press, SEC Coaches, ESPN, Phil Steele, and Sporting News. His junior season was interrupted by a four-game suspension for selling his Independence Bowl jersey, but he returned to record 57 catches for 848 yards and nine touchdowns. He declared for the NFL draft on January 9, 2011, finishing his Georgia career with 166 receptions for 2,619 yards and 23 touchdowns.
A.J. Green Career
Cincinnati Bengals (2011-2020)
Green was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, becoming the highest-drafted wide receiver in Georgia school history. He signed a four-year contract worth $19.6 million on July 28, 2011. In his rookie season, Green recorded his first NFL reception as a 41-yard touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in the season opener. He finished his rookie year with 65 receptions for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns, leading all NFL rookies in receptions and receiving yards while earning Pro Bowl honors as the first rookie receiver to make the Pro Bowl in eight years.
From 2011 to 2013, Green caught 260 passes, setting an NFL record for most receptions in a player’s first three seasons. The record was later broken by Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry in 2016. In 2012, Green earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection with 97 receptions for 1,350 yards and 11 touchdowns, including a career-high 183 receiving yards against the Washington Redskins. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September and ranked 16th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.
The 2013 season became Green’s career-defining year. He set franchise records with 98 receptions for 1,426 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, while being targeted a franchise-record 178 times. He recorded five consecutive 100-yard games from Week 6 to Week 10, establishing himself as one of the league’s elite receivers. He earned his third Pro Bowl selection and was ranked ninth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014.
Despite battling injuries in 2014, including a toe injury that forced him to miss three games and nearly all of two others, Green still recorded his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season with 69 receptions for 1,041 yards and six touchdowns. A concussion ultimately forced him to miss the postseason for the first time in his career. In 2015, Green bounced back spectacularly, recording a career-high 227 receiving yards against the Baltimore Ravens and finishing with 86 receptions for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns. He became only the second player in NFL history, alongside Randy Moss, to begin a career with five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
Arizona Cardinals (2021-2022)
After ten seasons with the Bengals, Green signed a one-year deal worth $8.5 million with the Arizona Cardinals on March 17, 2021. He entered the season as a starter alongside DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk. In Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he recorded five receptions for 112 yards, marking his first 100-yard game since Week 7 of the 2018 season. In Week 14 against the Los Angeles Rams, Green eclipsed 10,000 career receiving yards, joining an exclusive group of receivers to reach that milestone.
In 2022, Green re-signed with the Cardinals on a one-year contract. In his final career game against the San Francisco 49ers, he recorded three catches for 91 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown reception off a flea-flicker from David Blough. He finished the season with 24 receptions for 236 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 15 games. On February 6, 2023, Green announced his retirement after twelve NFL seasons. On September 16, 2023, he signed a one-day contract with the Bengals to officially retire with the team.
Playing Style and Strengths
Green was known for his exceptional size, speed, and leaping ability, standing 6 feet 4 inches tall with a wingspan that made him a dominant red-zone target. His ability to high-point the football and win contested catches set him apart from other receivers throughout his career. Green combined physical tools with refined route-running skills and reliable hands, making him a reliable target for quarterbacks in crucial situations.
A.J. Green Career Achievements
Throughout his twelve NFL seasons, Green established himself as one of the most consistent and prolific wide receivers of his generation. He accumulated 727 receptions for 10,514 receiving yards and 70 touchdowns across 131 career games. His achievements span both the collegiate and professional levels.
NFL Highlights
Green earned seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2011 to 2017, establishing himself as one of the league’s top receivers during that span. He was named Second-team All-Pro twice, in 2012 and 2013. Green was selected to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team in 2011 and was ranked among the NFL Top 100 Players of the Year seven consecutive times, reaching as high as ninth in 2014. With the Bengals, he finished his career second only to Chad Johnson in franchise history in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He holds the Bengals franchise record with 32 career 100-yard receiving games.
College Highlights
At Georgia, Green earned unanimous first-team All-American honors in 2009 and 2010. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2008 and earned first-team All-SEC honors twice. His 166 career receptions and 2,619 receiving yards at Georgia ranked among the best in school history at the time of his departure. His 260 career receptions through his first three NFL seasons set an NFL record that stood for several years.
| Competition | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL Career | 727 | 10,514 | 70 |
| Georgia Career | 166 | 2,619 | 23 |
A.J. Green Family
Family Background
Green’s childhood was marked by tragedy when his older brother and only sibling died in a car accident when Green was just 4 years old. Despite this loss, Green developed into a multi-sport athlete at Summerville High School, where he excelled in football, basketball, and track and field. His athletic abilities were evident from an early age, with his juggling skills helping develop the hand-eye coordination that would later serve him well as a receiver.
Personal Life
Green married actress and singer Miranda Brooke on March 21, 2015. The couple met while attending the University of Georgia together. They have two sons together. Green has been active in philanthropy throughout his career. In 2015, he endowed three scholarships to assist student-athletes at Georgia. In 2018, he participated in the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign, supporting “Hope Road Nicaragua,” an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in Nicaragua. In 2019, he donated money to elementary school teachers in his hometown of Summerville.
2025 Outlook
Following his retirement from professional football in 2023, A.J. Green remains active in football through various initiatives and community engagement. Having signed a one-day contract to retire with the Cincinnati Bengals, he maintains close ties to the franchise where he spent the majority of his career. Green continues to be involved with the University of Georgia football program through his scholarship endowment. His legacy as one of the premier wide receivers of the 2010s endures, and he frequently participates in NFL alumni events and charitable activities. Green resides with his family and focuses on mentoring young athletes interested in pursuing football at the collegiate and professional levels.