Joshua Dobbs is now on his ninth NFL team in 10 seasons.
The Detroit Lions signed the former Tennessee football quarterback to a one-year deal worth $1.425 million, with $475,000 fully guaranteed on Aug. 9, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo on X. The move comes after 11-year veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater announced his retirement from the NFL in the midst of Lions training camp.
Dobbs, a 2017 fourth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, spent the 2025 NFL season on the AFC champion New England Patriots backing up MVP runner-up Drake Maye. In his career, Dobbs has also been signed by the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers.
As a Vol, Dobbs started 35
of 37 games across four seasons from 2013-16, and passed for 7,138 yards, finishing with a 23-12 record as a starter. He owns the school record for most rushing yards (2,160) and touchdowns (32) as a quarterback, and totaled 9,360 yards of offense (62 receiving) during his tenure, the third most in program history behind Peyton Manning and Casey Clausen.
Dobbs' most productive stretch in the NFL came under Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing when the two were with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. While starter Kyler Murray was recovering from a torn ACL, Dobbs started the first eight games of the season, completing 62.8% of his passes for 1,569 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions.
Petzing was also his position coach in 2022 with the Cleveland Browns.
In 15 career starts, Dobbs has completed 62.8% of his passes for 3,346 yards and 17 touchdowns with a record of 3-12.
Xavier Burton is a sports intern for Knox News. Email: Xavier.burton@knoxnews.com
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Former Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs signs 1-year deal with the Detroit Lions
