Stephen Carlson
b. 1996
Category
Football
Year Inducted
2025
The only Chautauqua County athlete to ever score a National Football League touchdown will be a 2025 inductee of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.
Stephen Carlson, then a tight end for the Cleveland Browns, caught an 8-yard scoring pass from Baker Mayfield on November 14, 2019, as the Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-7.
His potential to play in the NFL first became evident during Carlson’s outstanding career at Jamestown High School. The 2015 JHS graduate excelled on the football gridiron for Coach Tom Langworthy and on the basketball hardwood for Coach Ben Drake.
As a Red Raider receiver, Stephen amassed 2,411 yards on 134 receptions with 22 touchdowns. A stalwart on defense, he recorded more than 250 tackles. JHS won the Class AA New York State Championship in his senior year.
read more...
He was a 2-time winner Western New York High School Sports James Lofton Award as the top receiver and was the Post-Journal’s 2014 Player of the Year. Carlson also won many academic accolades as a scholar athlete.
Stephen was also a force on the basketball court for the Red Raiders. During his high school career, Jamestown won 3 consecutive Section VI Championships and played in the state title game in ‘14. He was All-ECIC First Team, a Post-Journal All-Star, 5th Team All-State 2015 and had his No. 22 placed on the JHS Basketball Wall of Fame.
Carlson parlayed his academic and football talents into a Division 1 scholarship to Princeton University from where he graduated in 2019. As a Tiger, he had 125 receptions for 1,632 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. He played on the 2018 undefeated Ivy League championship team and was twice chosen All-Ivy League.
Stephen signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in May 2019. He was waived during final roster cuts and subsequently re-signed to the Browns' practice squad. The Browns signed Carlson to their active roster on November 1, 2019.
In addition to the touchdown grab previously mentioned, he scored a two-point conversion in the Browns' match against the Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020, when he chased down a blocked kick that the Cowboys had fumbled towards the end zone. He earned 5 game balls as a Cleveland tight end and special teams player.
A knee injury kept him out of the NFL in 2022.
The Chicago Bears signed Carlson to a one-year deal after a rookie mini-camp workout in 2023 and was assigned to the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on September 24, 2024.
Stephen, married in 2024, lives in the Chicago area, and can use his Princeton degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology after his football career.
more about Stephen Carlson
Memorabilia
select an image to enlarge
Photographs
select an image to enlarge
Publications
transcribed publications
- Kindberg, Scott. "‘Blessed’." Post-Journal (Jamestown), December 7, 2014.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Signature Day." Post-Journal (Jamestown), February 5, 2015.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Breaks The Mold." Post-Journal (Jamestown), February 8, 2015.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson’s Quest To Be The Best Extends Beyond The Gridiron." Post-Journal (Jamestown), September 21, 2017.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Quite A Catch." Post-Journal (Jamestown), October 18, 2018.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Ready For Next Step." Post-Journal (Jamestown), March 14, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Happy With Performance." Post-Journal (Jamestown), March 27, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "A Tiger’s Tale." Post-Journal (Jamestown), April 25, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "JHS Graduate Carlson Prepping For Biggest Weekend Of His Life." Post-Journal (Jamestown), April 25, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Stepping Up." Post-Journal (Jamestown), April 28, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Hard Work Has Paid Off For Carlson." Post-Journal (Jamestown), April 29, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Catching On." Post-Journal (Jamestown), July 3, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Camp Grind." Post-Journal (Jamestown), July 30, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Practice Makes Perfect." Post-Journal (Jamestown), September 2, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Activated To Browns’ 53-Man Roster For Sunday’s Game At Denver." Post-Journal (Jamestown), November 1, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Gets Call From Browns." Post-Journal (Jamestown), November 2, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Gets Start At TE In Debut." Post-Journal (Jamestown), November 4, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Hopes To Aid Turnaround." Post-Journal (Jamestown), November 9, 2019.
- "JHS Grad Stephen Carlson Catches Touchdown For First NFL Catch." Post-Journal (Jamestown), November 14, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Finding A Home." Post-Journal (Jamestown), December 4, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "‘Thank You, Coach’." Post-Journal (Jamestown), December 24, 2019.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Comfort Zone." Post-Journal (Jamestown), June 6, 2020.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Makes Browns’ 53-man roster." Post-Journal (Jamestown), September 5, 2020.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Another Big Step." Post-Journal (Jamestown), September 7, 2020.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson’s Browns host Sirianni’s Colts on Sunday." Post-Journal (Jamestown), October 9, 2020.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Proven Winner." Post-Journal (Jamestown), January 9, 2021.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Signature Moment." Post-Journal (Jamestown), January 29, 2021.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Gets Contract Tender From Browns." Post-Journal (Jamestown), March 8, 2021.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson: ‘10 Guiding Principles That Have Kept Me In The NFL’." Post-Journal (Jamestown), April 12, 2021.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Offseason Ends." Post-Journal (Jamestown), July 24, 2021.
- Spielman, Matt. "Browns’ Carlson Out For Season." Post-Journal (Jamestown), August 16, 2021.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson’s Injury Rehab ‘On Track’." Post-Journal (Jamestown), October 14, 2021.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Browns Do Not Tender JHS Graduate Carlson A Contract." Post-Journal (Jamestown), March 17, 2022.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Jamestown’s Stephen Carlson Works Out For Bills, Still In Search Of Team." Post-Journal (Jamestown), July 27, 2022.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Signs 1-Year Deal With Bears." Post-Journal (Jamestown), May 8, 2023.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Cut By Bears; Is Practice Squad Next?." Post-Journal (Jamestown), August 30, 2023.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Sticking Around." Post-Journal (Jamestown), August 31, 2023.
- Kindberg, Scott. "‘Glad I Stuck It Out’." Post-Journal (Jamestown), January 17, 2024.
- Kindberg, Scott. "‘On The Bubble’." Post-Journal (Jamestown), August 7, 2024.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Released By Bears." Post-Journal (Jamestown), August 28, 2024.
- Spielman, Matt. "Tough Decisions." Post-Journal (Jamestown), August 29, 2024.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Added To Active Roster." Post-Journal (Jamestown), September 25, 2024.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Back Up Top." Post-Journal (Jamestown), September 26, 2024.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Ready To Go." Post-Journal (Jamestown), February 19, 2025.
- Kindberg, Scott. "Carlson Resigns With Bears." Post-Journal (Jamestown), March14, 2025.
scanned publications
select an image to enlarge
Videos
Stephen Carlson High School Football Highlights
Stephen Carlson Following 66-7 Win vs. Lehigh
Stephen Carlson's Over the Top TD vs. Steelers | Browns Top Plays
Chicago Bears Sign Former Princeton WR Turned TE Stephen Carlson
Community Conversation: Stephen Carlson on Jamestown, the NFL & Hall of Fame Honor
Websites
- "Stephen Carlson." Pro Football Reference. Accessed January 19, 2025. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CarlSt00.htm.
The additional financial assistance of the community is critical to the success of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.
We gratefully acknowledge these individuals and organizations for their generous support.