Elijah Ponder

LB

#91

Experience: 2 years

Height: 6-3

Age: 23

Weight: 261 lbs

College: Cal Poly

2025 SEASON

Solo

14
SCK

4
FF

0
INT

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Year

Season

Preseason

WK	Game Date	OPP	RESULT	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	FF
3	08/21/2025	@Giants	L 10 - 42	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
2	08/16/2025	@Vikings	W 20 - 12	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
1	08/08/2025	Commanders	W 48 - 18

Regular Season

WK	Game Date	OPP	RESULT	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	FF	FR
18	01/04/2026	Dolphins	W 38 - 10	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	1
17	12/28/2025	@Jets	W 42 - 10	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
16	12/21/2025	@Ravens	W 28 - 24	2	1	0	0	0	0	0
15	12/14/2025	Bills	L 31 - 35
13	12/01/2025	Giants	W 33 - 15	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	1
12	11/23/2025	@Bengals	W 26 - 20	2	1	1	0	0	0	0
11	11/13/2025	Jets	W 27 - 14	5	3	2	1	0	0	0
10	11/09/2025	@Buccaneers	W 28 - 23	2	1	0	1	0	0	0
9	11/02/2025	Falcons	W 24 - 23	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
8	10/26/2025	Browns	W 32 - 13	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
7	10/19/2025	@Titans	W 31 - 13	2	2	0	0	0	0	0
6	10/12/2025	@Saints	W 25 - 19	2	1	0	0	0	0	0
5	10/05/2025	@Bills	W 23 - 20	2	1	0	0	0	0	0
4	09/28/2025	Panthers	W 42 - 13
3	09/21/2025	Steelers	L 14 - 21
2	09/14/2025	@Dolphins	W 33 - 27	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
1	09/07/2025	Raiders	L 13 - 20

Post Season

WK	Game Date	OPP	RESULT	Total	Solo	AST	FR
4	02/08/2026	Seahawks	L 13 - 29	1	1	0
3	01/25/2026	@Broncos	W 10 - 7	0	0	0	1
2	01/18/2026	Texans	W 28 - 16	2	1	1
1	01/11/2026	Chargers	W 16 - 3	1	0	1

Biography

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

Elijah Ponder was signed by the New England Patriots as a rookie free agent on May 9, 2025.

SEASONAL REVIEWS

2025 (15/0, 3/0)

Contributes mainly on punt and kickoff coverage, also rotating in as a pass rusher.
One of three rookie free agents to make the opening day roster.
Made his NFL debut vs. Las Vegas (9/7).
Inactive vs. Pittsburgh (9/21) and vs. Carolina (9/28). Returned to action at Buffalo (10/5) after being inactive the previous two games, recording a tackle and a special teams tackle.
Recorded his first career sack at Tampa Bay (11/9) when he dropped QB Baker Mayfield for a 5-yard loss in the fourth quarter.
Logged his second-consecutive game with a sack vs. the N.Y. Jets (11/13) with a fourth-quarter sack on QB Justin Fields, making him the first Patriots rookie since DL Chase Winovich in 2019 to have a sack in back-to-back games.
Recorded his third sack of the season vs. the N.Y. Giants (12/1) on QB Jaxson Dart in the fourth quarter. In doing so, he became only the second rookie free agent in Patriots history to record at least 3 sacks, joining Justin Francis (2012). He also recovered a fumbled kickoff forced by Marte Mapu in the second quarter.
Logged his fourth sack of the year vs. Miami (1/4/26), taking down QB Quinn Ewers in the third quarter for a 3-yard sack on third-and-8, forcing a punt. He also recovered a fumble for the first time in his career in the second quarter after LB Jack Gibbens forced it on a 2-yard run from RB Jaylen Wright immediately after the Patriots turned the ball over on downs.
Recovered a fumble forced by LB Christian Elliss on QB Jarrett Stidham at the Denver 12-yard line in the second quarter of the AFC Championship at Denver (1/25/26), setting up the team's game-tying touchdown.

COLLEGE

In five seasons at Cal Poly (2020-24), played in 47 games and finished with 167 tackles, 261/2 sacks, 1 interception returned for a touchdown, 7 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 blocked kicks.
Led the Big Sky Conference in sacks (10) in 2023.
Earned All-Conference First-Team Defense, FCS All-American Third Team Defense and Walter Camp FCS All-American honors in 2023.
All-Big Sky honorable mention (2021, 2022) and All-Big Sky Conference fourth team (Phil Steele) in 2021.

PERSONAL

As a senior, was named Most Valuable Lineman of the Mission League and earned first-team All-Mission League and second-team All-Los Angeles County .
Majored in architectural engineering.

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