Jaguars QB Joshua Dobbs Works as a Rocket Scientist for NASA in His Spare Time

Jaguars quarterback Joshua Dobbs has the coolest hobby of any current NFL player, and it’s not particularly close. When he’s not backing up Gardner Minshew, Dobbs is working for NASA as a rocket scientist. No, that’s not a joke. For most, rocket science is nothing but a punchline. For Dobbs, it’s his passion outside of football.

Joshua Dobbs has thrown just 12 passes in his short NFL career

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If you’ve never heard of Joshua Dobbs, you’re probably in the majority. Dobbs was drafted in 2017 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he’s appeared in only five NFL games and thrown just 12 passes as a pro.

Dobbs was a fourth-round pick out of the University of Tennessee. He racked up over 7,000 yards passing and 85 total touchdowns as a Volunteer. As a senior, Dobbs threw for 2,946 yards and 27 touchdowns while completing 63.0 percent of his passes.

The Tennessee product shot up draft boards after his impressive senior season, and he landed with the Steelers in the 2017 NFL draft. He appeared in just five games for Pittsburgh and completed six of his 12 passes.

Dobbs was traded to the Jaguars in 2019. He hasn’t appeared in a game for Jacksonville yet, but the uncertainty surrounding Gardner Minshew might give Dobbs a chance at playing time this season.

Dobbs graduated from Tennessee with a 4.0 GPA in aerospace engineering

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Joshua Dobbs wasn’t just a talented quarterback at Tennessee. He was also a gifted student in an extremely difficult field.

Dobbs studied aerospace engineering in college, which is one of the most challenging majors available today. He didn’t just earn his diploma, though. Dobbs excelled in the classroom and graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average after four years.

The QB received the William H. Cannon Athletic Engineering Scholarship at Tennessee. During the summer of 2015, Dobbs interned with aerospace company Pratt & Whitney.

In the NFL, Dobbs took the next step in his engineering career by completing an externship with NASA.

Dobbs spent his offseason working as a rocket scientist for NASA

Whereas most NFL players spent their offseasons resting or spending time with family, Dobbs was out learning more about outer space. He spent a month at NASA Kennedy Space Center as part of the NFLPA externship program.

“We’re on the cusp of changing the projection of space exploration. It’s exciting. It truly is exciting,” Dobbs said. “It’s been an amazing experience for me. I’m really excited to see what the future holds here at NASA and I look forward to seeing you guys on launch day.”

Dobbs got to see the NASA SpaceX launch up close and personal Saturday. It marked the first time since 2011 that Americans will visit the International Space Station.

Most NFL players have no plans for their lives after football. They either plan to live off their NFL fortunes or go back to school later in life. Dobbs, on the other hand, has a pretty decent backup plan whenever his football career comes to an end.

All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference