Jason Cabinda

Jason Cabinda was born on March 17, 1996, in Buena Park, California. He attended Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, New Jersey, where he distinguished himself in football. During his high school career, Cabinda led the Red Devils to a Central Group V championship in 2013, contributing two touchdowns in the final game. He accumulated 3,417 rushing yards and 47 total touchdowns from his sophomore to senior years. Following high school, Cabinda played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 2014 to 2017. He played in 43 games, starting 36, and finished his Penn State career ninth all-time in tackles with 286, also recording six sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 11 passes defensed, and one interception. His performance earned him third-team All-Big Ten Conference honors from the coaches and honorable mention All-Big Ten from the media in 2016.

Cabinda began his professional football career when he signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in May 2018. He was initially waived but rejoined the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster in October 2018. In 2019, he joined the Detroit Lions, initially on their practice squad, and was later elevated to the active roster in December of that year. Throughout his tenure with the Lions, Cabinda played as both a linebacker and a fullback. He played 56 games over his career in total. His contributions included signing a two-year contract extension with the Lions in February 2022. Cabinda was also nominated for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2021, an award recognizing community service.

After his playing career, Cabinda transitioned into sports analysis, becoming an NFL Network Sports analyst and co-hosting the Penn State Unrivaled Weekly Preview Show. He retired as a 7-year NFL veteran and is currently involved in media and marketing. Cabinda has engaged in community work, including hosting book distributions for Detroit students in partnership with Athletes for Charity, the Ford Motor Company Fund, and the Detroit Lions Foundation, demonstrating his commitment beyond the football field.