steven carlson
Editor’s Note: The following is a biography of Stephen Carlson, one of nine individuals who make up the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame’s 2025 Induction Class. Other inductees are Jessica Anderson, Tom Anderson, Anthony Barone, Mark Edstrom, Ron Frederes, Nick Kahanic, Aaron Leeper and Nick Sirianni. These nine individuals will be formally inducted at CSHOF’s 43rd Annual Induction Banquet to be held at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club on President’s Day, February 17, 2025. Tickets can be purchased for $50 before February 1st at the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, 15 West 3rd Street, Jamestown. at the Jock Shop, 10 Harrison Street, Jamestown. Online at www.chautauquasportshalloffame.org. Or call Chairman Chip Johnson at 716-485-6991.
The only Chautauqua County player to score a National Football League touchdown will be inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
On November 14, 2019, then-Cleveland Browns tight end Stephen Carlson caught an 8-yard scoring pass from Baker Mayfield during the Browns’ 21-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His potential to play in the NFL first became apparent during Carlson’s stellar career at Jamestown High School. The 2015 Junior High School graduates excelled on the football field for coach Tom Langworthy and on the basketball hardwood for coach Ben Drake.
As a receiver for the Red Raider, Stephen had 134 receptions for 2,411 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was also an excellent defender, recording over 250 tackles. JHS won the Class AA New York State Championship during his senior year.
Carlson was the 2014 recipient of the Connolly Cup, which is given to the outstanding player in Western New York. A first-team AA All-State selection in 2013 and 2014, Stephen’s No. 89 jersey was retired at Jamestown.
He twice won Western New York High School Sports’ James Lofton Award as the top receiver and was named the Post Journal’s 2014 Player of the Year. Carlson also received many academic awards as a scholar-athlete.
Stephen was also active on the basketball court for the Red Raiders. In high school, Jamestown won three straight Section VI championships and reached the state title game in ’14. He was named All-ECIC First Team, Post-Journal All-Star, Fifth Team All-State in 2015, and has No. 22 on the JHS Basketball Wall of Fame.
Carlson’s academic and football talents earned him a Division I scholarship to Princeton University, from which he graduated in 2019. As a Tiger, he had 125 receptions for 1,632 yards and 16 touchdowns. He played on the undefeated Ivy League championship team in 2018 and was a two-time All-Ivy League selection.
Stephen signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in May 2019. He was waived during final roster cuts and later re-signed to the Browns’ practice squad. The Browns signed Karlsson to the active roster on November 1, 2019.
In addition to the aforementioned touchdown grab, in the game between the Browns and Dallas Cowboys on October 4, 2020, he chased down a blocked kick that the Cowboys fumbled into the end zone and recorded a two-point conversion. He received five games of ball as a tight end and special teams player for Cleveland.
A knee injury will keep him out of the NFL in 2022.
The Chicago Bears signed Karlsson to a one-year contract and assigned him to their practice squad following rookie minicamp training in 2023. He was promoted to active player on September 24, 2024. He then suffered a serious shoulder injury and was placed on injured reserve list.
Married in 2024, Stephen lives in the Chicago area and will be able to put his Princeton University degree in ecology and evolutionary biology to use after his career as a football player.
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