West Virginia’s former linebacker Josiah Trotter has been turning heads since entering the portal, and now he’s a key player for Missouri’s defense. After spending two years at WVU, Trotter redshirted in 2023, suffering a knee injury. Then last year came in as a turning point in his career, where Trotter recorded 93 total tackles with two passes deflected and one interception. He was also named as Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and was a semifinalist for the Shawn Alexander Freshman of the Year award.

But all this success is not just the result of Trotter’s constant grind but also his parents’ immense trust in him. Let’s dig deeper and know about them.

Who is Josiah Trotter’s father, Jeremiah Trotter Sr.?

If you think Josiah Trotter’s football excellence is the result of his hard work, then you are wrong. It’s also the result of his strong genes, as his father, Jeremiah Trotter, who’s a four-time All-Pro linebacker, has a lot to do with it. Everyone remembers Jeremiah Sr. as a fearless player who was thrown out of the game because of a pre-game fight against Atlanta’s Kevin Mathis, which happened when Josiah was in the 8th grade.

Talking about the entire incident, he said, “I was like, ‘He never got kicked out of a game!’ So, I asked him, and he was like, “Yeah, I got kicked out.’ I believe he said we had some family that came to the game, and the next thing they heard, he got kicked out and wasn’t even playing.” So, he didn’t just learn the game from his dad but also how to handle situations like this.

His impact shaped both of his kids, as Jeremiah Jr. earned two All-American titles and also grabbed a Butkus Award finalist spot, and for Josiah, his excellence grabbed him offers from teams like Clemson, Oregon, and Notre Dame, but West Virginia sealed the deal for him. He sure had a chance to go and play side by side with his brother at Clemson, but he chose to make his own identity.

“That’s one of the big reasons why I wanted to come here, to create a name for myself and do my own thing,” he said. “A lot of people probably thought I would follow him to Clemson, but I wanted to go somewhere else and create my own name and path.” No wonder Josiah Trotter’s doing the same. Now, let’s talk about the second pillar of his life: his mother.

Who is Josiah Trotter’s mother, Tammi Trotter?

Well, the last couple of years have been tough for the Trotter family as adversity has hit them hard. Josiah Trotter lost his mother in February 2023 to cancer, and it wasn’t just an emotional toll but also a physical one for him, as the same year he suffered an injury too. His mother, Tammi Trotter, was a dedicated and supportive person who always used to motivate her kids. Her vibrant personality even got her the title of “Mama Hawk” from St. Joseph’s Prep football program.

Now, even though she is not beside Josiah Totter supporting him, he is making sure his game turns out as impressive as it can be to make his mother proud. Since the start of the season, Josiah has been making the most impact, starting in all 6 games of the season and leading his team with 36 total tackles, and he even recorded 4 quarterback hurries. Against Central Arkansas, he recorded a season-high 8 tackles, and even against Kansas, he had 5 tackles. So, it’s pretty clear that Josiah is here to not just win hearts but to make an impact.

What is Josiah Trotter’s parents’ ethnicity and nationality?

Hailing from Philadelphia, Josiah Trotter’s parents are American, and so is he. Now, their ethnicity is not known, but it’s pretty clear that all of them trust in God. This immense belief came in from Tammi Trotter, who was an admirer of her faith and was constantly making sure even her sons got it from her. That’s exactly what happened to Josiah as he said, “I would definitely say my faith was a big part of how I got through it. Being able to pray and trust in God helped me understand that everything he allows is for a reason. Losing her on earth hurts me, but knowing she is in heaven is comforting.”

Now, talking about all of these learnings on his back, he’s ready to turn things around and make sure Missouri remembers his name forever.