As Jonny Puelz considered his options, he sought to make a name for himself and carve out his own path. The son of a Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame hooper, Jonny wasn’t necessarily determined to put himself in Bulldog threads. That trail felt worn. The Puelz name had recently reemerged in a big way at Concordia as Jonny’s older sister Josie put the finishing touches on a career that included five NAIA pole vault national championships.
Perhaps Jonny wasn’t quite sure about trying to follow that type of unprecedented athletic greatness. Or maybe he just wanted to pursue his dream of playing college basketball, at whatever school gave him the opportunity. Nebraska Wesleyan University gave him that chance, and Jonny took it.
“I think the reason I initially steered away was that I wanted to build an image of myself that wasn't a reflection of other people,” Jonny said. “I was looking at it the wrong way. It wasn't that they were overshadowing me. They were setting an expectation, but not in a negative way. My dad and sister had great careers here, and my brother (Josh)’s career was unfortunately cut short because of his back. But I realized Concordia could also open doors for me to have a great career.”
The career Jonny refers to is not just about success from an athletic standpoint. On an early November day, Jonny glowingly discussed the scope of his Concordia experience – the relationships, the Christian atmosphere he realized he needed and his plans to remain in place for a fifth year of college athletics. Now in his fifth semester as a Bulldog, Jonny has packed plenty of life into that time. He’s closing in on the completion of a degree in Business Administration and is engaged to be married (with the volleyball program’s Shandy Fa’ali’i).
As it turned out, Jonny and the Concordia Football program fit like a glove, like a pair of well-used receiver gloves, that is. It wasn’t easy, but Jonny traded the hardwood for the gridiron. An exceptional red zone threat, the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Puelz has hauled in 17 touchdown receptions over the 2025 and 2026 seasons while developing into one of quarterback Gideon Stark’s favorite targets.
In the process, Jonny has done it his way in his own outgoing, highly talkative, fun-loving type of way. After breaking a school single game record with four touchdown receptions in the 2026 season opener, Jonny appeared for an interview wearing a Walt Disney World t-shirt.
In reply to the video post on social media, Concordia Head Football Coach Patrick Daberkow remarked, “This is the full Jonny Puelz experience. Light-hearted, smiling and a Walt Disney shirt for the win. I would bet he’s wearing pajama pants in his interview.”
It’s everything Daberkow and his teammates have come to appreciate about Jonny, who’s fully comfortable in his own skin. His style and persona are certainly a contrast to his father John, who piled up more than 1,955 career points and still owns the Concordia school record for career 3-point field goals (353). (Also worth noting, Jonny’s mother played NCAA Division II volleyball).
But Jonny isn’t trying to be his father, his mother, his sister Josie or his brothers Josh or Jesse. Of course, he’s proud to be part of the family. He’s also never going to say that Josie is a “better athlete than me, even behind closed doors,” as Jonny jokes.
What Jonny will admit is that his Concordia experience has been special, just like it was for the family members who came before him. Says Jonny, “The biggest thing that stands out is the relationships I built. I know that sounds cliché, but it's really true.”
Long after he’s graduated and moved on, Jonny will likely reflect on those relationships, as well as the opportunity to grow in his faith. Such dynamics provide much greater satisfaction than any leaping touchdown grab or on-field victory.
Jonny learned a lot about the importance of faith in his life during his one collegiate year outside of Concordia. Something felt missing in his life. Jonny had previously attended Good Shepherd Lutheran School and Lincoln Lutheran. He was ready for the next school that could provide him that Christian foundation.
“I think that was also a little bit of God pushing me in the right direction,” Jonny said. “When I got here (as a sophomore), the classes were Christ-centered, and we had great Christian role models on the football field. We pray, recite Bible verses and have chapel every day. It's a breath of fresh air. This is where I need to be, in a Christ-centered place.”
As part of the college experience, Jonny also craved the opportunity to showcase his skills and competitive fire. As a member of the Nebraska Wesleyan men’s basketball program, Jonny did not see any varsity action during the 2023-24 program. A year later, in his first season with Bulldog football, Puelz played precious few varsity snaps. Essentially, Jonny went two full years without significant playing time.
As a sophomore in 2024, Puelz did manage to crack Concordia’s two deep, but he followed the likes of All-Americans Austin Jablonski and Adam Van Cleave and veteran Max Bartels in the receiver room pecking order. Jonny caught two passes for 89 yards in his first season with the Bulldogs. It was just a matter of time and continued development for Jonny.
Says Jonny, “Oh, man. It was rough because I'm an extremely competitive person. When we lose, I feel like I could have brought something to the table, even if that's probably a little self-centered. I hadn't really spent much time on the sideline throughout the end of my high school career, so it was something I wasn't used to. Everything that happened was out of my control … I'm not naive enough to think that, as a sophomore in college, I should have been playing over Jabo or Adam. They are freak athletes.”
Two years later, Puelz is that guy the younger players look to as a role model. When Jonny got his chance, he seized the moment. His breakthrough performance occurred in game two of the 2025 season. As part of a 27-22 win over Dakota Wesleyan, Puelz caught touchdown passes that covered respective distances of 19, 49 and 72 yards. This was the Jonny that others saw at Lincoln Lutheran, where as a senior, he racked up 88 catches for 1,336 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also averaged 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds on the basketball court.
What Jonny does exceptionally well is use his size and vertical leap to create mismatches. He has the ability to wall off defenders as if skying for a rebound. Any defender who takes on Jonny is always at risk of being “Mossed.” In this year’s matchup with fifth-ranked Morningside, Puelz shined by snagging eight receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown. He’ll admit that he’s not always the best route runner, but Jonny is routinely on the spot, ready to make a play.
Says Daberkow, “He’s a go-up-and-get-the-ball guy. He was a phenomenal basketball player, and high-pointing the football is really no different than a rebound. He had one of the best diving catches (at Morningside) that I think I’ve ever seen. It was just incredible. He really shows what he can do. All of his catches (at Morningside) were contested. We weren’t surprised by it.”
It may have been a bit of a surprise when Jonny called Daberkow to ask if there was still interest in him playing football at Concordia. As a freshman, Jonny had made the decision to transfer, and Concordia felt like the right place for him. It wasn’t long ago that Daberkow and Director of Athletics Devin Smith (a close friend to John Puelz) made a recruiting pitch to a high school version of Jonny.
“I probably caught him (Daberkow) completely off guard because I was the last person he expected to hear from,” Jonny said. “He said absolutely and arranged a meeting with Coach (Greg) Nelson, who had been my high school coach and had come to Concordia the year I graduated. We met in his office, and he walked me through everything.”
With Nelson calling the plays, and with Jonny starring at receiver, the Bulldogs have enjoyed some of their most productive offensive seasons in program history. Jonny has clearly developed a strong rapport with Stark, who has made regular use of both Puelz and Van Cleave in an explosive passing game.
Says Jonny, “When I got here, Gideon and I immediately meshed well. In the football atmosphere, I felt like so many more people had similar personalities and energy to mine. It was a really easy transition.”
The debate about which Puelz is the best athlete can be hashed out at family gatherings. They each found their own unique paths, in different sports. Most importantly, they love each other. They also love Concordia.
It’s the place where Jonny became an adult. Nothing will change who he is or deter the faithfulness, hopefulness and optimism that fill his everyday thoughts. One would be hard-pressed to catch Jonny without a smile on his face. Big catches and big smiles are part of the full Jonny Puelz experience.