Last Updated on November 3, 2026 by Mariah Miranda
Joe Cardona is an American professional football long snapper for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Born on April 16, 1992, in California, Cardona played college football at the United States Naval Academy before being selected by the New England Patriots in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Beyond his football career, Cardona comes from a family with a strong tradition of military service. His parents are Patrick Cardona and Margaret Cardona, who raised him in the San Diego area of California. His father served in the United States Navy for 24 years and introduced Joe to long snapping during childhood.
Cardona also has siblings, including a sister whose wedding he discussed during a 2014 interview with Naval Academy Athletics. However, detailed information about all his siblings remains limited in official records.
Although Cardona has publicly discussed his parents and military upbringing, he maintains considerable privacy regarding his romantic relationships and children. Here is what is publicly known about Joe Cardona’s wife or girlfriend, children, parents and siblings.
Joe Cardona’s Girlfriend: Is He Dating Anyone?
As of now, Joe Cardona has not publicly provided a detailed, independently verified account of his current romantic relationship.
The Los Angeles Rams long snapper has generally kept his dating life away from national sports coverage. Most of his interviews have focused on football, his military service, his parents and his work supporting veterans and military families.
In May 2025, a secondary biographical publication reported that Cardona was engaged and planning a wedding later that month.
However, the report has not been independently corroborated by official NFL or Naval Academy sources, and reliable reporting does not establish whether the proposed wedding took place.
Therefore, his current relationship status should be treated as publicly unconfirmed rather than presenting an engagement or marriage as an established fact.
Is Joe Cardona Married?
As of now, there is insufficient independently verified information to confirm Joe Cardona’s marital status.
His official Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots and Naval Academy biographies do not identify a wife or provide a confirmed wedding date.
Although a secondary report published in 2025 described wedding plans, an intended ceremony does not establish that a marriage subsequently occurred.
Consequently, it would be inaccurate to identify a particular person as Cardona’s wife without reliable additional evidence.
His marital status remains publicly unconfirmed.
Joe Cardona’s Children: Does He Have Any Kids?
As of now, there is no independently verified public information confirming that Joe Cardona has children.
The Rams long snapper has not made a clearly documented public announcement identifying any sons or daughters in the official sources reviewed.
Cardona has participated in several charitable activities involving children, particularly those growing up in military families.
However, his involvement in youth programs does not establish whether he has children of his own.
Therefore, Joe Cardona has no publicly confirmed children.
This does not necessarily mean that he is not a father. It means that reliable public sources do not establish his parental status.
Joe Cardona’s Parents: Who Are His Father and Mother?
Joe Cardona’s parents are Patrick Cardona and Margaret Cardona. Their identities are confirmed in official Naval Academy football records and reporting published by the New England Patriots.
His father served in the United States Navy, while his mother supported the family through the responsibilities associated with military life.
The couple settled in Southern California, where Joe grew up and developed his interests in football, lacrosse and military service.
Joe Cardona’s Father: Patrick Cardona
Joe Cardona’s father is Patrick Cardona, a United States Navy veteran whose military career had a significant influence on his son’s life.
Patrick grew up in Arizona and developed an interest in football during childhood.
After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Navy, beginning a career that would eventually include 24 years of active-duty and reserve service.
According to an official Navy Reserve profile published in May 2022, Patrick served seven years on active duty and another 17 years in the Navy Reserve.
He worked as an aviation electronics technician and served aboard aircraft carriers.
After his military service, Patrick continued working with the Department of Defense as a civilian technical representative.
His professional responsibilities involved aircraft electronics and training Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
Patrick’s military background influenced the household in which Joe grew up.
Discipline, punctuality and personal responsibility were important parts of family life.
However, Patrick also played a particularly important role in developing his son’s football abilities.
He coached Joe during youth football and encouraged him to practice several different positions.
Recognizing that Joe was relatively small during his early school years, Patrick believed learning a specialized skill could improve his chances of playing competitive football.
He introduced Joe to long snapping, in addition to kicking and punting.
The decision eventually became one of the most important influences on his son’s athletic career.
In September 2021, the New England Patriots published a detailed feature describing Patrick’s role in helping Joe become an NFL player.
According to the article, Patrick frequently brought Joe to practice early so they could work on specialized football techniques.
When Joe was approximately 12 years old, his father took him to a preseason NFL game between the San Diego Chargers and Seattle Seahawks.
During warmups, Joe watched professional long snappers and became interested in their specialized responsibilities.
He subsequently devoted more attention to developing the skill.
In a May 2015 interview with the Patriots, Joe confirmed that his father had taught him long snapping during childhood.
Cardona credited Patrick’s decision to help him develop a specialty with creating opportunities that might otherwise have been unavailable.
His father’s influence also extended to his education.
Because Patrick had spent much of his career around Naval Academy graduates, Joe became familiar with the institution and its military traditions.
When an opportunity arose to join the academy, Joe immediately recognized its potential.
He eventually followed his father’s example by becoming a United States Navy officer.
The family’s military tradition was publicly recognized when Joe received the NFL’s Salute to Service Award in February 2024.
During his acceptance statement, he expressed pride in being the son of Patrick Cardona, recognizing his father’s 24 years of military service.
Joe Cardona’s Mother: Margaret Cardona
Joe Cardona’s mother is Margaret Cardona, who helped raise him in a military household in Southern California.
Her identity is confirmed in the official Naval Academy football biography and several New England Patriots publications.
Margaret married Patrick Cardona, whose Navy career required significant commitments to military service.
As a military spouse, she experienced the responsibilities associated with raising a family while supporting a partner serving in the armed forces.
Her role in Joe’s upbringing became especially meaningful as he developed his own career combining professional football with military service.
In February 2024, Cardona publicly acknowledged his mother while accepting the NFL’s Salute to Service Award.
He praised Margaret for representing the strength and selflessness associated with military spouses.
His comments highlighted the sacrifices made not only by service members but also by the relatives who support them.
Margaret’s family background also influenced Joe’s physical development.
In a September 2021 Patriots feature, the team’s official website explained that Joe inherited much of his height from his mother’s side of the family.
Although he had been relatively small during his early school years, he eventually grew tall enough to compete at the collegiate and professional levels.
His development complemented the long-snapping techniques he had learned from his father.
Margaret has generally maintained a private public profile outside her son’s football achievements.
Reliable information about her educational background, occupation and other personal activities remains limited.
Nevertheless, her influence is directly acknowledged in Joe’s own public statements and official football reporting.
Joe Cardona’s Siblings: Does He Have Brothers and Sisters?
Joe Cardona has siblings, including at least one sister whose existence he directly confirmed during an interview with Naval Academy Athletics.
In May 2014, Cardona participated in a player questionnaire discussing his college experiences, personal interests and family life.
When asked about his favorite summer vacation, he selected the trip during which he attended his sister’s wedding the previous summer.
That answer confirms that Joe has at least one sister.
Although secondary biographical websites list additional siblings, their names and relationships have not been independently established through the official team and Navy sources reviewed.
Joe Cardona’s Sister
Joe Cardona publicly confirmed having a sister during a May 30, 2014, interview published by Naval Academy Athletics.
He recalled attending her wedding during the summer of 2013 and described the occasion as his favorite summer vacation.
The answer provides a rare insight into Cardona’s family life during his college football career.
At the time, he was preparing for his senior season with the Navy Midshipmen.
Despite the demands of college athletics and military education, he valued opportunities to spend time with relatives and celebrate important family milestones.
However, the interview did not identify his sister by name.
Her education, professional occupation and other personal details have not been independently established through the official records reviewed.
Consequently, the confirmed information is limited to her family relationship and the wedding that Cardona attended.
Does Joe Cardona Have a Brother?
There is no sufficiently reliable confirmation identifying a brother of Joe Cardona in the official sources reviewed.
Some secondary online biographies list additional family members, but those claims are not independently supported by authoritative reporting.
Therefore, the identity of any brother remains publicly unconfirmed.
How Many Siblings Does Joe Cardona Have?
Joe Cardona has at least one confirmed sibling, a sister whose wedding he attended in 2013.
Although secondary profiles have described a larger family, the precise number and names of his siblings have not been consistently verified by official football or military sources.
For that reason, the total number of his siblings should not be presented as a confirmed fact.
Joe Cardona’s Family Military Background
Military service has been a defining tradition in Joe Cardona’s family.
His father spent 24 years serving in the United States Navy, including active-duty and reserve responsibilities.
Growing up in a military household, Joe experienced the challenges of having a parent whose work involved significant commitments and periods away from home.
Those experiences influenced his understanding of service and his decision to attend the United States Naval Academy.
In a January 2021 interview with PressBox, Cardona explained that military service had always been part of his family life.
He described attending the Naval Academy as a natural opportunity because of his father’s career and the family’s longstanding connection to the Navy.
After graduating, Cardona became a commissioned officer and continued serving in the Navy Reserve while playing professional football.
His dual responsibilities distinguished him from many other NFL players.
Throughout his professional career, he has participated in military-related charitable activities and supported organizations serving veterans and their families.
In April 2025, the New England Patriots organized a youth football clinic at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island.
Cardona helped bring professional football players to the installation to interact with children from military families.
He explained that the experience was meaningful because he had grown up in similar circumstances.
His participation reflected the values he learned from Patrick and Margaret Cardona during childhood.
Joe Cardona’s Early Life and Football Background
Joseph Cardona was born on April 16, 1992, in California and grew up in El Cajon, near San Diego.
He attended Granite Hills High School, where he participated in football and lacrosse.
His father introduced him to long snapping when he was young, allowing him to develop a specialized skill while continuing to play other football positions.
During his high school career, Cardona played linebacker and center while also handling long-snapping responsibilities.
He was recognized as one of the leading high school long snappers at the 2009 Chris Sailer National Kicking and Snapping Event.
Cardona also enjoyed a successful lacrosse career.
He earned four varsity letters in lacrosse and helped Granite Hills win a conference championship in 2010.
During his senior season, he received conference Most Valuable Player recognition as a midfielder and earned Second-Team All-San Diego honors.
After graduating from high school in 2010, he attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island.
He subsequently enrolled at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Joe Cardona’s College Football Career at Navy
Joe Cardona played college football for the Navy Midshipmen from 2011 through 2014.
He became only the second freshman in program history to earn the starting long snapper position.
His consistency helped establish him as an important contributor to Navy’s special teams unit.
Cardona appeared in 51 games during his college career and earned four varsity letters.
He participated in several bowl games and helped Navy record four consecutive victories over Army.
During the 2013 season, Navy finished with a 9-4 record and defeated Middle Tennessee State in the Armed Forces Bowl.
In 2014, the Midshipmen completed an 8-5 season with a victory over San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl.
Beyond football, Cardona studied economics and completed the military training required of Naval Academy students.
His success in both areas reflected the discipline he had learned from his father and the family’s emphasis on service.
Joe Cardona’s NFL Career and Super Bowl Success
The New England Patriots selected Joe Cardona in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft with the 166th overall pick.
His selection was particularly notable because long snappers are rarely drafted by NFL teams.
Cardona joined New England and immediately established himself as the team’s starting long snapper.
He made his NFL regular-season debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10, 2015.
His consistency helped the Patriots maintain one of the league’s most dependable special teams units.
During his first decade in New England, Cardona participated in four Super Bowls and won two championships.
He was part of the Patriots teams that won Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons and Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams.
He also continued his military career while playing football, working with the Navy Reserve during NFL offseasons.
In June 2019, he was promoted to lieutenant during a ceremony held at Gillette Stadium.
In February 2024, he received the NFL’s Salute to Service Award in recognition of his military commitments and community work.
He was also named a Patriots team captain for the 2024 season.
After ten seasons with New England, Cardona joined the Miami Dolphins for the 2025 campaign.
He appeared in all 17 regular-season games for Miami.
On March 11, 2026, the Los Angeles Rams announced an agreement with Cardona on a two-year contract.
The move brought him back to Southern California, where he had grown up.
As of now, Cardona is listed as a long snapper for the Los Angeles Rams, wearing jersey number 49.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joe Cardona’s Family
Who is Joe Cardona’s girlfriend?
Joe Cardona has not independently confirmed his current romantic relationship through official NFL or Navy sources. A secondary report mentioned engagement plans in 2025, but the relationship details remain insufficiently verified.
Is Joe Cardona married?
As of now, Joe Cardona’s marital status has not been independently confirmed by reliable public sources.
Does Joe Cardona have children?
There is no verified public information establishing that Joe Cardona has any sons or daughters.
Who are Joe Cardona’s parents?
Joe Cardona’s parents are Patrick Cardona and Margaret Cardona, whose names are confirmed in official Naval Academy and New England Patriots records.
Who is Joe Cardona’s father?
His father is Patrick Cardona, a former United States Navy service member who completed 24 years of active-duty and reserve service and taught Joe how to long snap.
Who is Joe Cardona’s mother?
His mother is Margaret Cardona, whom he publicly recognized for her strength and selflessness as a military spouse during his 2024 Salute to Service Award acceptance.
Does Joe Cardona have siblings?
Yes. Joe Cardona has at least one confirmed sister, whose wedding he attended during the summer of 2013.
Who is Joe Cardona’s sister?
Cardona discussed attending his sister’s wedding during a May 2014 Naval Academy interview, but the source did not identify her by name.
Does Joe Cardona have a brother?
No brother has been independently identified in the official football and military sources reviewed.
Where is Joe Cardona’s family from?
Joe Cardona grew up in El Cajon, California, near San Diego. His father originally grew up in Arizona before joining the Navy.
Did Joe Cardona’s father serve in the military?
Yes. Patrick Cardona served for 24 years in the United States Navy, including seven years of active-duty service and 17 years in the Navy Reserve.
Is Joe Cardona in the military?
Yes. Joe Cardona is a United States Navy Reserve officer who has combined military responsibilities with his professional NFL career.
How many Super Bowls has Joe Cardona won?
Joe Cardona has won two Super Bowls, both with the New England Patriots: Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII.
Which NFL team does Joe Cardona play for?
As of now, Joe Cardona plays for the Los Angeles Rams, who signed him to a two-year contract in March 2026.
Mariah Miranda is a dedicated sports journalist specializing in comprehensive NFL coverage, playbook strategy, and team analytics. From offseason Draft planning and free-agency moves to weekly matchup breakdowns and playoff pushes, she delivers clear, data-driven analysis of every division in the league. Driven by a deep understanding of football tactics and locker-room dynamics, Mariah brings fans closer to the gridiron with sharp commentary and player updates.
