MIAMI – As FIU football continues its 25 Moments in 25 Seasons series, we look back at one of the greatest defensive careers in program history. During the 2012 season, safety Johnathan Cyprien became FIU's all-time leading tackler, finishing his career with 365 total tackles, a program record that still stands today.
A RISING STAR
A South Florida native and graduate of North Miami Beach Senior High School, Cyprien made an immediate impact upon arriving at FIU in 2009.
As a freshman, he appeared in all 12 games and finished second on the team with 78 tackles, earning Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
Cyprien elevated his game during his sophomore campaign, leading the Panthers with 113 tackles, the seventh-highest single-season total in program history, while earning Second Team All-Sun Belt recognition. He also recorded five games with 10 or more tackles, establishing himself as one of the conference's premier defensive players.
Following FIU's historic 2010 Sun Belt Conference championship and bowl-winning season, Cyprien once again anchored the Panthers' defense as a junior. He totaled 81 tackles, eight pass breakups and earned Second Team All-Sun Belt honors for the second consecutive season. Entering his senior year with 272 career tackles, the Miami native was poised to cement his place among the greatest players in FIU Football history.
A DOMINANT SENIOR CAMPAIGN
Cyprien entered the 2012 season as one of the nation's top defensive backs, earning Sun Belt Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors and unanimous First Team Preseason All-Sun Belt recognition.
Serving as a team captain, Cyprien continued to be the heartbeat of the Panthers' defense. He recorded at least seven tackles in eight games, including back-to-back double-digit performances with 11 tackles against Akron on Sept. 8 and a season-high 12 tackles at UCF a week later.
At the time, Scott Bryant's 306 career tackles, recorded from 2006-09, stood as the FIU program record. Cyprien surpassed that mark in the Panthers' home matchup against No. 18 Louisville on Sept. 22, recording nine tackles and an interception to become FIU's all-time leading tackler.
By season's end, Cyprien once again led FIU with 93 total tackles, including a team-best 54 solo stops, while adding four interceptions to cap one of the finest defensive seasons in school history.
His consistency throughout his four-year career culminated in a program-record 365 career tackles, surpassing the previous school mark. Cyprien also started 45 consecutive games at safety.
LEGACY
Following his standout senior season, Cyprien earned First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors before becoming the highest NFL Draft selection in FIU Football history. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him with the 33rd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, making him the highest-drafted Panther in program history.
Cyprien went on to enjoy a seven-year NFL career, appearing in 79 games with 71 starts for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers. He totaled 515 career tackles, five forced fumbles, four interceptions and 16 passes defended. During his four seasons in Jacksonville (2013-16), Cyprien appeared in 60 games and recorded 452 tackles, including a career-high 127 tackles in 2016.
More than a decade later, Cyprien's 365 career tackles remain the FIU record, a testament to one of the most accomplished defensive careers the program has ever seen.
25TH SEASON CELEBRATION
The upcoming 2026 season for the Panthers officially marks FIU's 25th season of football competition, dating back to the Panthers' first-ever season in 2002. Over that time period, FIU has qualified for six bowl games, secured six Shula Bowl victories and produced countless NFL players, including Pro Bowlers T.Y Hilton and Jonnu Smith. The program has also seen many legendary coaches and outstanding players pass through the Panther facilities throughout its history, creating a litany of incredible moments experienced by Panther Nation.
Fans can be expected to be taken on a journey back to the inception of the program all the way up to the present day, recognizing the standard set by the first teams and acknowledging how many past Panthers have helped to build on that legacy. All of this will lead up and continue through the 25th official season in 2026, the second under head coach Willie Simmons, following one of the most historic seasons on record in his first year on the sidelines.
As the campaign begins with a variety of content in the coming weeks, visit our one-stop shop for the 25th Season Celebration. In conjunction with this, fans are encouraged to follow along with the many highly-engaging pieces of content recognizing the past that will be released on FIU Football's social media channels, listed below.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIU.Football on Instagram and @FIUFootball on Twitter and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
