AMES — Joey Petersen comes from a long line of football studs.

Joey Petersen’s dad and brothers also played or are playing for Iowa State. Zach Petersen played recently from 2018-21, while their dad, Troy Petersen, was a two-time All-Big Eight selection in the early 90s. Joey’s youngest brother, AJ Petersen, is in his first year with the team.

With the Petersens that came before Joey, it was expected that he would find similar success as a Cyclone. Defensive coordinator Jon Heacock talked about how the legacy that Joey carries is a driving factor in his early success.

“He’s a Petersen,” Heacock said.

Joey talked about the importance of carrying on the family legacy and what it means to him. His brother and father accomplished a lot at Iowa State, so Joey wants to follow in their footsteps.

“My dad did really great things when he was here, Zach did really good things, so kinda stepping into those shoes hoping to push the ceiling on that,” Joey said. “Just be the best player that I can be to kinda hold up that family legacy.”

Even head coach Matt Campbell praised the long line of Petersens that played for the Cyclones. Campbell said that Zach was a great player, while Troy was a great person overall. Having those two pass through the football program before Joey helped Campbell know what he should expect.

Along with the experience playing at Iowa State, Joey’s family helped build a solid foundation when it came to playing football in general. Joey’s father constantly pushed him to be the best player he could be on the field.

Joey also grew up an Iowa State fan, which made the choice obvious when it came to choosing where he would play football. Joey attended Iowa State games on the weekends and remembers tailgating with his family and playing football outside the haunted forest just across from Jack Trice Stadium.

Joey, along with his father and siblings, would play catch and pickup football games before the game started.

“We would do like two on two and mom just kinda sat out,” Joey said. “I remember little things like that.”

A smile ran across Petersen’s face when he reminisced about the early times he spent playing football with his family and watching the Cyclones.

Joey is close with his older brother Zach, who he had the most recent success with the team. Zach played through the 2021 season, which was Joey’s first year on the team.

Although both Zach and Joey played the same position, defensive end, they were much different players. Zach stood at 6-foot-5 while weighing 275 pounds when he was playing. Joey is slightly shorter at 6-foot-4 and weighs 255 pounds, so he is much leaner than Zach was.

When asked about what makes him different from his brother, Joey said the size is what sets them apart.

“A little bit smaller and faster I think,” Joey said about himself. “I think I’m more shifty and more movable than Zach was.”

Joey joked that if Zach were asked the same question, his response would be similar. Joey was sure Zach would say he was, “Probably bigger and stronger, or something like that.”

Zach was clearly larger than Joey. Even Joey admitted that. However, Joey still has a similar toughness and strength that Zach had when he was a Cyclone.

“He’s tough, he’s physical, he’s mentally tough, strong, extremely strong, so that’s the first thing he brings,” Heacock said. “He brings the edge when he plays.”

That edge is something that makes Joey a Petersen. He plays hard and always goes all out, which is why he moved his way up the defensive end depth chart.

Having an edge or innate violence is crucial for a great defensive lineman. However, Joey tends to flip a switch when he is on and off the field. He can turn off that edge and be a friendly guy and a great teammate in the locker room.

On the other hand, Zach’s size mixed with the Petersen edge made him a scary guy at times. Zach’s intimidating appearance was another thing that set the two apart.

“I joke with Joey, if I had to hang out with a Petersen, I’d hang out with Joey,” Campbell said. “Man, I didn’t even want to talk to Zach. You didn’t know if he was gonna say hi to you or try to bump you into the wall.”

Although Zach did exude violence, he was still a Petersen at heart. He had the toughness and mentality to become a great defensive lineman.

Joey looked up to Zach. He saw how hard Zach worked and admired the results of his efforts.

“I feel like he was always one of those guys who just did his job every day, came in and worked hard,” Joey said. “I admire him for that.”

Joey came to Iowa State to follow a similar path. He wanted to be a guy that everyone looked up to and admired.

When Joey’s time at Iowa State is done, he said wants to also be remembered as, “the guy that did the right things.”

Another thing that sets Joey apart from his brother is his mobility. Joey uses his leaner frame to his advantage by being more flexible and agile. That mobility is something that has not been seen from a Petersen, as Joey’s dad and brother relied on their size and strength.

“Watching him and how he moved, it was completely different,” Campbell said. “Zach was like the Incredible Hulk sometimes, where Joey’s got some of those elite strength abilities, but he’s a really natural mover.”

Although Joey is unique compared to the other Petersens, he still holds the same values. Even if he gets different results or looks unique, Joey is still a Petersen.

“Joey is his own entity,” Campbell said. “Joey is different as a football player and really different as a human, but they’ve got the same core values. They love Iowa State.”

That love for Iowa State is what created a strong bond between all the Petersens. Joey is still as close with Zach as ever. The two talk all the time and see each other whenever possible.

Joey said that Zach is working for John Deere, so he works and travels a lot. However, during the offseason, the two found themselves back home and got to catch up.

“That was a lot of fun,” Joey said. “Just kinda having those chances to relax, talk about what’s different, what’s new.”

Spending time together also helped Joey learn more from Zach. Having an older brother go down the same path has helped Joey immensely.

The biggest message that Zach told Joey was the importance of “Enjoying it while you’re in it.” Joey took that to heart and uses that message to motivate him on and off the field.

“You don’t get to do it again when you’re done,” Joey said. “You only get your four years of playing, so just enjoy it. Just make every day enjoyable and have fun.”

As Joey found himself leading a new batch of young defensive lineman, remembering to enjoy the process helped him calm down and change his mindset. He cannot just set an example on the field anymore, he has to set an example off the field as well.

“I think changing my mindset by trying to be a leader in the D-line room,” Joey said about what he was working on going into the 2023 season.

Joey’s main goal is to help the new guys get up to speed. Whether that is getting them in the film room or answering questions, Joey wants to make sure that all the players around him are set up for success.

So far, Joey has taken his new leadership role in full stride. Joey knows what it is like to be a young player and how intimidating it can be. He also learned how to help others get better, since he had leaders help him when he was just starting out.

“He’s done a great job really taking a leadership role,” Heacock said. “I think he’s done a great job for us.”