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Their job is a snap

Matthew Hill, Special to the News

Published November 27, 2006 at midnight

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Editor's note: These would-be columnists were whittled down from 146 hopefuls in our Last Columnist Typing contest. One columnist is eliminated per week — a la Survivor — until one is left at the NFL season's end. The winner will cover an event alongside the pros.

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Wanted: NFL player – speed, size and overall athletic ability are helpful, but not necessary. Lack of intelligence is no problem. Must be willing to work three-hour days, as well as weekends. We offer a competitive NFL wage, but we cannot guarantee fame. Those looking to be hounded for autographs every time they leave the house need not apply.

Interested? Get in touch with Kevin Gold. Each week he receives four or five emails from people wanting his services. Who’s Kevin Gold? He’s an agent who represents players only from one position – long snapper.



While the average fan dreams of being the star quarterback, players themselves covet the life of long snappers. Chargers tackle Shane Olivea says of long snapper David Binn, "I’m not mad at him . . . but we have to give him (a hard time). I’m here for six hours, and he’s taking his first step in the building – in his golf clothes with a cup of coffee."

Binn, maybe the world’s best-known snapper because of his past relationship with Pamela Anderson, works only a few hours a day. Like every other player whose only job is snapping, Binn doesn’t sit through long meetings. There are no complex offensive plays or defensive schemes to learn; each week he only needs to prepare to bend over 10-15 times and throw the ball between his legs – no game plan necessary. Spend a few hours snapping and hitting the weights to maintain his 6-foot-3, 223-pound frame, and he’s good to go. Of his work hours, Binn admits, "I’ve got a good schedule. I’m not going to lie."

While the length of an average NFL career rivals that of a Britney Spears marriage, getting hit only a dozen times a game allows long snappers to stick around for a while. Currently, 19 of the 32 teams employ long snappers who have competed more than six seasons. Nine teams have snappers who have been in the league for 10 or more years. With the average long snapper earning roughly $650,000 per season, snappers leave the game happy.

What’s the secret to a lengthy career as a long snapper? Be good at snapping. Long snappers are asked to block as well as cover punts, but as long as they get the ball to the punter accurately in 0.7 of a second, they’ll have a job. Arizona Cardinals special teams coordinator Gary Zauner says of long snappers, "It’s a blessing when they can block and a real cherry on the cake if they can run down and cover. But in the order of most important, it’s snapping."

For the elite, this means the holder receives the ball with the laces out, in the same spot, so that he just has to catch and put it down – every time.

There it is. No need to run a 4.3 40-yard dash, weigh 300-plus pounds or bench a small car to make it to the NFL. It just takes dedication to one skill. So go play some catch. Just make sure you’re throwing the ball between your legs when you do.