Greg Warren (American football)

Last updated

Greg Warren
Greg Warren Steelers.jpg
Warren in 2007
No. 60
Position: Long snapper
Personal information
Born: (1981-10-18) October 18, 1981 (age 42)
Mount Olive, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:252 lb (114 kg)
Career information
High school: Southern Wayne
(Dudley, North Carolina)
College: North Carolina (2000–2004)
Undrafted: 2005
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:181
Total tackles:21
Fumble recoveries:1
Player stats at PFR

Gregory Robert Warren (born October 18, 1981) is an American former football long snapper. He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in after the 2005 NFL Draft.

Contents

Warren earned two Super Bowl rings with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL over the Seattle Seahawks and Super Bowl XLIII over the Arizona Cardinals.

Early and personal life

Greg Warren attended Southern Wayne High School in Dudley, North Carolina. He was a four-year letterman in football, a three-year letterman in track & field, and a member of the National Honor Society. In football, he won All-Conference Honorable Mention honors as a senior; starting for two years at center and deep snapper. In track & field, he was a three-time All-Conference Honorable Mention honoree. Warren is married to his wife Ashley Keesee Warren. [1] [2]

College career

Warren attended the University of North Carolina, where he started his college football career as a walk-on long snapper in 2000. Warren earned the starting position in 2001, and continued as the starting long snapper for the team until his graduation after the 2004 season. While playing football at UNC, Warren: won the Peach Bowl as a freshman, was awarded a scholarship in 2003, and played in 49 consecutive games for the Tar Heels. Warren still holds the squat (500 lbs.), power clean (364 lbs.), and bench press (360 lbs.) records for specialists. Senior year, Warren served as team captain, and won the Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award. [1] [2]

Academically, Warren double majored in biology, and exercise & sports science. Prior to his NFL career, Warren had been pursuing a career in education, as evidenced by his tenure as a teaching assistant at East Chapel Hill High School.

Professional career

During his rookie season in 2005, Warren was used entirely as a long snapper, beating former Steelers center Mike Schneck for the job. [3] [4]

A restricted free agent in the 2008 offseason, Warren signed a three-year, $2.3 million contract with the Steelers on March 25. [5]

Warren sustained a season ending knee injury in a game against the New York Giants on October 25, 2008. The importance of a competent long snapper became evident after Warren left the game: the substitute long snapper, James Harrison, sent a snap sailing over the punter's head and out the back of the end zone resulting in a safety. This tied the score and gave the Giants good field position on the ensuing kick resulting in the go ahead touchdown late in the game. He was placed on injured reserve later that week. [6]

On December 21, 2009, Warren was placed on injured reserve with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), officially ending his 2009 season in week 14. [7]

On October 23, 2016, Warren had his first career fumble recovery against the New England Patriots after Julian Edelman fumbled the ball while returning a punt by Jordan Berry. [8] [9]

On February 2, 2017, Warren re-signed with the Steelers on a one-year contract. [10]

On May 18, 2017, Warren was released by the Steelers after 12 seasons due to a failed physical. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Woodson</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Roderick Kevin Woodson is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Widely considered one of the greatest defensive backs of all time, Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for touchdown (12). He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Reed (American football)</span> American football player (born 1979)

Jeffrey Montgomery Reed is a former National Football League (NFL) placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2002 until 2010, and is second all-time behind Gary Anderson for the most points scored by a Steeler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethan Albright</span> American football player (born 1971)

Lawrence Ethan Albright nicknamed "the Red Snapper" due to his position and his red hair, is an American former professional football long snapper who played for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Washington Redskins. From 1995 to 2010, he was a member of the Redskins for nine seasons, the Buffalo Bills for five seasons, and the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers for one season each. He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Fox (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1955)

John Fox is an American football coach and former player who previously was a senior defensive assistant for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers (2002–2010), Denver Broncos (2011–2014) and Chicago Bears (2015–2017) of the National Football League (NFL). He coached the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII and the Broncos to Super Bowl XLVIII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long snapper</span> Specialized player in gridiron football

In gridiron football, the long snapper is a center on special teams whose duty is to snap the football over a longer distance, typically around 15 yards during punts, and 7–8 yards during field goals and conversion attempts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Harrison (American football)</span> American football player (born 1978)

James Henry Harrison Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kent State Golden Flashes and was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Harrison won two Super Bowls with the Steelers: XL and XLIII. In 2008, he became the only undrafted player to be named Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Harrison was known for his hard-hitting style during games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Monachino</span> American football coach (born 1966)

Ted Monachino is an American football coach who is currently the defensive line coach at North Carolina. He was hired by the Tar Heels in 2023 as Senior Defensive Analyst before being elevated to the defensive line position following the departures of Tim Cross and Gene Chizik. A longtime assistant in the National Football League (NFL), Monachino coached for several teams, including most recently as outside linebackers coach for the Atlanta Falcons. Monachino also coached for Missouri in 2018 and served as the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts from 2016 to 2017. He was also formerly the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2010 to 2015. He was part of the Ravens' coaching staff that won Super Bowl XLVII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Kapinos</span> American football player (born 1984)

Jeremy D. Kapinos is a former American football punter. He was first signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Penn State.

Jared Michael Retkofsky is a former American football long snapper. He played college football at Texas Christian University and was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2007.

The 2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a member of Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by second-year head coach Butch Davis, the Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina finished the season 8–5 overall and 4–4 in ACC play to tie for third in the Coastal Division. The Tar Heels lost to West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. In 2011, North Carolina vacated all its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Worilds</span> American football player (born 1988)

Jason Adjepong Worilds is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech. He retired during the prime of his career to become a Jehovah’s Witness.

The 2013 Belk Bowl was an American college football bowl game that was played on December 28, 2013, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was one of the 2013–14 bowl games that concluded the 2013 FBS football season. The twelfth edition of the Belk Bowl, it featured the Cincinnati Bearcats of the American Athletic Conference against the North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference. It began at 3:20 p.m. EST and aired on ESPN. The game was sponsored by the Belk department store company. North Carolina defeated Cincinnati by a score of 39–17.

Roosevelt Delbert Nix-Jones is an American former professional football fullback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kent State University, and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons after going undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft. As a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nix made the 2018 Pro Bowl. Nix's father also played in the NFL.

Cameron Amir Sutton is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Tennessee, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Detroit Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Switzer</span> American football player (born 1994)

Ryan Switzer is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and punt returner in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, twice earning first-team All-American honors. Switzer was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was also a member of the Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns.

Kameron Canaday is an American football long snapper who is a free agent. He played college football at Portland State and signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Anderson (linebacker)</span> American football player (born 1994)

Ryan Anderson is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Alabama and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cole Holcomb</span> American football player (born 1996)

Cole Holcomb is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chazz Surratt</span> American football player (born 1997)

Chazz Surratt is an American football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina, where he began his career as a quarterback, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Christian Kuntz is an American football long snapper for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Duquesne.

References

  1. 1 2 Person, Joseph (February 4, 2011). "FORT WORTH, Texas: Steelers' long snapper has UNC ties | North Carolina". NewsObserver.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Q&A With Pittsburgh's Greg Warren - University of North Carolina Tar Heels Official Athletic Site". Goheels.com. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Post-Gazette.com". Nl.newsbank.com. September 11, 2005. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Scout.com: Undrafted free agents signed". Pit.scout.com. April 25, 2005. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  5. ↑ local and wire dispatches (March 26, 2008). "NFL Notebook: Steelers sign Warren - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Palmer: The long and short of long snapping". Tsn.ca. October 28, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  7. ↑ Bouchette, Ed (December 21, 2009). "Two Steelers out for the season - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Edelman: Fumbled Punt Return 'Just Terrible Ball Security'". CBS Boston. October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  9. ↑ Kozora, Alex (October 23, 2016). "Stats Of The Weird: Steelers Vs Patriots". Steelers Depot. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  10. ↑ Varley, Teresa (February 2, 2017). "Steelers re-sign Greg Warren". Steelers.com. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  11. ↑ Varley, Teresa (May 18, 2017). "Steelers release Warren". Steelers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.