No. 83, 82, 48 | |||||||
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Position: | Long snapper | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Dover, New Jersey | October 18, 1976||||||
Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Oak Ridge (NJ) Jefferson Twp. | ||||||
College: | Boston University (1995–1997), William & Mary (1998–1999) | ||||||
Undrafted: | 2000 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com |
John Michael Leach (born October 18, 1976) is an American former professional football player who was a long snapper in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston University and College of William & Mary. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2000. His NFL career sequentially spanned 16 seasons as a member of the Titans, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and Arizona Cardinals
Leach attended Jefferson Township High School in Jefferson Township, New Jersey. [1] He lettered in football, baseball and basketball. In football, Leach was a first-team, all-state selection as a punter. By the time Leach had graduated in the mid-1990s, he finished as the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Falcons basketball history. Additionally, Leach appeared in three NJSIAA basketball playoff games. [1]
Leach attended Boston University (1995–1997) and The College of William & Mary (1998–2000). At The College of William and Mary, during his junior season, his 58 receptions as a tight end were the second-most at the position in school history (to Glenn Bodnar's 69 catches in 1984) and his punting average set a single-season school record of 44.4 yards. [1] The performance earned him Associated Press second-team All-America and second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors that season. He also earned first-team Walter Camp All-American honors at tight end as a senior. [1]
Leach signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans on April 20, 2000. [2] He played in 15 games for the Titans during the 2000 season and four games during the 2001 season before being released by the team.
Leach signed a future contract with the Chicago Bears on January 10, 2002 and attended training camp with the team before being waived on August 26 of that year.
He signed with the Denver Broncos on November 4, 2002, and served as the team's long snapper for the eight remaining games that the Broncos had during the 2002 season. [1] His first game with the Broncos occurred on November 11, 2002, as part of a 34–10 home loss to the Oakland Raiders. [3]
Leach served as the Broncos long snapper in every game through the 2008 season since his first appearance with the team in 2002. [1] He was featured in an August 2007 issue of Sports Illustrated in which writer Peter King listed the top 500 players in the NFL. Leach was ranked number 1,000 as a symbolic gesture to show that every player has a necessary role on a roster. [4]
The Broncos released Leach on March 1, 2009 after the team signed free agent long snapper Lonie Paxton.
Leach was signed by the Arizona Cardinals on March 11, 2009, replacing incumbent Nathan Hodel. [5] Leach spent 7 seasons with the Cardinals; totaling 19 solo tackles and 1 fumble recovery.
In January 2016, Leach announced his retirement from the NFL, via Twitter, just days after the Cardinals' loss to the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship Game. [6]
Daniel Lawrence Graham is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Colorado, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and also played professionally for the Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints.
Joseph Thomas Nedney is a former American football placekicker. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996. He played for the 49ers from 2005 to 2010 after having played for the Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, and Tennessee Titans
Nathan William Hodel is a former American football long snapper. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football at Illinois.
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Paris Michael Lenon is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers of the NFL as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2000, then chosen by the Memphis Maniax in the XFL Draft in the fall of 2000. He played college football at University of Richmond.
Francis Joseph Tripucka was an American gridiron football quarterback who played professionally for 15 seasons. He spent four seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and four in the American Football League (AFL). Tripucka is best known as the inaugural quarterback for the AFL's Denver Broncos, whom he was a member of from 1960 to 1963. During Denver's inaugural year, Tripucka became the first NFL / AFL quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season, earning him All-Star honors. He was inducted to the Broncos Ring of Fame in 1986.
Matthew Phillip Prater is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best long distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for longest field goal from 2013 until 2021and currently holds the NFL record for most 50+ yard field goals in a career.
Larry Birdine is a former gridiron football defensive end. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Oklahoma.
Jedidiah Gabriel "Jed" Collins is a former American football fullback. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2008. After playing college football at Washington State, he played three seasons for the New Orleans Saints, and he has also been a member of the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans.
Britton Douglas Colquitt is an American football punter who is a free agent. He was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in December 2009. He played college football at Tennessee.
Albert Joseph "A. J." Trapasso is a former American football punter. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Ohio State.
Morgan Cox is an American football long snapper for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Tennessee.
Garrett Robert McIntyre is a former American football linebacker. McIntyre is of Scottish ancestry. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks in 2006. He played college football at Fresno State.
Robert Golden is a former American football strong safety. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He played college football at the University of Arizona.
Aaron Brewer is an American football long snapper for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Brewer signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He played college football at San Diego State. He married Nicole Brewer on June 2, 2018.
Beau Michael Brinkley is an American football long snapper for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Missouri.
Bryce Jordan Callahan is an American football cornerback for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rice, and signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2015.
Matthias Farley is an American football free safety for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame. Farley was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He has also played for the Indianapolis Colts, the New York Jets and the Tennessee Titans.
Jamal Carter is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He played college football at the University of Miami.
Mitchell Fraboni is an American football long snapper for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona State University and went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was signed and released from the Houston Texans of the NFL in the 2021 offseason.
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