.jpg) DePaola with theTampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016 | |||||||||
| No. 42 – Minnesota Vikings | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Long snapper | ||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1987-07-28)July 28, 1987 (age 38) Parkton, Maryland, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 227 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Hereford (Parkton, Maryland) | ||||||||
| College | Rutgers (2005–2009) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 2012: undrafted | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2025 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Andrew DePaola Jr. (dee-PAW-lə; born July 28, 1987) is an American professionalfootballlong snapper for theMinnesota Vikings of theNational Football League (NFL). He made his NFL debut with theTampa Bay Buccaneers on September 7, 2014.[1] He played football andbaseball in high school before playingcollege football for theRutgers Scarlet Knights. He also played for theChicago Bears,Oakland Raiders andCarolina Panthers.
DePaola was born inSparks, Maryland, a town in Baltimore County.[2] In 2001, DePaola enteredHereford High School inParkton, Maryland as a freshman with a passion for baseball, but soon shifted his focus to football.[3] DePaola quickly became an integral part of the school's football team, the Bulls, and was promoted to the varsity squad his sophomore year. That same year, DePaola helped the Bulls win the 2A state championship in football. DePaola's success continued into his senior year, in which he again led the football team to the state championship but ultimately lost. As the team's quarterback, DePaola completed his senior year completing 68% of his passes, throwing 22 touchdowns, 2,092 passing yards, and allowing only 7 interceptions, leading his team to set a state record for single season scoring of 636 points.[4] In addition to receiving the Baltimore County Offensive Player of the Year award from The Baltimore Sun, DePaola also received honors as an all-Metro and All-State player.[3] The last football game DePaola would play during his high school career would be the Good Samaritan Bowl hosted at theNavy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium inAnnapolis, Maryland.[5] While DePaola did make football his athletic focus during his high school career, he continued to play baseball earning all-Metro honors his senior year after batting .527 and posting a 3–1 record as a pitcher.[6]
After high school, DePaola went on toRutgers University and joined the football team as a walk-on.[7] His first year, DePaola wasredshirted, a technique in player management for college sports in which students may practice with the team while attending classes, but not play in any games.[3] During his first two seasons on the team, including his redshirt season, DePaola served as the team's third stringquarterback, helping the team prepare for games during practices. DePaola served as the team's holder on field goals during his third season, not once dropping the ball. It was during this season in 2007 when DePaola was featured onESPN SportsCenter for a play in which DePaola received the ball for a field goal against the then #2 RankedUniversity of South Florida, but instead completed a fifteen-yard pass for a touchdown.[3] DePaola began his fourth season with Rutgers as a wide receiver, but became the team'slong snapper when the starting long snapper Jeremy Branch sustained a leg injury.[7] During the final four games of that season and for the entirety of his fifth season, DePaola served as the team's starting long snapper, playing in every game that final season.[3] DePaola went undrafted by a professional team after completing college.
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft0+5⁄8 in (1.84 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 4.72 s | 1.67 s | 2.68 s | 4.28 s | 6.88 s | 33.0 in (0.84 m) | 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m) | 20 reps | |||
| All values fromPro Day[8] | ||||||||||||
DePaola was not immediately drafted after college, and would spend the next two years after graduation working as abartender and other odd jobs before he'd get his break on an NFL roster.[9][10] DePaola first signed with theTampa Bay Buccaneers as a long snapper in early August 2012 during training camp, but after three weeks he was waived on August 27, 2012.[11] On Thursday January 3, 2013, DePaola was signed to a future contract by the Buccaneers, meaning that at the start of the upcoming season DePaola would sign with the Buccaneers and be added to the active roster.[11] DePaola was one of the final cuts in training camp in favor of long snapperAndrew Economos.[12] DePaola secured a starting role on May 14, 2014, signing full-time with the Buccaneers under a two-year contract.[13] DePaola made his on-field debut against theCarolina Panthers on September 7, 2014, with two snaps on successful extra point attempts and one tackle assist.[14] He went on to be the long snapper for the Buccaneers for three seasons from 2014 to 2016.
On August 22, 2017, DePaola re-signed with the Buccaneers, only to be released on September 1, 2017, during final roster cuts.[15][16]
On September 3, 2017, DePaola was claimed off waivers by theChicago Bears.[17]
On March 16, 2018, DePaola signed a four-year contract with theOakland Raiders.[18][19] In Week 1, DePaola suffered a torn ACL and was placed oninjured reserve on September 12, 2018.[20]
On August 25, 2019, DePaola was released by the Raiders.[21]
On August 28, 2019, DePaola was signed by theCarolina Panthers.[22] He was released during final roster cuts on August 30, 2019.[23]
After sitting out the2019 NFL season, DePaola had a tryout with theHouston Texans on August 20, 2020.[24]
On November 21, 2020, DePaola was signed to thepractice squad of theMinnesota Vikings.[25] He was elevated to the active roster on November 21 and November 28 for the team's weeks 11 and 12 games against theDallas Cowboys and Panthers, and reverted to the practice squad after each game.[25][26] He was promoted to the active roster on December 2, 2020.[27] DePaola earned both aPro Bowl selection and first-teamAll-Pro nomination as long snapper with the Vikings for the2022 season.[28]
On March 14, 2023, DePaola signed a three-year contract extension with the Vikings.[29] He was awarded his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection and a second-team All-Pro nomination for the2023 season.[28]
On November 4, 2024, it was announced that DePaola would undergo surgery to repair a hand injury.[30] Despite a shortened season, DePaola was named first-team All-Pro and earned Pro Bowl honors once again, becoming the first long snapper to earn three consecutive Pro Bowl selections.[31][32]
