Mike Leach (long snapper)
Encyclopedia
John Michael Leach is an American football
long snapper
for the Arizona Cardinals
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans
as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football
at William & Mary
.
Leach has also been a member of the Chicago Bears
and Denver Broncos
.
in Jefferson Township, New Jersey. He lettered in football
, baseball
and basketball
. In football, he was a first-team All-State selection as a punter. In basketball, Leach graduated as the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Jefferson Township High School Falcon history. Scoring most of those points under the tutelage of Gregg Eck, Leach appeared in 3 NJSIAA play-off games.
(1995–1997) and The College of William & Mary (1998–2000). At The College of William and Mary, during his junior season, his 58 receptions by a tight end
were the second-most for 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. 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.
on April 20, 2000. 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.
on January 10, 2002 and attended training camp with the team before being waived on August 26.
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
. His first game with the Broncos occurred on November 11, 2002, as part of a 34-10 home loss to the Oakland Raiders
.
Leach served as the Broncos long snapper in every game through the 2008 season since his first appearance with the team in 2002. 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.
The Broncos released Leach on March 1, 2009 after the team signed free agent long snapper
Lonie Paxton
.
on March 11, 2009, replacing recently released incumbent Nathan Hodel
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at William & Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
.
Leach has also been a member of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Leach attended Jefferson Township High SchoolJefferson Township High School (New Jersey)
Jefferson Township High School is a comprehensive community public high school, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from Jefferson Township, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Jefferson Township Public Schools....
in Jefferson Township, New Jersey. He lettered in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. In football, he was a first-team All-State selection as a punter. In basketball, Leach graduated as the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Jefferson Township High School Falcon history. Scoring most of those points under the tutelage of Gregg Eck, Leach appeared in 3 NJSIAA play-off games.
College career
Leach attended Boston UniversityBoston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
(1995–1997) and The College of William & Mary (1998–2000). At The College of William and Mary, during his junior season, his 58 receptions by a tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
were the second-most for 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. The performance earned him Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
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.
Tennessee Titans
Leach signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
on April 20, 2000. He played in 15 games for the Titans during the 2000 season
2000 Tennessee Titans season
The 2000 Tennessee Titans season was the Titans' 41st season and their 31st in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:-AFC Divisional Playoff:...
and four games during the 2001 season
2001 Tennessee Titans season
The 2001 Tennessee Titans season was the Titans' 42nd season and their 32nd in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-References:* *...
before being released by the team.
Chicago Bears
Leach signed a future contract with the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on January 10, 2002 and attended training camp with the team before being waived on August 26.
Denver Broncos
He signed with the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 4, 2002, and served as the team's long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
for the eight remaining games that the Broncos had during the 2002 season
2002 Denver Broncos season
The 2002 Denver Broncos season was the team's 43rd year in professional football and its 33rd with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:* *...
. His first game with the Broncos occurred on November 11, 2002, as part of a 34-10 home loss to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Leach served as the Broncos long snapper in every game through the 2008 season since his first appearance with the team in 2002. He was featured in an August 2007 issue of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
in which writer Peter King
Peter King (sportswriter)
Peter King is an American sportswriter. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated and its Web site, including the weekly multiple-page column Monday Morning Quarterback. He is the author of five books, most notably Inside the Helmet, as well as a TV analyst and reporter...
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.
The Broncos released Leach on March 1, 2009 after the team signed free agent long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
Lonie Paxton
Lonie Paxton
Leonidas E. "Lonie" Paxton III born March 13, 1978 in Orange, California) is an American football long snapper for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2000...
.
Arizona Cardinals
Leach was signed by the Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 11, 2009, replacing recently released incumbent Nathan Hodel
Nathan Hodel
Nathan William Hodel [] is an American football long snapper who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2001...
.