Long Snappers (?!) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame

I read Alex Prewitt's article in Sports Illustrated yesterday about long snappers in the NFL, and I couldn't help but think about whether the position deserves a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In the piece, Prewitt details how difficult contests became for teams that lost their long snappers midgame, such as the Cincinnati Bengals' defeat to the Steelers this year stemming from their long snapper's torn biceps. If a player is that valuable to his squad that his injury leads almost directly to a loss, shouldn't one of their fraternity at least be considered for induction into the Hall? It's a highly specific job no less important than kicker or punter, so I think it's time for someone to get a spot in Canton.

How might we decide which player to cast in bronze? For starters, we need to know some of their names, as long snappers are some of the more anonymous players on the field. Zak DeOssie seems like an interesting choice following two Super Bowl victories with the New York Giants. He and his father were both mentioned by John Turney in "Top Holders and Long Snappers in NFL History" as top ten players all-time at the position. Don Muhlbach is also mentioned by Turney, and Kyle Meinke of mlive.com in this 2021 article. So while it's a little late for this year, maybe Muhlbach, one of the DeOssies, or one of the many other players mentioned by Turney is worthy of consideration in 2024. It's time the position got its due.

Now for the holders ....