The Chiefs’ social media team says “Long snappers deserve their own highlights too,” and we agree.
Chiefs long snapper James Winchester has been with Kansas City for the past eight seasons, and for a good reason: he’s very consistent at doing his job well.
Not only does Winchester rarely deliver a bad snap, but he’s also good for an occasional special teams tackle, and sometimes even a forced fumble and fumble recovery as well. Here’s a look at Winchester at his best:
Long snappers deserve their own highlights too 🔥 @J_Winchester41 pic.twitter.com/GQ8SadqKJE
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 22, 2023
While long snappers are essentially centers who also snap the ball, they are generally required to be more lean and athletic in order to run down the field and make tackles on punt coverage. This makes long snappers more like center/linebacker hybrids, creating a unique player who plays an often thankless position.
But Winchester, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, plays that hybrid role perfectly. And despite entering his ninth season at 34 years old, he doesn’t seem to show any signs of slowing down whatsoever.
