Mike Leach life and biography

Mike Leach is an American football long snapper for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League.

Pro Career:
Originally signed by Tennessee as an undrafted free agent on 5/3/00 and was waived on 8/26/00 and then signed to the Titans practice squad on 8/29/00. Signed to the active roster on 9/8/00 and again was waived by Tennessee on 10/16/01. Signed by Chicago to a futures contract 1/10/02 and was waived on 8/26/02. Signed by Denver on 11/4/02 and played in 104 consecutive regular season games and four postseason contests for the Broncos between 2002 and 2008. Signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals on 3/12/09 as a free agent.

2009: Played in all 16 games and both postseason contests, extending his regular season consecutive games played streak to 120 … appeared in first game as a member of the Cardinals vs. SF (9/13) … tied for the team lead with three special teams tackles and filled in at TE for the injured Stephen Spach in the fourth quarter vs. Hou (10/11) … recorded one special teams tackle @ Sea (10/18); @ NYG (10/25); vs. Car (11/1) … registered two special teams tackles vs. Sea (11/15) to establish a new single-season career-high … recorded one special teams tackle in each of the next three games: @ SF (12/14); @ Det (12/20); vs. StL (12/27) … played in 120th consecutive game in the regular season finale vs. GB (1/3/10) … appeared in both postseason contests.

2008: Served as Denver’s long snapper for all 16 games … voted by his teammates as special teams captain for season opener @ Oak (9/8) … had a streak of three consecutive games with a special teams tackle; vs. TB (10/5), vs. Jax (10/12) and @ NE (10/20) … played in his 100th consecutive game @ NYJ (11/30).

2007: Played all 16 games for the Broncos for the fifth consecutive season, performing the club’s long-snapping duties ... led Denver in tackles on punt coverage (six) ... opened the season with one special-teams stop @ Buf (9/9) ... appeared on offense for a play vs. GB (10/29) ... played his 100th pro game @ KC (11/11) ... recorded two special-teams tackles vs. Min (12/30).

2006: Served as the Broncos’ long snapper on punts and kicks in all 16 games ... recorded his first tackle on special teams @ NE (9/24) before adding coverage tackles in consecutive weeks @ Cle (10/22) and vs. Ind (10/29) ... had one special teams tackle vs. Sea (12/3).

2005: For the third consecutive season, handled the Broncos’ long-snapping duties for all 16 regular-season games and recorded five special-teams tackles ... also served as the club’s long snapper in both postseason outings ... recovered a muffed punt return by Troy Brown in the fourth quarter at the Patriots’ 15-yard line to set up a Denver TD in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game win vs. NE (1/14) ... downed a punt at the five-yard line and had one special teams tackle vs. Oak (12/24).

2004: Handled the Broncos’ long-snapping duties for all 16 regular-season games and totaled three special teams tackles ... had one tackle on special teams @ TB (10/3), @ NO (11/21) and vs. Oak (11/28) ... added one special teams tackle in Denver’s AFC Wild Card Game @ Ind (1/9)

2003: Handled the long-snapping duties in all 16 regular-season games for Denver for the first time in his career and made three special teams tackles during the year ... was Denver’s long snapper for its AFC Wild Card Game @ Ind (1/4).

2002: Played in eight games after signing with the Broncos on 11/4 as the team’s long snapper ... played in his first game as a Bronco vs. Oak (11/11) ... was with Chicago in training camp, but was waived on 8/26.

2001: Spent the first four games of the season with Tennessee before being waived on 10/16.

2000: Played in 15 games for the Titans after he was signed to their active roster from their practice squad on 9/8 ... signed to the Titans’ practice squad after training camp ... saw action at TE during the season ... played mostly on special teams and made one tackle @ Cin (10/8) ... recorded one kickoff return for 10 yards vs. Cle (11/19) … played on special teams in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Bal (1/7).

College:
A two-year starter at tight end and punter at William & Mary after transferring from Boston University when the school dropped its football program ... earned first-team Walter Camp All-America honors at TE as a senior in 1999 and led the Atlantic-10 Conference in punting as a junior and senior ... registered 106 career receptions for 1,181 yards with 12 TDs ... led his conference in receptions (33) among TEs as a senior ... earned second-team All-America (AP) and second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors as a junior ... also set school single-season records for catches (58) by a TE and punting average (44.4 avg.) that season ... played 16 games in two years at Boston University and redshirted at BU in 1995.

Personal:
Full name John Michael Leach … a first-team All-State selection at Jefferson Township (NJ) High School and graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder in basketball ... received a bachelor’s degree in history from William & Mary … Mike and his wife, Julie have a son, Ryan Matthew, and a daughter, Madeline Rae, with a golden retriever, Snapper.

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