Patrick Mannelly life and biography

Patrick Mannelly is an American football long snapper for the Chicago Bears of the NFL.

NFL Career:

Enters his 13th NFL season, all with the Bears, standing as the second-longest tenured player among active NFL long snappers with their current club... His 189 games are third-most all-time in a Bears uniform, just 2 games shy of tying the all-time mark... His 121 straight contests leads all current Bears... Stands alongside Olin Kreutz as Chicago's longest tenured players with 12 NFL seasons under their belts... Has handled the snapping duties in all but three games during his NFL career... Contributed to Bears setting an NFL record for most consecutive unblocked punts (920) and games without a blocked punt (180) that covered 13 years and was snapped in 2003... Snapped every punt and kick (PAT and FG) attempt for Chicago from 1998-2000 and 2003-09... Has played in all 16 games 10 times in his career while pulling the trigger on 1,752 of 1,1,772 long-snap attempts during that time... One of the league's top coverage long snappers, notching 73 career special teams tackles, third-most by a Bear since 1995 (Brendon Ayanbadejo, 79; Adrian Peterson, 110).

2009 SEASON: Played in all 16 games for the seventh consecutive year and was once again Chicago's special teams captain... Helped K Robbie Gould connect on 24-of-28 FG attmepts (85.7 percent)... Credited with 2 special teams tackles.

2008 - Saw action in all 16 games and was named Chicago's special teams captain... Bears K Robbie Gould posted the most accurate season in Bears history, connecting on 26-of-29 field goals (89.7%)... Also played a part in P Brad Maynard's NFL-leading 40 punts inside-the-20... Notched 1 special teams tackle.

2007 - Handled the long snapping duties in all 16 games... With his help, kicking game tied for first in the NFC and 2nd in the NFL with 31 field goals made and ranked 4th in the NFC and 7th in the NFL with 126 kicking points... Credited with 4 special teams tackles.

2006 - Competed in all 16 regular season contests and all 3 postseason games as the Bears long snapper... Helped Chicago to 143 kicking points in 2006 (32 field goals, 47 PATs), tops in the NFL... Assisted on 3 special teams tackles during the regular season... Added 2 special teams tackles in the playoffs.

2005 - Played all 16 regular season games and the Divisional Playoff, finishing the year with 5 special teams tackles.
2004 - Snapped every punt and kick attempt in all 16 games while tying for 5th on the team with career-high tying 11 special teams tackles... Tied career-high with 3 special teams tackles vs. PHI (10/3)... Recorded 1 special teams tackle vs. SF (10/31) in 100th career game... Posted 2 special teams tackles at JAX (12/12).

2003 - Performed as Chicago's long snapper in all 16 games and posted 1 special teams tackle... Recovered fumble on special teams in season opener at SF (9/7) and assisted on 1 special teams tackle.

2002 - Served as Chicago's long snapper in 14 games, missing 2 contests due to injury, and ranked 6th on the team by equaling a career-high with 11 special teams tackles... Snapped all punt and kick attempts during Games 1-5 and 8-16; Inactive Games 6-7 due to knee injury suffered during bye-week practice... Tied career-high with 3 special teams tackles at BUF (9/29)... Inactive at DET (10/20) and at MIN (10/27) due to knee injury... Returned to lineup vs. PHI (11/3) and equaled career-high with 3 special teams tackles... Recorded 2 special teams tackles vs. NE (11/20).

2001 - Handled long snapping duties in 15 contests, missing first career game and ending his 51-game streak of snapping every Bears punt and kick attempt... Tied career-high with 3 special teams tackles vs. MIN (9/23) in his 50th NFL game... Suffered sprained ankle during the week leading up to game vs. ARZ (10/14) causing him to be inactive for the first time in his career... Returned to action at CIN (10/21)... Posted 2 special teams tackles at MIN (11/25)... Made postseason debut in Divisional Playoff vs. PHI (1/19/02).

2000 - Snapped every punt and kick attempt in all 16 games for the third consecutive year as the Bears did not have a single punt or kick block... Ranked 10th on team with 6 special teams tackles.

College

Spent 5 years as the long snapper at Duke (1993-97) while starting on the offensive line for the last 2... Performed steadily at LT in 1997 as a fifth-year senior... Took a medical redshirt due to infected lymph nodes after playing 1 game during his senior season in which he was projected as a pre-season All-ACC selection... Established himself as one of ACC's best blockers while starting all 11 games at LG as a junior... Played all 12 games as long snapper and reserve DE as a sophomore, but switched to O-Line following the team's Hall of Fame Bowl appearance... Team's long snapper for all 11 games as a true freshman... Majored in history.

Personal

Atlanta area Lineman-of-the-Year at Marist H.S. in Marrietta, GA where he earned 3 letters in football and 2 in basketball... Played in Georgia-Florida all-star game... Began his instruction in the art of long-snapping at the age of 13 from veteran NFL coach and family friend Rod Dowhower (then of the Atlanta Falcons) whose son also attended Marist... Created personal website - www.longsnapper.com -- to provide personal information on himself and instruction on how to become a successful long snapper... The youngest of 2 sons of Jay and Patty... Brother, Bernard, played football at Notre Dame from 1988-92... He and wife, Tamara, the daughter of former Major League pitcher Tommy John, have 1 daughter... State spokesman for American Lung Association's Athletes and Asthma program.

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