At 39, John Denney is a fixture as Dolphins' long snapper

Lynne Sladky

In this Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018 photo, Miami Dolphins long snapper John Denney snaps the ball during the NFL football team's training camp, in Davie, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins 14th-year veteran John Denney first saw his future career path in eighth grade, when he bent over and looked between his legs.

His coach was putting together a place-kicking team at practice, and Denney volunteered to try out as a long snapper.

"Whoever was interested lined up and started snapping the ball at a tire hanging from the uprights," Denney said. "Beginner's luck, I hit the chain holding the tire and it knocked the tire off the chain. At that age, that got…