Those in Chicago know the value of the long snapper: by far one of the most important positions in football. A slot on any team roster that almost comes close to the same value as a franchise quarterback. I say almost because quarterbacks don’t share the same pressure that the man in the special teams middle does.
So it’s now fully appropriate that the greatest long snapper of all-time in Bears legend Patrick Mannelly has created an award to honor the best collegiate long snapper. No one quite understands the components and inherent value of a long snapper like Mannelly: who played 16 years for the Bears, and was robbed of a Pro Bowl, All-Pro, and MVP selection in most of those seasons.