Jon Dorenbos Jonathan Paul Dorenbos ( ; born July 21 , 1980 ) is an American football long snapper for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football at University of Texas at El Paso ( UTEP ) . He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2003 , and has also played for the Tennessee Titans . Personal . Dorenbos grew up in Woodinville , Washington , and on August 2 , 1992 , when Dorenbos was 12 , his mother , Kathy , was killed by his father , Alan , a software specialist . His father was charged with and convicted of second - degree murder , and sentenced to 13 years and eight months in prison . Dorenbos was sent to a foster home . After an intense legal battle , Dorenbos was adopted by his aunt and uncle , Susan and Steve Hindman . To ease his mind , Dorenbos turned to magic . Dorenbos ' s sister , Kristina , works in the neurological department at St . Joseph ' s Hospital in Phoenix , Arizona . His brother , Randy , is an independent contractor . Randy also owns " RAD Remodeling " in Southern California and Cleveland , Ohio . Dorenbos married Julie Lesicki on April 9 , 2010 . Early years . Dorenbos attended Pacifica High School in Garden Grove , California , and was a letterman in football , basketball , hockey and baseball . He earned all - league honors in football and baseball . He made Dean ' s list and was an honor roll student in high school . College career . Dorenbos originally attended Golden West College in Huntington Beach , California . During his freshman year , one of his friends who was attending University of Texas at El Paso , Paul Tessier , called him and asked him if he could be the long snapper for the UTEP Miners football team who desperately needed one . However , Dorenbos was not the long snapper at Golden West at the time ; he played linebacker and fullback . He ended up taking some video footage from high school , added footage of the Golden West long snapper , and sent it to the coaches at UTEP . He was eventually recruited and became the long snapper for UTEP in 23 games over three seasons . He averaged almost 10 tackles each year at UTEP on punt coverage . Professional career . Pre - draft . At UTEP ' s Pro Day workout , in which six teams attended , Dorenbos averaged 0 . 62 seconds in snapping the ball to the punter . One snap was timed at 0 . 59 seconds . A good time in the NFL is considered between 0 . 70 seconds and 0 . 75 seconds . Then - St . Louis Rams special teams coach Bobby April said of his workout , " Even on tape it ' s clear the guy is amazing . He ' s the best I ' ve seen this year . And he might be the best in a lot of years , maybe among the top guys I ' ve ever seen . . . But I ' ll tell you , Dorenbos is something else , he really is , man . " Dorenbos was personally interviewed by only six teams . Buffalo Bills . After college , Dorenbos was signed as a long snapper by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent following the 2003 NFL Draft . He was one of only two undrafted free agents to make the team in 2003 . He played in his first NFL game on September 7 , 2003 against the New England Patriots . He played in all 16 games for the Bills in 2003 . In 2004 , he led the league in tackles at his position . He played in the first 13 games of the 2004 season before damaging knee ligaments and being placed on the injured reserve list , ending his season . After training camp in 2005 , Dorenbos was waived on September 6 during final roster cuts . Tennessee Titans . Dorenbos was signed by the Tennessee Titans on October 26 , 2005 , the same day he worked out for the team . He played in the last nine games of the 2005 season . He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent in free agency in 2006 , but the Titans decided not to offer him a tender . He became an unrestricted free agent on March 3 . He was not signed for training camp in 2006 , but was re - signed on October 13 by the Titans for an October 15 game against the Washington Redskins . He was released on October 25 . Philadelphia Eagles . Dorenbos was signed to a two - year contract by the Philadelphia Eagles on November 29 , 2006 after Mike Bartrum suffered a career - ending neck injury . He played in the last seven games of the 2006 season , including two postseason games . He made two special team tackles in 2006 . In 2007 , he played in all 16 games for the Eagles , and on December 29 , 2007 , he signed a five - year contract extension that will keep him under contract through the 2012 season . He made six total special team tackles in 2007 . In 2008 , he played in all 16 games for the second - consecutive season . He made five special team tackles in 2008 . Dorenbos arrived late to training camp in 2009 after he caught shingles and could not get on an airplane to fly to Lehigh Valley , Pennsylvania , where Eagles training camp was held . He played in all 16 games in 2009 , and made four special team tackles . On January 20 , 2010 , Dorenbos was named to the NFC ' s Pro Bowl team . On March 11 , 2013 he re - signed with the Eagles . Other ventures . Dorenbos is a professional magician , and has performed in Las Vegas and Hollywood . He collects the autographs of every famous person he performs for on playing cards , which he hangs up in his house in Huntington Beach . He had also performed for former Bills teammates Alex Van Pelt and Jonas Jennings . He earned a business degree from UTEP , with emphasis in economics , finance and marketing . In the offseason , he serves as a corporate motivational speaker and has spoken for companies such as the National FFA Organization , Pioneer Investments , Jackson Hewitt and ING Group . He is the executive producer of an album called " Stripped Down " with singer Steve Carlson , who is also Dorenbos ' s best friend . Dorenbos started his own business in Buffalo , New York called DAC Framing . He works with several charities , including Brian Moorman ' s " Punt Foundation , " which helps out children with terminal diseases , and Garth Brooks ' " Teammates for Kids " . He is the host of " Inside the Eagles " , which airs on Eagles Television Network . In 2009 , he won a Mid Atlantic Emmy Award for his performances .