Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings place kicker Greg Joseph (1) celebrates with Minnesota Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola (42) after kicking a field goal against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Who puts a tighter spin on the ball: J.J. McCarthy or Andrew DePaola?
After practice — read the VT training camp update — I had the chance to chat with the Vikings’ underappreciated All Pro. Minnesota boasts a pretty loaded roster; standing above all others is Justin Jefferson, but there’s talent aplenty. From within that context, a long snapper can sometimes be an afterthought, but that ought not be the case with Mr. DePaola. In recent seasons, he has been the gold standard for NFL long snappers.
The Vikings’ Underappreciated All Pro Doesn’t Plan on Slowing Down
The specialist is 38, meaning he’s (probably) closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
He understands that his body will only hold up for so long, but DePaola’s intention is to keep the good times rolling: “Gosh, I guess there’s factors that are going to come into play, right? I think the biggest one being my body.” He noted that being married to a dietician helps; adjusting his diet over the years has made a major difference.
“I think there’s a day that will come for all of us, and I don’t see that day for me anytime soon. But I know it will come, and hopefully I have a clear head when it does,” he explains not too long afterwards.
Aug 14, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; A general view of the line of scrimmage as Minnesota Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola (42) snaps the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
As for his elite play in recent seasons, DePaola was happy to give credit to the coaches.
“Honestly, I think when KO got here and Coach Daniels got here,” DePaola explained, “the style of coaching that Matt — my special teams coordinator — kind of brought in, has really resonated with me and I think I flourished under that.” There was then praise for O’Connell “giving players the freedom to be themselves” while then noting that “it’s just been a pleasure to work with both of them.”
For the past trio of seasons, Andrew DePaola has been sent to the Pro Bowl. He has been a first-team All Pro a pair of times and a second-team All Pro once. Essentially, there’s no one better from recent years.
Truth be told, folks, there’s more going on than just the coaches. Yes, Daniels and O’Connell deserve credit, but DePaola is still the one who is accepting the coaching and then putting in the work. In reality, the factors — the player’s individual effort alongside the strong coaching — are coalescing to allow him to shine pretty brightly late in his career.
Part of what’s keeping him energized is that he shares a room with younger players. Will Reichard is 24, Ryan Wright is 25, and Oscar Chapman is 26.
I asked about the dynamic, wondering if these teammates kept him young, leading to a pretty definitive response: “without a doubt.” There was even an acknowledgment that he doesn’t “understand all the lingo” while clarifying that part of the issue may rest in not being on TikTok.
Feb 4, 2023; Paradise, NV, USA; NFC long snapper Andrew DePaola of the Minnesota Vikings (42) during practice at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oh, and do note that he’s a man of many talents, someone with some culinary skills alongside some business acumen. Andrew DePaola is in the bagel business, but he did clarify that he’s better at football than at making the breakfast food: “Oh, gosh, long snapping, without a doubt. We have some really good people at the bagel shop that make some really good bagels. I leave that up to them.”
Not too long ago, I wondered if Andrew DePaola was moving into his final season since his contract is coming to an end. Nothing from today’s short conversation — or his elite performance in recent seasons — substantiates that idea.
Keep an eye on #42 when the season arrives. The long snapper plans to keep the ball spinning for the special teams for 2025 and beyond.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
I’m the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. I am Canadian.
