Rick Lovato was walking into his uncle and father’s sandwich shop, Joyce’s Subs and Pizza in Linecroft, NJ when he got the call. For the second time this year, he’s going to be long snapping in an NFL game, this time for the Philadelphia Eagles.
It is his third team this year. Lovato was signed by the Packers in late 2015 to fill in for Brett Goode, who went down with a season ending knee injury, then spent the following off season with the Packers, who cut him right before the start of the 2016 season.
Rick then was signed by the Redskins in mid November to fill in for an injured Nick Sundberg, who tweaked his back in the weight room. After 2 games, his services were no longer needed.
Philadelphia now seems to be in need after long-time long snapper and magician, Jon Durenbos, broke his wrist last week warming up for his next snap. “My phone died while I was trying to look at who was contacting me,” Lovato said. “Run to my car, plug my phone in the charger and everyone was like, ‘Philly’s long snapper is down, you need to contact your agent and do all this to get ready.’ As soon as I go home to watch the game and Brent Celek’s in snapping and I’m like ‘Oh jeez, this is bad because, Dorenbos wasn’t even snapping.’” Until Washington signed him for 10 days in November, Lovato had spent the season working at the family sub shop, working out and practicing long snapping every other day with his dad, Rick.
If you’re wondering what a short-term NFL long snapper makes, lets take a look into Rick’s earnings since coming into the league in 2015:
Bears offseason member – $4,500 signing bonus
Packers – $51,176 salary + $4,544 incentive bonus = $55,720
Redskins – $52,940
Eagles – $79,410
From 2015 to the end of the 2016 season, Rick will have made $192,570. Not too bad considering he has only has 3 games under his belt and will only have 3 more games to play this season.
“I’m great at making breakfast sandwiches, subs,” said Lovato. “Those are my two specialties. I can make pizza, but I’m not the best at it.”
America loves stories like Rick Lovato and I damn sure hope he gets to hang on with the Eagles or another club going forward.
Lovato broke into the league in 2015 as a member of the offseason squad for the Bears. He is a 2014 graduate of Old Dominion University and is the only player from Old Dominion to see game action in the NFL.
Necessary Roughness 