Matt Katula
Encyclopedia
Matthew Charles Katula is an American football
long snapper
for the Minnesota Vikings
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
as undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football
at Wisconsin
.
He has also played for the New England Patriots
.
in Waukesha, Wisconsin
and was a letterman in football
. As a senior, he won first team All-Conference honors on offense
, and second team All-Conference honors on defense
as a linebacker
.
, where he redshirt
ed as a freshman in 2000. He went on to long snap for the Badgers in his final four seasons, playing in 48 of 51 possible games.
as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2005. In 2005
and 2006
, he played in every regular season game. In 2005, he recorded 10 special teams tackles, the most by a long snapper. After playing in every game again in 2007
, Katula was signed by the Ravens to a five-year contract extension on September 6, 2008. He played in every game again in 2008
and 2009
. In 2010
, he lost his long snapping job to rookie Morgan Cox
and was released on August 13, 2010.
signed Katula on November 10, 2010, after waiving former long snapper Jake Ingram
. He played in the final eight games of the season for the Patriots. He was waived on August 29, 2011.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
as undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
.
He has also played for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Early years
Katula attended Catholic Memorial High SchoolCatholic Memorial High School (Wisconsin)
Catholic Memorial High School is a co-educational Catholic high school in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Established in 1949, it is a member of the National Catholic Educational Association as well as a World School in the .- History :...
in Waukesha, Wisconsin
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Waukesha is a city in and the county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The population was 70,718 at the 2010 census, making it the largest community in the county and 7th largest in the state. The city is located adjacent to the Town of Waukesha...
and was a letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
. As a senior, he won first team All-Conference honors on offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
, and second team All-Conference honors on defense
Defense (sport)
In many team sports, defense or defence is the action of preventing an opponent from scoring. The term may also refer to the tactics involved in defense, or a sub-team whose primary responsibility is defense...
as a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
.
College career
Katula attended the University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, where he redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ed as a freshman in 2000. He went on to long snap for the Badgers in his final four seasons, playing in 48 of 51 possible games.
Baltimore Ravens
Katula joined the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2005. In 2005
2005 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2005 Baltimore Ravens season was the team's tenth season in the NFL. They were unable to improve upon their previous output of 9–7, instead going 6–10 and missing the playoffs for the second straight season.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...
and 2006
2006 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2006 Baltimore Ravens season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 2005. The Ravens, for the first time in franchise history, started 4–0. The Ravens' ended the regular season with a team-best 13–3 record. The Ravens clinched the AFC North title, 1st-round bye...
, he played in every regular season game. In 2005, he recorded 10 special teams tackles, the most by a long snapper. After playing in every game again in 2007
2007 Baltimore Ravens season
-Game summary:The Ravens began their 2007 campaign on the road against their AFC North foe, the Cincinnati Bengals, in the first game of a Monday Night Football doubleheader. In the first quarter, Baltimore lost two fumbles early on, with the Bengals turning the second fumble into QB Carson...
, Katula was signed by the Ravens to a five-year contract extension on September 6, 2008. He played in every game again in 2008
2008 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2008 Baltimore Ravens season was the 13th season for the team in the NFL. Despite having one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, the Ravens completed a major turnaround from the 2007 season, finishing the season with an 11–5 record and a playoff berth...
and 2009
2009 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2009 Baltimore Ravens season is the franchise's 14th season as a team in the National Football League . The franchise entered the season off an 11–5 record in their previous season, a playoff berth, but a loss in the American Football Conference Championship game against the eventual Super...
. In 2010
2010 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2010 Baltimore Ravens season was the 15th for the team in the National Football League and city of Baltimore, Maryland, and the 13th to host home games at M&T Bank Stadium. They played in the NFL's American Football Conference North Division...
, he lost his long snapping job to rookie Morgan Cox
Morgan Cox
Morgan Cox is an American football long snapper for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Tennessee.-College career:...
and was released on August 13, 2010.
New England Patriots
The New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
signed Katula on November 10, 2010, after waiving former long snapper Jake Ingram
Jake Ingram
Jacob Ingram is an American football long snapper for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the only long snapper drafted in 2009...
. He played in the final eight games of the season for the Patriots. He was waived on August 29, 2011.