Nathan Hodel
Encyclopedia
Nathan William Hodel [ˈhoʊdəl] (born November 12, 1977 in Fairview Heights, Illinois
) is an American football
long snapper
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers
as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football
at Illinois
.
Hodel has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals
, New England Patriots
and Detroit Lions
.
, and was a two-sport star in baseball and football. In football, he was the team captain and an All-Conference pick as an offensive lineman. In baseball, he was a pitcher, the team captain,an All-Conference pitcher,and an all-Illinois prep pitcher.
, Hodel was a long snapper on the football team and a pitcher on the baseball team.
and was then released.
Hodel was released by the Cardinals on February 26, 2009.
on March 10, 2009 after the team's previous long snapper, Lonie Paxton
, signed with the Denver Broncos
.
on December 17, 2009 after an injury to Lions long snapper
Don Muhlbach
. The Lions waived Hodel on December 24.
Fairview Heights, Illinois
Fairview Heights is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,078 at the 2010 census. Fairview Heights is a dominant shopping center for Southwestern Illinois and includes numerous shopping plazas and the St...
) is an American football
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....
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
as an undrafted free agent in 2001. 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 Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
.
Hodel has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 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...
and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
Early years
Hodel attended Belleville East High School in Belleville, IllinoisBelleville, Illinois
Belleville is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 44,478. It is the eighth-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area and the most populated city south of Springfield in the state of Illinois. It is the county...
, and was a two-sport star in baseball and football. In football, he was the team captain and an All-Conference pick as an offensive lineman. In baseball, he was a pitcher, the team captain,an All-Conference pitcher,and an all-Illinois prep pitcher.
College career
At the University of IllinoisUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, Hodel was a long snapper on the football team and a pitcher on the baseball team.
Carolina Panthers
After graduating from college in 2001, Hodel spent six games on the practice squad with the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and was then released.
Arizona Cardinals
Hodel signed with the Arizona Cardinals shortly after his release by the Panthers and spent the next nine games on their practice squad. He was activated to the Cardinals' 53-man roster roster for the last two games of the 2001 season but did not enter a game. He handled long snapping duties with the Cardinals from 2002 to 2008.Hodel was released by the Cardinals on February 26, 2009.
New England Patriots
Hodel was signed by 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...
on March 10, 2009 after the team's previous long snapper, Lonie Paxton
Lonie Paxton
Leonidas E. "Lonie" Paxton III born March 13, 1978 in Orange, California) is an American football long snapper for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2000...
, signed with the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Detroit Lions
Hodel signed with the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
on December 17, 2009 after an injury to Lions 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....
Don Muhlbach
Don Muhlbach
Don Muhlbach is an National Football League long snapper for the Detroit Lions.-High school career:Muhlbach attended Lufkin High School in Lufkin, Texas and was a good student and a football player...
. The Lions waived Hodel on December 24.