T
he Jacksonville Jaguars are riding high after a thrilling come-from-behind Week 5 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. A big kick return with one second left led to kicker Cam Little converting on a game-winning 57-yard field goal. But the most interesting part of that sequence? The Jaguars won the game without a long snapper. Starter Ross Matiscik suffered an injury in the game, forcing defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton to take on the role.
Matiscik will not be available for the team’s second London game in Week 6. The Jaguars do not want to take any chances, so they are expected to sign a healthy long snapper for the game. The player is still unnamed.
Matiscik’s Injury
Head coach Liam Coen spoke to reporters after the game and explained what happened to Matiscik. The skill is very specialized so losing a long snapper is never ideal. Luckily, Hamilton was up to the challenge and successful made Matiscik’s absence feel less significant.
“There was one (snap) he got it down and his foot was a little bit in the way of the spot and at the last possible second, he slightly moved his foot to get out of Cam’s way,” Coen told Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. “Just chaos for sure.”
The Jaguars play one more game in London before going on their bye week. The team will then play the Indianapolis Colts at Everbank Stadium in Week 8 before hitting the road for two straight games against the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans.
Matiscik’s Career
Matiscik signed with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2020, and has since evolved into one of the NFL’s best long snappers. Matiscik has eared several accolades throughout his seven season career, earning Pro Bowl selections from 2023-2025, a First-team All-Pro selection in 2023 and 2025 and a Second-team All-Pro selection in 2024. This offseason, he signed a two-year contract extension with the Jaguars worth $3.8 million. He is the league’s highest paid long snapper.
Long snappers are generally the least known players on an NFL team. But if a team had a good one, it goes a long way towards creating a successful special teams unit. The Jaguars, evolving into a contender since Coen took over, boast one of the NFL’s top special teams units. Little also is an award-winner, earning All-Rookie team honors in 2024.
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