The Saints' long-tenured long snapper, a converted defensive end who never misses.
Zach Wood is a New Orleans institution at a position most fans never think about until something goes wrong. He arrived as an undrafted defensive end out of SMU and remade himself into one of the league's most reliable long snappers, now entering his tenth season handling every snap for the Saints' kicking game.
Path to the league
Wood played defensive end for four seasons at SMU, starting 33 of 43 games and recording 137 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and nine sacks while also blocking three kicks on special teams. He transitioned to long snapping late in his college career, signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2016, then joined the Saints in 2017 after beating out competition in camp.
Career highlights
Wood has handled every long-snapping duty for New Orleans since 2017, appearing in 149 consecutive regular season games plus seven postseason contests. The Saints have rewarded his consistency with contract extensions in 2020 and 2023, and he has served as a team captain in each of the last three seasons.
2025 season recap
Wood continued his streak of uninterrupted service in the Saints' kicking game, now the second longest-tenured player on the roster. His reliability at long snapper remains one of the quieter constants on a New Orleans roster that has otherwise turned over significantly.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Zach Wood
- Pro Football Reference: Zach Wood
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Long Snapper
- Group
- specialTeam
- College
- SMU
- Hometown
- Rowlett, TX, USA
- Age
- 33
- Status
- active
