Pro career a snap for Denney

DAVIE, Fla. — As Erik Walden races downfield on punt coverage, the Miami Dolphins' special teamer often will glance over his right shoulder and glimpse the most amazing sight.

Former Brigham Young University star John Denney, right there with him, stride for stride.

This wouldn't be so shocking but for the fact Denney is the long snapper, and, well, long snappers aren't supposed to be able to do that.

Bend over and snap the ball 15 yards to the punter? Sure.

Bend over and snap the ball 8 yards back for a field goal or extra point? Sure.

But snap the ball and then run downfield and make three tackles as Denney did in the opener in Atlanta?

Um, no.

"Yeah," Walden says, nodding his head, "that's crazy."

The Dolphins' special teams units aren't exactly lighting it up through the first five weeks, and the season-ending injury to Patrick Cobbs certainly won't help. Yet no one can quibble with the job being done by their fifth-year long snapper, who stands 6 feet 5 and weighs 255 pounds.

"You don't see too many snappers as athletic as Denney," Walden says. "Normally, when you prepare and you scout another team, you don't really prepare for the snapper. But our snapper, he does a great job in the middle with the punt (protection) and directing things. You're going to have to prepare for Denney."

Such words are enough to make Denney cringe. He prefers to remain as anonymous as possible.

"As a long snapper, you don't want to be in the media," he says. "You don't want people to know who you are."

Stay out of the spotlight, Denney figures, and you could enjoy a nice, long career.

Sure, Chargers long snapper David Binn (16th season) once dated Pamela Anderson. But more common is the route taken by former Redskin Ethan Albright (15 years) or former Chief Kendall Gammon (16 seasons.)

"It's not something that's spotlighted," Denney, 30, says of his craft. "It's ... not something that's analyzed and broken down on 'SportsCenter.' "

Sorry, but it's time to blow Denney's cover. The guy is that good at what he does.

Did you know, for instance, Denney has played the violin since he was 5 and still plays it on occasion?

Or that he attended Ricks Junior College at the same time as Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom?

"I know of him, but I can't say I know him," Denney says.

Or that between graduating high school in Thornton, Colo., and heading to BYU, Denney spent two years on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Morristown, N.J., working with a Spanish-language church?

You've probably heard by now that his older brother, Ryan, is a defensive end with the Buffalo Bills. They've met nine times in the NFL, most recently in Week 4.

But did you know there's also a younger brother, Brett, a defensive lineman at BYU?