Jon Dorenbos

Jonathan Paul Dorenbos (born July 21, 1980) is an American former football player and magician.

He played as a long snapper in the National Football League (NFL), earning two Pro Bowl selections.

On August 2, 1992, when he was 12, his mother, Kathy, was killed by his father, Alan, a software specialist.

His father was charged with and convicted of second-degree murder, and sentenced to 13 years and eight months in prison.

Dorenbos was sent to a foster home.

After a legal battle, he was adopted by his aunt and uncle, Susan and Steve Hindman.

To ease his mind, Dorenbos turned to performing magic.

Dorenbos played college football for the UTEP Miners and was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2003.

Dorenbos also played for the Tennessee Titans and the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he played 11 seasons and played in 162 consecutive games.

After college, Dorenbos was signed as a long snapper by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent following the 2003 NFL Draft.

He was one of only two undrafted free agents to make the team in 2003.

He played in his first NFL game on September 7, 2003, against the New England Patriots.

He played in all 16 games for the Bills in 2003.

In 2004, he led the league in tackles at his position.

He played in the first 13 games of the 2004 season before damaging knee ligaments and being placed on the injured reserve list, ending his season.

After training camp in 2005, Dorenbos was waived on September 6 during final roster cuts.

Dorenbos was signed by the Tennessee Titans on October 26, 2005, the same day he worked out for the team.

After getting traded to the New Orleans Saints in the 2017 preseason, it was discovered Dorenbos had an aortic aneurysm that required immediate surgery and ended his career.

The trade was rescinded and the Eagles returned the pick to the Saints.

The Eagles went on to win Super Bowl LII that season, and it was announced Dorenbos would get an honorary Super Bowl ring.

Dorenbos has a parallel career as a professional magician.

He was a finalist on season 11 of the television program America's Got Talent, performing his magic acts.

He finished in third place for the season.

Dorenbos was born in Humble, Texas and grew up in Woodinville, Washington.

Dorenbos had a brief reunion with his estranged father in 2019, and said that he has forgiven him for murdering his mother.

Dorenbos attended Pacifica High School in Garden Grove, California, where he was a letterman in football, basketball, hockey and baseball.

He earned all-league honors in football and baseball.

He made the dean's list and was an honor-roll student in high school.

Dorenbos originally attended Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California.

During his freshman year, his best friend who was attending University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Paul Tessier, called to ask if he would like to be the long snapper for the UTEP Miners football team.

At the time, Dorenbos was not the long snapper at Golden West; he played linebacker and fullback.

He took some video footage from high school, added footage of the Golden West long snapper, and sent it to the coaches at UTEP.

He was eventually recruited and became the long snapper for UTEP in 23 games over three seasons.

He averaged almost 10 tackles each year at UTEP on punt coverage.

Dorenbos earned a business degree from UTEP, with emphasis in economics, finance and marketing.

At UTEP's Pro Day workout, which six teams attended, Dorenbos averaged 0.62 seconds in snapping the ball to the punter.

One snap was timed at 0.59 seconds.

A good time in the NFL is considered between 0.70 seconds and 0.75 seconds.

Then-St. Louis Rams special teams coach Bobby April said of his workout, "Even on tape it's clear the guy is amazing. He's the best I've seen this year. And he might be the best in a lot of years, maybe among the top guys I've ever seen...But I'll tell you, Dorenbos is something else, he really is, man."

Dorenbos was personally interviewed by only six teams.