Luke Rhodes

BIOGRAPHY

Luke Rhodes, a professional American football player known for his key positions as a long snapper and linebacker for the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts, was born on December 2, 1992. The Virginia native found his initial foothold in football playing at the college level for the William & Mary Tribe in Williamsburg while attending the College of William & Mary.

His tenure with the Tribe began in 2011 when he took a red-shirt for the team. The following year, he made his mark as he started 9 of the season’s games. By the end of his time with William & Mary, Rhodes had participated in 47 games, claiming a starting position in 45 of these. His collegiate performance was remarkable, with a total of 341 tackles (172 of which were solo efforts), five sacks, an interception, six forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

The quality of Rhodes’ performance in these early years did not go unnoticed. He achieved the All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team title on three occasions, and was the only Division I-AA player to be named to the watch list for the prestigious Butkus Award in 2015.

Upon graduation, Rhodes entered the professional football scene by signing as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on May 2, 2016. His stint with the Buccaneers was short-lived, however, and he was released on September 3, 2016 as part of the final roster cuts.

Eager to bounce back, Rhodes was recruited to the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts little over a month later, on October 5, 2016. By December of the same year, he had been promoted to the team’s active roster, primarily participating as a linebacker on special teams.

His role within the Colts underwent an important evolution during the following off-season, with his position shifting to that of a long snapper for punts and kickoffs. Rhodes adeptly embraced this new role, and in August of 2017, after winning a training camp competition against rookie Thomas Hennessy, he secured his position as the Colts’ full-time long snapper.

In April 2018, Rhodes signed an exclusive rights tender with the Colts, extending his contract through the end of the 2018 season. The following year, in June 2019, a four-year contract extension worth $4.85 million, with $$$1.25 million guaranteed, made Rhodes the highest-paid long snapper in the NFL.

In addition to his financial success, Rhodes’ performance on the field continued to attract attention. In both 2020 and 2021, he was named an Associated Press (AP) Second-team All-Pro choice. In 2021, after consistently handling long snapping duties across 16 games for the fifth consecutive season, Rhodes received AP’s First-team All-Pro award. Importantly, in the same year, he became the first Indianapolis long snapper named to the Pro Bowl since Matt Overton back in 2013.

In 2023, his consistent excellence earned Rhodes another four-year contract extension with the Colts, this time to the tune of $$$6.465 million. Yet again, this deal made him the highest-paid long snapper in the NFL. Luke Rhodes remains a formidable figure in professional football, his journey a testament to both his personal dedication and athletic prowess.