Zach Triner

Zach Triner's Biography

American professional footballer Zach Michael Triner, known for being an exceptional long snapper, was born on January 30, 1991. In recent years, he has proven his worth on the field playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). Before this, his journey through football started in the varsity teams of Assumption College, winding its course through several NFL teams, demonstrating a mix of grit, determination, and pure skill.

Triner was a versatile athlete from the start, initially attending Siena College on a lacrosse scholarship. His freshman year saw him play in 13 games for the Saints, even scoring a goal as the team swept to victory, securing the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. Yet, his passion for football led him to transfer to Assumption College for his sophomore year.

The switch to Assumption marked his transition into football. For three years, Triner played as a defensive end and long snapper for the Greyhounds, proving himself highly valuable on the field. His senior year was notable for his impressive record of 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.

After college, Triner’s journey into professional football began. His first opportunity came during a workout session with the New England Patriots shortly after the 2015 NFL draft. Although he wasn’t offered a contract or invited for a rookie mini-camp, this experience fuelled his resolve to make it in the NFL. Despite further workout sessions with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Jets, and even participating in the Houston Texans post-draft rookie mini-camp in early 2016, a contract eluded Triner.

His first professional engagement came in 2017 when he signed a futures contract with the New York Jets following a successful workout with the team in late 2016. However, his stint with the Jets was short-lived as he was released in May 2017.

Triner’s determination remained unflagging. Later that year, he signed with the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad in December. At the end of the season, the Packers offered him a reserve/future contract. Despite this promising offer, he was waived at the end of the training camp in September 2018.

The turning point came for Triner in 2019, when he signed another reserve/future contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and made the team after training camp. Within months, he made his NFL debut on September 8, 2019, against the San Francisco 49ers.

During his first NFL season, he served as the Buccaneers’ long snapper for all 16 games. Despite a brief setback in December 2020 when he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, he was activated three days later and was instrumental in all 16 regular-season games and all four playoff games as the Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV.

His performance was rewarded post-season when the Buccaneers offered him an exclusive-rights free agent tender on March 9, 2021, which he signed on April 8, 2021. The following season was marred by a hand injury during the opener, which placed him on injured reserve in September 2021. After recovery, he was activated in November and continued his journey with the Buccaneers.

Triner re-signed with the Buccaneers on March 28, 2022. In 2024, however, he was released on August 27, after losing the starting job to Evan Deckers, only to be called back on September 24 following an injury to Deckers.

Away from the football field, Triner worked for three years selling mutual funds for Fidelity Investments, proving his work ethic and commitment to long-term goals. He maintained a rigorous training schedule for football, before and after work hours, until his signing with the Packers’ practice squad brought him back full-time to his first love, football. His journey shows his determination, resilience, and sheer passion for the sport.