Cullen Loeffler
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 Loeffler with the Vikings in 2013. | |||||||
| Minnesota Vikings | |||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | January 27, 1981 Washington, D.C. | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| College: | Texas | ||||||
| Undrafted: | 2004 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2013 | |||||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com | |||||||
Cullen Crawford Loeffler (born January 27, 1981) is an American football long snapper for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns.
Early years
Loeffler attended Ingram Tom Moore High School in Ingram, Texas. He earned four varsity letters in both football and basketball. He also played in the UIL State Championship in doubles for tennis, winning the bronze in his junior year. Loeffler played several positions in high school football, including quarterback,[1] wide receiver, tight end, defensive end and punter.[2]
College career
Loeffler turned down several scholarship opportunities to enroll and walk-on at the University of Texas. He was redshirted his first year at Texas. The following year, as a redshirt freshman, he played a few snaps as a tight end and on the kickoff return team, as well as serving as the team's backup long snapper; at the end of the 2000 season, he was picked for the Academic All-Big 12 second team. He progressed to the Academic All-Big 12 first team for the only time in 2001, after playing in all 13 of the Longhorns' games, exclusively as the long snapper on punts.
An ankle injury meant Loeffler missed the Longhorns' games against Houston and Tulane in 2002, but he finally took over long snapping duties for field goals and PATs for the last seven games of the season and was the team's Special Teams Player of the Week in week 2 for his two solo tackles against North Carolina. He then played in all 13 games in his senior year, and his performances earned him the Longhorns' Frank Denius Most Valuable Special Teams Player Award.
He graduated in 2004 with a degree in finance.[3]
Professional career
Loeffler was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2004. The Vikings signed Loeffler to a three-year contract extension on October 7, 2011.[4] He suffered a bone fracture in his lower back during a week 12 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and was placed on injured reserve on November 29, 2011, ending his season.[5] In recognition of Loeffler's contribution to his record-breaking season, the Vikings' rookie kicker Blair Walsh offered to pay for Loeffler to join him in Hawaii for the 2013 Pro Bowl.[6]
Until the release of kicker Ryan Longwell by the Vikings in 2011, Loeffler, Longwell and punter Chris Kluwe were the longest-serving special teams trio in the league.[7]
Personal life
Loeffler is the son of Tom Loeffler, a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives who also played football for the University of Texas under Darrell Royal.[2] Loeffler married his wife, Jardin, in the 2006 offseason; they have a daughter, Landyn, and a son, Senate.
References
- ^ "Prep Pigskin Preview - Week 4". Kerrville Daily Times. Kerrville, Texas: Southern Newspapers. September 24, 1998. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ a b "Cullen Loeffler". MackBrown-TexasFootball.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ Rueda, Jim (August 15, 2007). "Vikes' Loeffler laying low". Mankato, MN: The Free Press. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ "Vikings Sign Loeffler To 3-Year Extension". CBS Minnesota. CBS Radio. October 7, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ "Vikings sign long snapper Matt Katula to replace injured Cullen Loeffler". The Washington Post. The Washington Post. November 29, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
- ^ Walters, Charley (January 7, 2013). "Charley Walters: Vikings' Blair Walsh to pay for Cullen Loeffler to attend Pro Bowl". Pioneer Press. Saint Paul, Minnesota: MediaNews Group. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ Associated Press (May 7, 2012). "Vikings release Ryan Longwell". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved January 8, 2013.