Zach Wood Bio
Zach Wood, born Zachary Ryan Wood on January 10, 1993, in Dallas, Texas, is an American professional football long snapper for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 255 pounds, Wood has built his career on consistency and reliability in one of the league’s most specialized roles. Over the course of his NFL journey, he has also been a member of the Dallas Cowboys and has appeared in more than 130 regular-season games since entering the league in 2016.
After beginning his career on the defensive line in college, Wood transitioned to long snapping and quickly developed into one of the steady hands at the position. His journey from undrafted rookie to long-term Saints contributor reflects a path shaped by perseverance and a willingness to adapt to a team’s needs.
Early Life and Background
Zach Wood was born and raised in the Dallas, Texas, area, growing up in a region known for producing competitive football talent. He attended Rowlett High School in Rowlett, Texas, where he first made his mark on the defensive side of the football. As a junior, he recorded 99 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, and 8 sacks, establishing himself as a disruptive defensive lineman.
During his senior season at Rowlett, Wood posted 115 tackles and 10 sacks, performances that earned him honorable-mention Class 4A All-State recognition as a defensive lineman. His high school production drew the attention of college programs looking for aggressive front-seven players, and he ultimately accepted a football scholarship from Southern Methodist University, commonly known as SMU.
Path to American Football
Wood’s path to the professional level began on the defensive line at SMU, where he spent his college career from 2011 to 2015. He was redshirted in 2011 before working his way into the Mustangs’ defensive rotation. In 2012, he appeared in nine games, tallying five solo tackles, four tackle assists, and half a sack while learning the speed and physicality of the college game.
As his college career progressed, Wood took on a larger role. He started all 12 games at defensive end in 2013 and again in 2014, demonstrating the kind of durability that would later define his professional profile. In his senior season of 2015, he served as a team captain, started nine of ten games, and also began spending time at long snapper. This added responsibility quietly set the stage for his eventual NFL transition, as he finished his college career with 137 tackles, 9 sacks, and 3 blocked kicks across 33 starts in 43 appearances.
Zach Wood Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Entering the 2016 NFL draft, Wood was rated the 85th best defensive end by NFLDraftScout.com, but he went undrafted. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent following a rookie minicamp tryout on May 24, 2016. During his first training camp, he played on the defensive line and even took snaps with the first-team defense in practice, though he was waived on September 1, 2016.
Wood returned to the Cowboys on a reserve/future contract on January 16, 2017, and shifted his focus to long snapping in his second training camp. He spent the preseason working alongside veteran long snapper L. P. Ladouceur and sharing some of the practice load, but he was ultimately released on September 2, 2017. That setback opened the door to the opportunity that would define his career.
New Orleans Saints Breakthrough (2017–Present)
Wood’s breakthrough came in dramatic fashion in September 2017. The New Orleans Saints had been searching for a long snapper during training camp and had acquired Jon Dorenbos from the Philadelphia Eagles, only to learn on September 7 that Dorenbos had been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm requiring immediate heart surgery. After Dorenbos was released, Wood was signed by the Saints on September 9, 2017, after a tryout that included four other candidates. He immediately took over as the team’s long snapper for all punts and placekicks, holding the role for the remainder of the season.
Following his successful debut season, Wood signed a series of extensions that reflected the Saints’ confidence in him. He re-signed to a one-year deal on February 20, 2018, and again on February 11, 2019, before inking a four-year contract on March 23, 2020. He continued to appear in all 17 games during the 2023 season, cementing his status as a fixture on the roster. On July 28, 2023, Wood signed a four-year contract extension with the Saints, securing his place in New Orleans through 2027.
Driving Style and Strengths
Wood’s value to the Saints comes from the precision and consistency required of an elite long snapper. His experience as a college defensive end gave him a strong physical base, while his willingness to specialize allowed him to refine the timing, accuracy, and velocity needed for field goals, extra points, and punts. Teamed with the Saints’ kicking operation, he has become a reliable presence on special teams, where even the smallest errors can change the outcome of a game.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining moment of Wood’s career came with his sudden promotion in September 2017, when he stepped into a starting role under extraordinary circumstances and never let go. He reached and surpassed 100 career NFL games played while remaining healthy enough to play all 17 games in the 2023 season, and he passed 132 games played by the end of the 2024 season. His long-term contract extensions with New Orleans underscore his standing as one of the league’s most trusted specialists.
Zach Wood Career Stats
Across his time with the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints, Zach Wood has steadily built a reputation as a dependable long snapper. His longest tenures have come in New Orleans, where he has served as the primary snapper for punts and placekicks since the 2017 season. Verified NFL career statistics as of the 2024 season show 132 games played.
NFL Highlights
Wood’s NFL highlights begin with his debut season in 2017, when he took over the Saints’ long-snapping duties in week one and held the job for the rest of the year. He has since re-signed or extended with New Orleans multiple times, including a four-year deal in 2020 and another four-year extension in 2023. His most recent milestone includes playing all 17 games during the 2023 season, a testament to his durability.
Other Performances
During his brief stint with the Dallas Cowboys, Wood contributed on the defensive line in practice and on special teams during training camps in 2016 and 2017. While his official Cowboys game appearances were limited, the experience helped him refine his technique as a long snapper and prepared him for the role he would claim in New Orleans.
Zach Wood Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Zach Wood grew up in the Dallas, Texas, area, a region with deep roots in American football culture. While specific details about his parents and immediate family are not widely documented in public sources, his strong high school performance in Rowlett suggests a supportive athletic background that helped shape his early development as a football player.
Personal Life
Wood is known to be active on social media, where he shares aspects of his life beyond football. He has continued to make his home in the New Orleans area while playing for the Saints, embracing the community that has supported his career since 2017.
2025 Season Outlook
Heading into the 2025 season, Zach Wood remains the New Orleans Saints’ established long snapper, a role he has held continuously since 2017. His recent four-year contract extension, signed in July 2023, keeps him under contract through 2027, providing the Saints with stability at a position that often goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. That continuity allows the team to focus on its kicking and punting operations without concern about the snapping game.
Wood’s durability is expected to remain one of his defining traits, as he has consistently been available for full seasons, including all 17 games in 2023. With 132 games played through the 2024 season, he is on track to continue climbing the league’s longevity lists for specialists, and his experience gives the Saints’ special teams unit a veteran anchor. His partnership with the team’s kickers and punters will be an important behind-the-scenes factor in the Saints’ 2025 results.
While the spotlight rarely falls on long snappers, Wood’s career arc, from undrafted defensive lineman out of SMU to entrenched Saints specialist, illustrates the value of patience and adaptability. As New Orleans builds toward the 2025 season, Zach Wood’s consistency in one of football’s most exacting roles will continue to be a quiet but meaningful part of the team’s success.