The first two long snaps for DaVon Hamilton, by trade a defensive tackle, weren't pretty during the Jacksonville Jaguars' 25-3 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 30 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
One went a bit high, and Hamilton was fortunate that punter Logan Cooke is 6 feet 5 tall. Another was low and Hamilton was fortunate that Cooke is among the team's better all-around athletes when he reached down to snag the ball and get off the punt.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThen there was another high punt snap, near the back of the Jaguars' end zone, but Cooke was able to kick it cleanly away and Hamilton, 6 feet 4 and 310 pounds, got downfield to share a special-teams tackle with Ventrell Miller to stop the lethal Chimere Dike for a 5-yard return.
It was Hamilton's fourth snap that counted the most. The Jaguars' offense had worked hard to get the ball in position for kicker Cam Little near the end of the first half, with Trevor Lawrence completing three of three passes for 37 yards, and drawing a roughing the passer penalty from former Jag Arden Key.
With a shorter snap but to a smaller target and a reduced time frame, Hamilton delivered the ball just a bit high but Cooke got it down and Little was good from 45 yards out for an 18-3 halftime lead.
That was it for Hamilton's workload on special teams. The six-year veteran returned to defense the rest of the day, while starting long snapper Ross Matiscik, who injured his back making a tackle on Dike in the first quarter, was able to get back on the field for the second half.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tacle DaVon Hamilton greets fans before their game against the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 30, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.It was an adventure. But not as much as it could have been had Hamilton not been prepared.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDaVon Hamilton earned rave reviews
Since Matisck, a two-time All-Pro, entered the game with 703 successful long snaps on punts, field-goal attempts and conversion attempts without a bad snap in his six years with the Jaguars, losing him could have been a disaster.
After all, more than one Jaguars fan might have had visions of Josh Pederson, the son of former coach Doug Pederson, airmailing a punt snap high and right to Cooke during a 2023 preseason game.
Hamilton, one of the most respected veterans on the team, calmly stepped into the high-pressure job and delivered.
"Very cool," he said. "Very exciting. Definitely not something I want to do on a day-to-day basis, but it was fun. Definitely a dream that came true today."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell never had a doubt.
"D Ham's a stud," Farwell said after the game. "He comes in, no problem. Just take a couple practice snaps."
DaVon Hamilton has lobbied for the job
It was actually more than just a few hurried snaps on the sideline. Hamilton has implored every Jaguars special-teams coach since he came into the league to give him a shot at snapping and he's practiced a few under on occasion.
The last time Hamilton practiced long snaps was in training camp.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) and defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton (52) watch the last few seconds tick off the clock in a 25-3 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 30 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn."It's something I've been working on for about six years in the league," he said. "Haven't had my opportunity until today and it was very exciting. I don't do this every day, not even every week or every month. ... just out there. I just got a little muscle memory. You never know when your [opportunity] is going to come."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCooke, who is the recipient of every long snap as the punter and holder for Little, gave Hamilton rave reviews for effort and stepping up under pressure, if not artistry.
"DaVon comes in and does that ... incredible ... incredible for a backup long snapper," Cooke said.
Titans tried to exploit Hamilton
What made it difficult is that Titans special teams coordinator John "Bones" Fassell wasn't going to make it easy on Hamilton.
"They're a big rush team," Cooke said. "And then you have a new snapper, they're going to attack the A gaps, and that's what they did. Bones is a great coordinator, so you knew exactly what he was doing."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCooke drew one roughing the punter penalty and was angry about not getting another when he was kicking from the end zone. But Hamilton did his job: he got the ball to Cooke's hands.
"Just get the ball in the vicinity of where you want it," Cooke said. "That's all you can ask for. In punts, you have a little more leeway because obviously, you can move around and catch the ball. But again, he did great there. And then field goals is where it's a big deal, you know. And he has to protect inside too, and to be able to get those balls back to me good on field goals."
Ross Matiscik gives props to trainers
Matiscik, who has had several back injuries in the past, praised the Jaguars' training staff for getting him on the field in the second half. While he's not worried about losing his job, he appreciated Hamilton taking care of the job while he was gone.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"He did great. He did phenomenal," Matisick said. "D Ham is my guy, and I kept telling him on the sideline the second half, thanks for having my back, because that's a tough job. And I think if you ask any snapper in the league room who's done it, they'll say the same thing. There are some nerves involved. You know, protecting is hard, but he did phenomenal, and I'm really proud."
Hamilton was basking in the glow of a job well done, under the circumstances.
"I thought I did pretty good," he said. "That's what they told me, at least. I'll take it."
Demetrius Harvey contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars DT DaVon Hamilton was ready in a snap when Ross Matiscik went down
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