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DON McCORMACK
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A Don McCormack column: Zelenka catches on with Falcons
Paying another visit to the variety store...
Back at it
One of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve done in the past few years was with Joe Zelenka.
At the time, he was the long snapper for the Jacksonville Jaguars. His wife, Rebekah, is an Ashtabula High School graduate and his in-laws, Paul and Jennifer Demshar, are well known and highly respected members of the community and his brother-in-law, Matt, was a football star at Ashtabula High School and Boston University.
Well, at the end of training camp, released Zelenka in a salary-cap move.
Since then, the 33-year-old, 6-foot-3, 260-pounder worked out for six NFL teams. All were impressed, but as an eight-year NFL veteran, he couldn’t sign for anything less than is dictated by the league’s collective bargaining unit.
Meaning, in this day and age when teams are trying to watch every nickel and dime, paying for a guy regarded as one of the most reliable long snappers in the business was not a priority.
Enter, the Atlanta Falcons.
With placekicker Jason Elam struggling mightily, the Falcons made sweeping special-teams changes Tuesday, releasing both Elam and his long snapper, Bryan Pittman. That opened the door for Zelenka, who signed a one-year contract with Atlanta.
The Falcons had him in for a tryout three weeks ago, they told him they were going with the cheapest guy available, saving themselves between $500,000 and $600,000. However, turns out, losing games because of missed field goals or errant long snaps proved more costly.
He will be in uniform, wearing No. 82, and in action when the Falcons (6-5) host the Philadelphia Eagles (7-4) in a crucial contest Sunday at 1 p.m.
Zelenka has played in 157 games in his 10-year career, including a team-record 128 consecutive games for the Jaguars.
The Wake Forest product was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the San Francisco 49ers on April 23, 1999.
Zelenka was traded to Washington from San Francisco on April 17, 2000, then waived by the Redskins on March 14, 2001.
That led him to Jacksonsville, which signed him on Aug. 13, 2001.
In his 10-year career, Zelenka has been one of the most durable players in the league, missing only three games, all as a rookie for the 49ers in 1999.
Joe and Rebekah, who have twins, Benjamin and Grace, own property here in Ashtabula County.
Sad news
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Conneaut varsity boys basketball coach Tim Tallbacka, whose father, Dave, finally lost his long, courageous battle against cancer at age 64 on Wednesday.
Our sincere condolences go out to Tim, his sister, Tonya, and their mother, Tina.
McCormack is the sports editor of the Star Beacon. Reach him at donmac@suite224.net.
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