It is unlikely that most people would consider long snapper to be a critical position on an NFL team.
Yet, for its role in kicking extra points and field goals, and punting, long snapper is a key position on special teams.
An NFL team cannot be successful without a skilled long snapper.
For 134 regular season games from 2003 to 2011, Ryan Pontbriand was the long snapper for the Cleveland Browns.
He earned two Pro Bowl invitations and contributed to the success of Browns kicker Phil Dawson and various Browns punters.
#TBT – @RiceFootball long snapper Ryan Pontbriand was drafted in the 5th round by the @Browns in 2003 and played in two Pro Bowls before retiring from the #NFL in 2012. pic.twitter.com/VBNltKcRDx
— Pete Lembo (@Pete_Lembo) March 22, 2018
We take a look at the life of Ryan Pontbriand – before, during, and after his NFL playing career.
The Early Years Through High School
Ryan David Pontbriand was born in Houston, Texas on October 1, 1979.
His last name is pronounced, “pownt-bree-AWND”.
His father, Steve, built custom luxury homes.
Pontbriand attended Clements High School in Sugar Land, Texas.
Sugar Land is about 19 miles southwest of downtown Houston.
At Clements High School, Pontbriand was a three-year letterman.
He started on the offensive line.
As a junior, Pontbriand received honorable mention All-District honors.
His senior year, Pontbriand was named first-team All-District.
He also was team co-captain and Offensive Lineman of the Year for Clements High School.
Pontbriand was an excellent student in high school.
He was a two-year member of the academic All-District team, three-year member of the National Honor Society, and four-time winner of the academic excellence award at Clements High School.
He also competed in track and field.
After graduating high school, Pontbriand headed to Rice University in Houston to attend college.
College Years
After redshirting his first year of eligibility at Rice in 1998, Pontbriand played football and was a four-year letterman for Rice from 1999 to 2002.
When Pontbriand was there, Rice played in the Western Athletic Conference.
At Rice, Pontbriand basically played on special teams, principally as the long snapper for Rice.
In 1999, playing in all of Rice’s 11 games, Pontbriand made three solo tackles.
Rice posted a 5-6 record in 1999.
Pontbriand again played in all of Rice’s 11 games in 2000 and made five tackles (two solo and three assisted).
In 2000, Rice had a 3-8 record.
Pontbriand played in all of Rice’s 12 games and again made five tackles (four solo and one assisted) in 2001.
Rice had an 8-4 record in 2001.
In 2002, playing in all of Rice’s 11 games, Pontbriand made two assisted tackles in 2002.
In 2002, Rice posted a 4-7 record.
Pontbriand graduated from Rice with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering.
The Pro Football Years
2003-2007
Pontbriand was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL draft.
He was the 142nd overall pick.
With his selection by Cleveland, Pontbriand became the highest-drafted player who was drafted specifically to be a long snapper in NFL draft history.
*NFL Draft Edition*
Remember Ryan Pontbriand?
Appeared in 134 games for the Browns and made the pro bowl in both 2007 & 2008
Widely considered the best long snapper in both Browns & NFL history
Shrewdly chosen by Butch in 5th round making him highest picked long snapper ever pic.twitter.com/if410lhuS4
— Cleveland Browns Guys (@CleveBrownsGuys) April 25, 2018
Pontbriand (at a height of six feet and two inches and a weight of 255 pounds) handled his role successfully as a rookie in 2003, playing in all 16 regular season games as Cleveland’s long snapper for extra points, field goals, and punts.
In his first regular season game, a 9-6 Browns loss to the Indianapolis Colts on September 7, 2003, Pontbriand helped Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson make his two field goal attempts and Cleveland punter Chris Gardocki average 42.3 yards on three punts (with the Colts having only two punt return yards).
Pontbriand earned his first regular season victory in a 13-12 Cleveland win over the San Francisco 49ers on September 21, 2003.
He made a solo tackle and contributed to Dawson kicking an extra point and Gardocki averaging 43.8 yards on four punts.
With Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson kicked three extra points and two field goals and Gardocki averaged 42.3 yards on four punts, as the Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 33-13 on October 5, 2003.
The following week, on October 12, 2003, in a 13-7 Cleveland win over the Oakland Raiders, Pontbriand’s play helped Dawson kick an extra point and two field goals and Gardocki average 46.5 yards on four punts (with the Raiders not having any punt return yards).
On November 16, 2003, in a 44-6 Browns victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Pontbriand helped Dawson kick five extra points and three field goals and Gardocki average 45 yards on two punts (with the Cardinals losing one yard on their punt returns).
Pontbriand made three solo tackles in the 2003 regular season.
Cleveland had a 5-11 record in 2003.
In 2004, Pontbriand again played in all 16 regular season games as long snapper.
On September 12, 2004, in a 20-3 Cleveland win over the Baltimore Ravens, Pontbriand made a solo tackle and contributed to Phil Dawson kicking two extra points and two field goals and Browns punter Derrick Frost averaging 45.1 yards on seven punts (with the Ravens having only five punt return yards).
The following week, on September 19, 1994, with Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson made all four of his field goal attempts and Frost averaged 44.8 yards on four punts, in a 19-12 Cleveland loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
In a 17-13 Browns victory over the Washington Redskins on October 3, 2004, Pontbriand’s play helped Dawson kick two extra points and one field goal and Frost average 41.3 yards on seven punts.
On October 17, 2004, as Cleveland defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 34-17, Pontbriand helped Dawson kick four extra points and two field goals and Frost limit the Bengals to two punt return yards on four punts.
In a 22-14 Browns win over the Houston Texans on January 2, 2005, Pontbriand contributed to Dawson kicking one extra point and five field goals and the Texans losing one yard on punt returns from Frost’s three punts.
In 2004, the Browns posted a 4-12 record.
Cleveland did not miss an extra point in the 2004 regular season.
Pontbriand played in 11 regular season games as long snapper in 2005.
He suffered a back injury and was placed on injured reserve on November 28, 2005.
In a 26-24 Browns win over the Green Bay Packers on September 18, 2005, with Pontbriand as long snapper, Phil Dawson kicked two extra points and two field goals and Cleveland punter Kyle Richardson averaged 44.5 yards on four punts (with the Packers having only nine punt return yards).
On October 9, 2005, in a 20-10 Cleveland victory over the Chicago Bears on October 9, 2005, Pontbriand’s play helped Dawson kick two extra points and two field goals and Richardson averaged 41.3 yards on six punts (with the Bears not having any punt return yards).
Pontbriand helped Dawson kick an extra point and three field goals, in a 19-16 Browns loss to the Houston Texans on October 30, 2005.
The following week, on November 6, 2005, Pontbriand contributed to Dawson kicking two extra points and two field goals and Richardson averaging 40.6 yards on five punts, as Cleveland defeated the Tennessee Titans 20-14.
With Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson kicked one extra point and three field goals, in a 22-0 Browns shutout of the Miami Dolphins on November 20, 2005.
Pontbriand also had a solo tackle.
In the 2005 regular season, Pontbriand had three tackles (two solo and one assisted).
The Browns had a 6-10 record in 2005. Cleveland ranked tied for sixth in made field goals (27), and second in made field goal percentage (93.1%), in the 2005 regular season.
In 2006, Pontbriand returned to action and played in all 16 regular-season games as long snapper.
On October 1, 2006, in a 24-21 Cleveland victory over the Oakland Raiders, Pontbriand helped Phil Dawson kick three extra points and one field goal and Cleveland punter Dave Zastudil limit the Raiders to seven punt return yards on two punts.
Pontbriand contributed to Dawson kicking two extra points and two field goals and Zastudil averaging 48.4 yards on five punts, as the Browns defeated the New York Jets 20-13 on October 29, 2006.
In a 17-13 Cleveland win over the Atlanta Falcons on November 12, 2006, with Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson kicked two extra points and one field goal and Zastudil averaged 46.2 yards on 10 punts.
On December 3, 2006, as the Browns defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28 in overtime, Pontbriand’s play helped Dawson kick four extra points and the winning 33-yard field goal.
In addition, the Chiefs did not have any punt return yards on three punts by Zastudil.
In a 27-17 Cleveland loss to the Baltimore Ravens on December 17, 2006, Pontbriand made a solo tackle and helped Dawson kick two extra points and one field goal and Zastudil average 44.3 yards on seven punts.
Pontbriand had four tackles (two solo and two assisted) in the 2006 regular season.
The Browns posted a 4-12 record in 2006.
Pontbriand, as long snapper, again played in all 16 regular season games in 2007.
On September 4, 2007, just before the start of the 2007 regular season, Pontbriand signed a four-year contract extension with the Browns.
In a 51-45 Cleveland win over the Cincinnati Bengals on September 16, 2007, Pontbriand contributed to Phil Dawson kicking six extra points and three field goals and Dave Zastudil averaging 43 yards on two punts (with the Bengals having only seven punt return yards).
Pontbriand made a solo tackle and helped Dawson kick five extra points and two field goals, as the Browns defeated the Miami Dolphins 41-31 on October 14, 2007.
In the next game, on October 28, 2007, Pontbriand had another solo tackle, in a 27-20 Cleveland victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
With Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson kicked three extra points and two field goals and Zastudil averaged 49.3 yards on three punts.
The following week, on November 4, 2007, Pontbriand’s play helped Dawson kick an extra point and two field goals, including the winning 25-yard field goal, as the Browns defeated the Seattle Seahawks 33-30 in overtime.
In addition, Zastudil averaged 43.5 yards on four punts.
Pontbriand contributed to Dawson kicking another game-winning field goal (this time from 33 yards), in a 33-30 Cleveland win over the Baltimore Ravens in overtime on November 18, 2007. Dawson kicked three extra points and four field goals (including a 51-yard field goal to tie the game as time expired in regulation) and Zastudil averaged 43.2 yards on five punts (with the Ravens having only six punt return yards).
In the 2007 regular season, Pontbriand made four solo tackles.
For his play in 2007, Pontbriand received his first Pro Bowl invitation.
Cleveland had a 10-6 record in 2007, but failed to make the playoffs.
It was the best record of any Browns team played on by Pontbriand.
2008-2012
In 2008, Pontbriand again played in all 16 regular season games as long snapper.
On September 28, 2008, in a 20-12 Cleveland win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Pontbriand helped Phil Dawson kick two extra points and two field goals and Dave Zastudil average 46.3 yards on three punts (with the Bengals having only nine punt return yards).
In the next game, with Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson kicked three extra points and two field goals, as the Browns defeated the New York Giants 35-14 on October 13, 2008.
Pontbriand’s play helped Dawson kick two extra points and three field goals and Zastudil average 41.4 yards on five punts, in a 23-17 Browns victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 26, 2008.
On November 17, 2008, Pontbriand contributed to Dawson kicking a game-winning 56-yard field goal, as Cleveland defeated the Buffalo Bills 29-27; Dawson kicked two extra points and five field goals. In addition, Zastudil averaged 46 yards on five punts.
Pontbriand helped Dawson kick three field goals and Zastudil average 42.5 yards on six punts, in a 28-9 Browns loss to the Tennessee Titans on December 7, 2008.
In 2008, Pontbriand received his second consecutive Pro Bowl invitation.
“I’m honored to be selected for the AFC Pro Bowl roster for the second year in a row. This is the ultimate recognition of performance during the season for a position that receives so few accolades.”
Cleveland posted a 4-12 record in 2008.
In the 2008 regular season, the Browns ranked tied for sixth in made field goals (30), seventh in average yards per punt (45.3), and tied for seventh in fewest punt return yards allowed (235). Cleveland also did not miss an extra point in the 2008 regular season.
Pontbriand, as long snapper, again played in all 16 regular-season games in 2009.
On October 11, 2009, in a 6-3 Cleveland win over the Buffalo Bills, with Pontbriand as long snapper, Cleveland kicker Billy Cundiff made his two field goal attempts (including a game-winning 18-yard field goal) and Dave Zastudil averaged 42.9 yards on nine punts (with the Bills having only seven punt return yards).
In a 13-6 Browns victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 10, 2009, Pontbriand’s play helped Phil Dawson kick one extra point and two field goals and Cleveland punter Reggie Hodges limit the Steelers to six punt return yards on eight punts.
The following game, on December 20, 2009, in a 41-34 Cleveland win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Pontbriand contributed to Dawson kicking five extra points and two field goals and the Chiefs not having any punt return yards on two punts by Hodges.
In the next game, on December 27, 2009, as the Browns defeated the Oakland Raiders 23-9, Pontbriand helped Dawson kick two extra points and three field goals and Hodges limit the Raiders to two punt return yards on six punts.
The following week, in a 23-17 Browns defeat of the Jacksonville Jaguars on January 3, 2010, with Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson kicked two extra points and three field goals and Hodges limited the Jaguars to seven punt return yards on three punts.
Pontbriand had one assisted tackle in the 2009 regular season.
Cleveland (winning its last four games) had a 5-11 record in 2009.
The Browns ranked fourth in made field goal percentage (92.0%) and fifth in lowest average yards per punt return allowed (6.6) in the 2009 regular season.
For the fifth consecutive year, Pontbriand, as long snapper, played in all 16 regular-season games in 2010.
In a 23-20 Cleveland win over the Cincinnati Bengals on October 3, 2010, Pontbriand’s play helped Phil Dawson kick two extra points and three field goals and Reggie Hodges average 46.8 yards on four punts (with the Bengals having only two return yards).
On October 24, 2010, as the Browns defeated the New Orleans Saints 30-17, Pontbriand contributed to Dawson making three extra points and three field goals and Hodges averaging 42 yards on four punts (with the Saints losing one yard on their punt returns).
In the next game, a 34-14 Cleveland victory over the New England Patriots on November 7, 2010, Pontbriand’s play helped Dawson kick four extra points and two field goals.
The Patriots did not have any punt return yards on three punts by Hodges.
With Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson kicked three extra points and the winning 41-yard field goal, as Cleveland defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-23 on November 28, 2010.
The following week, on December 5, 2010, Pontbriand’s play helped Dawson again kick the winning field goal (this time from 23 yards), in a 13-10 Browns win over the Miami Dolphins.
Dawson kicked one extra point and two field goals and Hodges averaged 48.7 yards on nine punts.
The Browns again had a 5-11 record in 2010.
Cleveland ranked fifth in lowest average yards per punt return allowed (7.1) in the 2010 regular season.
2011 was Pontbriand’s ninth year with the Browns, and it began as another solid year for the long snapper.
On September 18, 2011, in a 27-19 Cleveland win over the Indianapolis Colts, Pontbriand contributed to Phil Dawson kicking three extra points and two field goals and Cleveland punter Brad Maynard averaging 40.2 yards on five punts (with the Colts not having any punt return yards).
The following week, on September 25, 2011, Pontbriand helped Dawson kick the winning extra point, as the Browns defeated the Miami Dolphins 17-16.
Dawson kicked two extra points and one field goal and Maynard averaged 42.2 yards on five punts.
With Pontbriand as long snapper, Dawson kicked the winning 53-yard field goal (one of his two field goals), in a 6-3 Cleveland victory over the Seattle Seahawks on October 23, 2011.
However, Pontbriand had poor snaps on field goal attempts in two games, which were key factors in the Browns losing both games (a 13-12 loss to the St. Louis Rams on November 13, 2011 and a 23-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on November 27, 2011).
Based on his poor snaps and Pontbriand having a back injury, the Browns waived Pontbriand on November 29, 2011.
Phil Dawson, who had partnered with Pontbriand on so many successful kicks for Cleveland, said the following about Pontbriand after his waiver:
“It’s tough. No one has contributed on the field more in my career than him so it was a little strange today to be out there without him but that’s how this business goes. He was a great player for a long time and will continue to be. . . . I witnessed pretty much perfection for eight and a half years and that’s quite an accomplishment. I went eight years without ever seeing the laces and that’s pretty amazing. I’m not just talking about games. I’m also talking about in practice, offseason mini-camps, OTA’s, training camp. Every snap was perfect.”
Christian Yount, who replaced Pontbriand as long snapper for Cleveland, said about Pontbriand:
“He was great. I remember growing up in high school and college and watching him snap. He was a great snapper and I really look up to him. It’s great to be able to come in and follow someone like that who was such a great snapper.”
In Pontbriand’s final season with the Browns in 2011, he played in 11 regular-season games.
Pontbriand had one solo tackle in the 2011 regular season.
Cleveland posted a 4-12 record in 2011.
The Browns ranked tied for first in made field goal percentage (93.5%) in the 2011 regular season.
Cleveland also did not miss an extra point in the 2011 regular season.
On February 21, 2012, Pontbriand signed with the San Francisco 49ers.
However, the 49ers released Pontbriand on June 15, 2012.
At the age of 32, Pontbriand’s NFL playing career was over.
The Years After the NFL
Pontbriand is married to Nicole.
He has three children.
He is in the real estate business.
Pontbriand earned his real estate license and built a real estate investment portfolio.
He also builds custom homes.
In addition, he is the owner of Empower Fitness Lab in Houston.
The goal of any long snapper is to make those around him perform better.
He helps the kicker make extra points and field goals.
He helps the punter punt the ball and the punt coverage team reduce punt return yards.
By this standard, Pontbriand had a successful NFL career.
Always great to have my friend and former long snapper Ryan Pontbriand in town to visit #Browns pic.twitter.com/oORaBiuoNl
— Dave Zastudil (@zasty9) July 16, 2020
Most notably, Pontbriand was the long snapper for Phil Dawson for the majority of Dawson’s years with Cleveland.
Pontbriand helped Dawson rank first in Browns career regular-season made field goals, first in Browns career regular-season made field goal percentage (among kickers with at least 50 field goal attempts), third in Browns career regular-season made extra points, and fourth in Browns career regular-season made extra point percentage (among kickers with at least 50 extra-point attempts).
Pontbriand also was the long snapper for Dave Zastudil (for his four years with Cleveland) and Chris Gardocki (for his final year with Cleveland).
Pontbriand helped Zastudil rank fifth, and Gardocki rank sixth, in Browns career regular-season average yards per punt (among punters with at least 50 punts).
In addition, based on the specific games described above, Billy Cundiff, Derrick Frost, Kyle Richardson, Reggie Hodges, and Brad Maynard, and Cleveland’s punt return coverage teams, all benefited from the long snapping ability of Pontbriand.
Pontbriand’s skill as a long snapper is evidenced by his two Pro Bowl invitations.
Another important point concerning Pontbriand was his durability.
From his rookie season until when he was waived by Cleveland in 2011, Pontbriand played in 134 out of a possible 139 regular-season games (only missing five games in 2005).
Pontbriand was a dependable player for the Browns.
Unfortunately, long snappers generally are only noticed when they make a mistake with a bad snap.
Browns fans should recognize the play of Ryan Pontbriand as long snapper for helping the Browns kick better, punt better, and win games.
NEXT: The Life And Career Of Eddie Johnson (Complete Story)
In addition to his innate ability to snap, Ryan was a pleasure to work with and a high caliber individual. I was very proud of his accomplishments and was honored to represent him.
Leonard Roth
He’s my uncle