EAGAN, Minn. — Andrew DePaola, the history and bagel-making long snapper, is returning to the Vikings. DePaola and the team agreed to terms, announced Tuesday.

This will continue a six-year run with Minnesota highlighted by four straight seasons ending with a First-Team (2022 and 2024) or Second-Team (2023 and 2025) All-Pro selection by The Associated Press. He is the only long snapper in NFL history to garner three consecutive Pro Bowl selections (2022-24).

DePaola anchored a Vikings specialist group that was outstandingly consistent throughout the 2025 season. He helped First-Team All-Pro kicker Will Reichard make 33 of 35 field goals (94.3%), including 11 from 50-plus yards. Reichard was perfect on 31 extra points, and during Minnesota's Week 3 win over Cincinnati, he set a new franchise record when he made a 62-yard field goal.

The Vikings kicker was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December/January after he was a perfect 9-for-9 on field goals and 11-for-11 on PATs from Weeks 14-18.

Pending free agent punter Ryan Wright set career-high averages in gross punting (49.0) and net punting (44.5) in 2025.

DePaola, who will turn 39 in July, is deeply respected in the Vikings locker room. Nicknamed "Sir Po" by Vikings Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels, DePaola was voted a season-long team captain for 2025, his second season in a row receiving the honor.

The incredible storyline for DePaola, who has founded DePaola's Bagel & Brunch in his native Maryland since joining the Vikings, includes working shifts at a Maryland pub owned by his father and in loss prevention at a New Jersey Best Buy. Those roles occurred between college at Rutgers and his NFL debut with Tampa Bay in 2014. DePaola attended Rutgers as a quarterback and switched to receiver before filling in at long snapper as an injury replacement.

After first being invited to snap at 2012 Buccaneers Training Camp, DePaola suited up for the 2014 season opener. He played 48 games for the Bucs before joining the Bears for another 16 games in 2017. The following season, he joined the Raiders, but his Silver & Black tenure was shortened to one game because of an injury in the 2018 opener.

DePaola didn't snap in a regular-season game again until Nov. 22, 2020. He has played in 88 games for Minnesota (after not playing in 2019), bringing his regular-season total to 153.

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