| Joe Shimko | |
| Current Team: | Free agent |
| Position: | Long snapper |
| Birth Date: | 30 September 2000 |
| Birth Place: | Belmar, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 0 |
| Weight Lb: | 230 |
| High School: | Wall (NJ) |
| College: | NC State (2019–2024) |
| Undraftedyear: | 2024 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Status: | Active |
| Highlights: |
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Joe Shimko (born September 30, 2000) is an American football long snapper who is currently a free agent. He played college football at NC State.
Shimko was born in Belmar, New Jersey.[1] He played baseball and ran track, but only began football prior to his sophomore year at Wall High School.[2] [3] Shimko sustained injuries playing running back and linebacker and questioned how long he would last playing the sport; his father then convinced him to try out long snapper, a position at which it is more common for players to have long careers.[2] He attended camps held by Chris Rubio but at an event in Las Vegas, was ranked only 80th out of 100 entrants for the Class of 2018.[2]
In the summer prior to his junior year, Shimko would long snap to his father 400 times each day (200 for each field goals and punts).[2] He quickly rose in Rubio's long snapping rankings and became the varsity starter that season at Wall.[2] As a senior, he posted 13 tackles, was named All-Division and played in the All-American Bowl.[4] [5] Ranked a five-star recruit, the seventh-best long snapper by Rubio's camp and the fifth-best by 247Sports, he committed to play college football for the NC State Wolfpack.[4] [6] [7]
Shimko became a starter at NC State as a true freshman in 2019, serving as the long snapper for all 108 of the team's kicks.[4] He then recorded 114 snaps in the 2020 season.[3] In 2021, Shimko was named a fourth-team All-American by Phil Steele.[8] The following year, he was a second-team All-American selection by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, given to the best long snapper nationally.[9] In 2023, he won the Patrick Mannelly Award; in his career, 61 games, he never made a bad snap.[10]
Shimko signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2024.[11] On August 20, 2024, Shimko was released by the Cardinals.[12]
Off the field, Shimko has been active in charitable organizations, having helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for different groups.[13] [14] [15]