Rick Lovato moments after winning Super Bowl LII
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – In less than three years, Rick Lovato has gone from sub shop to a Super Bowl to signing a contract extension.
Tuesday, the Philadelphia Eagles announced their long snapper, an Old Dominion University product, has signed a four-year contract extension. The deal keeps him with the Super Bowl LII champions through 2024.
Lovato has played in every game for the Eagles since week 15 of the 2016 season. He was the long snapper on Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LII title team – becoming the first ODU product to ever play in a Super Bowl.
“To know that I’m going to be here for the next four years is incredible,” Lovato told PhiladelphiaEagles.com. “It’s what I’ve been looking forward to since the day I first got here and that’s being with this team for the rest of my career. I’m a Jersey guy who grew up right down the road. This is just a dream come true for me.”
Long snapper Rick Lovato #45 of the Philadelphia Eagles. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Lovato played for ODU from 2011 to 2014. In 2015, with the Green Bay Packers, Lovato became the first ODU player to play in an NFL regular season and playoff game. He was voted an FCS All-American in 2012 and earned Conference USA Honorable Mention honors in 2014.
“It’s tough to find that first job in the NFL,” Lovato told the team site. “It took me a few teams to really find my home. But once I found my home, I wanted to make it permanent, proving that I belonged in this league for a very long time. The day has finally come where I can tell everyone that this is my opportunity to go show Philadelphia who I am for the next four years, but hopefully the next 10 years of my career, at least.”
In 2016, News 3 first spotlighted the story of Lovato – signed “off the street” to snap for the Washington Redskins. However, he was not hired off the street – he was actually signed out of his parents’ deli. Lovato was working at Joyce’s Subs and Pizza in Lincroft, New Jersey.
