This Dallas Cowboys veteran is about to set an NFL record

The Dallas Cowboys’ long snapper is about to set a big record

When Dallas Cowboys‘ long snapper L.P. Ladouceur steps out onto the field later today against the San Francisco 49ers, he’s going to set a new NFL record. Ladouceur is going to be playing in his 251st career game, the most ever by a Canadian-born player in league history.

All 251 of Ladouceur’s games have come as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. He signed with the team before their week four matchup with the Oakland Raiders in 2005 and hasn’t missed a game since. As the longest-tenured player on the roster, LaDouceur remains the only active member of the team to have played a game at Texas Stadium and his time in Dallas dates back to the Bill Parcells era.

The player who L.P. is passing, Eddie Murray, had held the record for 20 years. If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s likely because from 1980-2000 Murray kicked in 250 games with seven different franchises, including two separate stints in Dallas.

The first was in 1993 when he was the kicker for the Cowboys team that won Super Bowl XXVIII and was a perfect six for six on kicks in the playoffs. The second was in 1999 when he replaced kicker Richie Cunningham who was cut after going a dreadful 12-22 through 12 games.

L.P.’s role with the Cowboys has always been underappreciated. Throughout his tenure, he’s been a rock-solid member of the special team’s unit. Even when the rest of the special teams weren’t particularly good, Ladouceur has been consistent in leading them upfront.

When a long snapper is playing well, you will almost never hear their name. It’s one of the phases of the game that while crucial, is often an afterthought for most fans watching at home. Ladouceur rarely makes mistakes and his snaps are almost always clean. If you are a long snapper, that’s just about some of the highest praise you can possibly get.

Ladouceur, 39, is currently playing on a one-year deal that he signed over the offseason. If he decides to play again next season and re-signs with Dallas, he will surpass future hall of fame tight end Jason Witten to become the longest-tenured Dallas Cowboy in franchise history.

It’s nice to see that L.P. Ladouceur is finally getting some appreciation. Earlier this week the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, even released a statement congratulating L.P. This is a big record for one of the most unheralded, but reliable players in Dallas Cowboys history.