Chris Stoll Bio
Christopher Michael Stoll, known professionally as Chris Stoll, is an American professional football long snapper for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). Born on August 3, 1998, he played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions before signing with Seattle as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL draft. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and listed at 248 pounds, Stoll earned national recognition as one of the top long snappers in college football before transitioning to the professional ranks.
After earning the prestigious Patrick Mannelly Award in 2023 as the nation’s best long snapper, Stoll quickly secured a roster spot with the Seahawks. He has built his reputation on consistency, accuracy, and reliability in one of football’s most specialized roles.
Early Life and Background
Christopher Michael Stoll was born on August 3, 1998, in Westerville, Ohio. He grew up in the Columbus metropolitan area and attended St. Francis DeSales High School, where he developed his football skills as a long snapper. During his junior and senior years at DeSales, he earned two-time Prokicker.com All-American long snapper honors, signaling early promise in the position.
Beyond football, Stoll was a multi-sport athlete who also competed in lacrosse, hockey, and basketball, building the overall athleticism that would later support his specialized role. After high school, he chose to join Penn State as a preferred walk-on, taking the unconventional route of earning a roster spot through performance rather than a scholarship offer.
Path to American Football
Stoll’s journey to the NFL began at St. Francis DeSales High School, where his snapping consistency caught the attention of national specialists. His two-time Prokicker.com All-American selection marked him as one of the top high school long snappers in the country and helped him earn a preferred walk-on opportunity at Penn State.
At Penn State, Stoll spent his first two seasons redshirting and serving as a backup before working his way into the rotation. His trajectory from preferred walk-on to scholarship player and eventually team captain reflected steady development and consistent performance in one of college football’s most pressure-filled special teams roles.
Chris Stoll Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Stoll arrived at Penn State in 2018 and spent his first year redshirting while learning the program’s snapping techniques and snapping mechanics. In 2019, he appeared in 13 games and recorded three tackles, establishing himself as a reliable special teams contributor for the Nittany Lions.
His early production showed the program he could handle Big Ten competition, and his role grew as he gained experience within the kicking game.
Penn State Breakthrough (2020–2022)
Before the 2020 season, Stoll was awarded a scholarship by the Nittany Lions, validating his development since arriving as a walk-on. He played in nine games during the 2020 season and continued building trust with the team’s punters, placekickers, and coverage units.
During the 2021 season, Stoll played in all 13 games and was nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy, an award given to the nation’s top player who began his career as a walk-on. The following year, in 2022, he was named to the Patrick Mannelly Award watchlist and selected as a team captain, playing all 13 games while continuing his consistent snapping performance.
At the end of the 2022 season, Stoll received the Patrick Mannelly Award, recognizing him as the best long snapper in college football. He also accepted an invitation to play in the Hula Bowl, one of the premier college all-star games. Across his six-year college career, he appeared in well over 50 games for the Nittany Lions.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2023–Present)
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL draft, Christopher Michael Stoll signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. On August 29, 2023, the Seahawks announced that he had made the initial 53-man roster, securing his place on the team’s Week 1 roster.
Since then, Stoll has continued to handle long-snapping duties for Seattle, providing consistency on field goals, extra points, and punts. His transition from Big Ten special teams ace to NFL specialist has been steady, and he has remained a fixture in the Seahawks’ special teams plans through his first professional seasons.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a long snapper, Stoll’s value is built on accuracy, repeatability, and the ability to deliver the ball on a consistent trajectory regardless of weather or field conditions. His background as a multi-sport high school athlete gave him strong overall body control and hand-eye coordination, while his six years of college work at Penn State refined his snapping technique and field awareness.
Notable Events and Milestones
Stoll’s signature college moment came in 2022 when he was named the Patrick Mannelly Award winner, joining the top tier of recent long snappers honored by the award’s committee. His professional milestone arrived on August 29, 2023, when the Seahawks confirmed he had made the initial 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent.
Chris Stoll Career Wins
Christopher Michael Stoll’s primary accolades center on his reputation as a top-tier long snapper. His headline college achievement is the 2023 Patrick Mannelly Award, given to the nation’s best long snapper, along with his Burlsworth Trophy nomination in 2021 as the top walk-on in college football.
Penn State Highlights
Across his six years at Penn State, Stoll appeared in 48 career games, with his production peaking in 2019, 2021, and 2022 when he played all 13 games each season. His 2022 campaign included team captain honors and a place on the Patrick Mannelly Award watchlist before winning the award outright.
Stoll accepted an invite to the Hula Bowl at the end of his college career, capping his development from preferred walk-on to nationally decorated specialist.
Other Wins & Performances
In high school at St. Francis DeSales, Stoll was named a two-time Prokicker.com All-American long snapper in his junior and senior seasons, an early indicator of the career that would follow at Penn State and in the NFL.
Chris Stoll Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Christopher Michael Stoll grew up in Westerville, Ohio, where his athletic versatility was shaped by participation in football, lacrosse, hockey, and basketball at St. Francis DeSales High School.
Personal Life
Stoll focuses much of his public profile on his professional football career with the Seattle Seahawks. He maintains an active presence on Instagram under the handle @chrisstoll_lite.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Christopher Michael Stoll is expected to continue handling long-snapping duties for the Seattle Seahawks after making the initial 53-man roster in 2023. His continued presence on the roster reflects confidence in his snapping accuracy and his special teams value.
Stoll’s role remains centered on consistency in the kicking game, delivering accurate snaps on field goals, extra points, and punts while working alongside Seattle’s punters, placekickers, and coverage units. As an undrafted free agent who has held his roster spot, his 2025 outlook is built on maintaining the dependable performance that has defined his path from Penn State walk-on to NFL specialist.