Luke Rhodes Bio
Luke Rhodes (born December 2, 1992) is an American professional football long snapper and linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). A reliable specialist and special teams contributor, he has built his career on consistency in one of football’s most demanding niche roles. After going undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining the Colts, where he transitioned into a full-time long snapper and earned league-wide recognition.
Rhodes is widely regarded as one of the top long snappers of his era, having been named to multiple All-Pro teams and earning a Pro Bowl invitation. His steady presence on field goal, punt, and kickoff units has helped anchor Indianapolis’s special teams units for several consecutive seasons.
Early Life and Background
Luke Rhodes was born on December 2, 1992, in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, USA. He grew up in the same central Pennsylvania community and attended Hollidaysburg High School, where he developed the athletic foundation that would later carry him to the college ranks. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and competing at roughly 240 pounds during his professional career, Rhodes possessed the physical profile suited for a linebacker role at the next level.
Coming out of Hollidaysburg, Rhodes drew attention from several college programs as a hard-working, physical defender. His combination of size, effort, and football instincts led him to the College of William & Mary, located in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he would spend the next several years refining his game at the Football Championship Subdivision level.
Path to American Football
Rhodes enrolled at the College of William & Mary and was officially redshirted for the 2011 season, preserving a year of eligibility while he adjusted to the college game. As a redshirt freshman in 2012, he cracked the starting lineup and started nine games for the William & Mary Tribe, signaling an early role in the team’s defensive plans.
Over the remainder of his collegiate career, Rhodes became a mainstay in the William & Mary defense. He ultimately started in 45 of 47 games for the Tribe and finished his college tenure with 341 total tackles (172 solo), five sacks, one interception, six forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. His production earned him three selections to the All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team, and he was notably the only Division I-AA player named to the watch list for the 2015 Butkus Award, the honor given to the nation’s top linebacker.
Luke Rhodes Career
Early Career (2016)
After his decorated William & Mary career, Luke Rhodes entered the 2016 NFL Draft but went undrafted. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2016, beginning his professional journey. His time in Tampa Bay was brief, however, as he was released on September 3, 2016, as part of the team’s final roster cuts.
Just over a month later, on October 5, 2016, Rhodes was signed to the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts. He was promoted to the active roster on December 7, 2016, where he was listed as a linebacker and contributed mainly on special teams. That opening in Indianapolis set the stage for the most significant positional change of his career.
Indianapolis Colts Breakthrough (2017-2019)
During the 2017 offseason, the Colts converted Rhodes from linebacker to long snapper, a transition that required him to master the precision snapping duties for punts and kickoffs. He adapted quickly, and on August 28, 2017, was named the Colts’ full-time long snapper after winning a training camp competition against rookie Thomas Hennessy. That marked his official arrival as a specialist.
On April 2, 2018, Rhodes signed an exclusive rights tender with the Colts through the 2018 season, securing his place on the roster. His standing grew further on June 11, 2019, when he signed a four-year, $4.85 million contract extension with $1.25 million guaranteed, a deal that made him the highest-paid long snapper in the league at that time.
Indianapolis Colts Era (2020-Present)
Rhodes continued to perform at an elite level in Indianapolis throughout the early 2020s. In 2020, he was named an Associated Press Second-team All-Pro, establishing himself among the league’s best at his position. The following year, in 2021, he handled long snapping duties in 16 games for the fifth consecutive season, was elevated to AP First-team All-Pro, and became the first Indianapolis long snapper named to the Pro Bowl since Matt Overton in 2013.
His sustained excellence was rewarded again on September 8, 2023, when Rhodes signed a four-year, $6.465 million contract extension with the Colts, once more making him the highest-paid long snapper in the league. The deal runs through the 2027 season and underscores Indianapolis’s commitment to keeping its special teams cornerstone in place.
Driving Style and Strengths
While he is no longer a defensive player, Rhodes has brought a linebacker’s physicality, preparation, and competitive edge to the long snapper role. His background as a tackler informs his work on coverage units, where he is willing and able to engage in open-field tackles. Coaches have consistently praised his consistency snapping on punts, field goals, and PATs, as well as his leadership within the Colts’ special teams room.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Luke Rhodes’s career are his 2020 and 2021 All-Pro selections, his 2021 Pro Bowl nod, and his back-to-back contracts as the NFL’s highest-paid long snapper. Becoming the first Indianapolis long snapper to earn a Pro Bowl invitation in nearly a decade marked a particularly meaningful milestone for both player and franchise.
Luke Rhodes Career Wins
Luke Rhodes’s career highlights are largely measured in accolades and longevity rather than traditional win totals, reflecting the specialized nature of his position. He has earned Associated Press First-team All-Pro (2021) and Second-team All-Pro (2020) honors, a Pro Bowl selection in 2021, and two contracts that have made him the highest-paid long snapper in the league.
NFL Highlights
Rhodes has handled long snapping duties in 16 games for five consecutive seasons, including his 2021 Pro Bowl year, and has been a central figure in the Indianapolis Colts’ special teams units since 2017. His first major league recognition came in 2020 with a Second-team All-Pro nod, followed by First-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors the following season, marking the peak of his on-field recognition to date.
Other Wins and Performances
At the collegiate level, Rhodes was a three-time All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team selection and finished his William & Mary career with 341 tackles across 47 games. He was also the only Division I-AA player named to the 2015 Butkus Award watch list, an uncommon distinction for an FCS defender.
Luke Rhodes Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Luke Rhodes was raised in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, the community where he attended high school and developed his early athletic identity. Public details about his parents and broader family background are limited, and additional genealogical information has not been widely reported.
Personal Life
Rhodes has maintained a relatively private personal life throughout his NFL career. He is known to be active on social media, including his verified Instagram presence, where he shares glimpses of his professional and off-field life. Further details regarding a spouse, partner, or children have not been publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Luke Rhodes remains the Indianapolis Colts’ established long snapper, holding a four-year contract extension signed in September 2023. His presence continues to provide the Colts with continuity on field goal, punt, and kickoff units, and the franchise has shown no indication of moving away from the veteran specialist.
Rhodes’s 2025 outlook centers on continuing his streak of reliable snaps, contributing on coverage teams as a former linebacker, and maintaining the All-Pro form that defined his 2020 and 2021 seasons. With his contract running through 2027, his role within Indianapolis’s special teams structure is expected to remain stable.
For the Colts, the 2025 season presents an opportunity to build on a young core while leaning on proven veterans like Rhodes to steady the kicking game. His experience and track record make him a key voice in the special teams room, even as the roster around him evolves.