Patrick Scales Bio
Patrick Scales (born February 11, 1988) is an American professional football long snapper. He played college football for the Utah State Aggies and has spent the bulk of his National Football League career with the Chicago Bears, where he became the longest tenured player on the roster. Across more than a decade in the league, Scales also spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Early Life and Background
Patrick Scales was born on February 11, 1988, in Louisville, Kentucky, and grew up in the Beehive State. He attended Weber High School in Pleasant View, Utah, where he played football for the Warriors and earned second-team all-region recognition. In addition to football, Scales competed in basketball and baseball, giving him an athletic foundation that would later shape his approach to a specialized football role.
At Weber, Scales lined up at tight end and defensive end, but he also began developing the long-snapping skills that would define his professional path. He earned academic all-state and all-region honors, a sign of the classroom discipline that complemented his on-field production. That combination of versatility and consistency drew attention from college programs looking for a multi-tool player.
Path to Professional Football
Scales joined the Utah State Aggies football program and was redshirted in 2006 before appearing for the team from 2007 to 2010. His development with the Aggies helped him transition from a multi-position high school athlete into a focused specialist. He entered the 2011 NFL Draft process rated as the 11th best long snapper in his class by NFLDraftScout.com, underscoring the niche expertise he had built during his college years.
Going undrafted did not end his professional prospects. Scales signed his first NFL contract with the Baltimore Ravens in July 2011, beginning a journeyman stretch that would take him through several organizations before he found a long-term home. Those early stops gave him a crash course in the league’s standards and prepared him for the role he would eventually grow into in Chicago.
Patrick Scales Career
Early Career (2011–2014)
Patrick Scales signed with the Baltimore Ravens on July 27, 2011, after going undrafted. He was released early in the 2011 season but returned to the Ravens on May 1, 2012, only to be let go again in late August. The cycle of short stints continued in 2013, when he signed with the Miami Dolphins in April, was released in May, and joined the New York Jets in late July before being released before the regular season.
Scales’ longest stop during this period came in 2014, when he signed a futures contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January. He was released in April of that year, and later returned to Baltimore on December 18, 2014, making his NFL debut on December 21, 2014, against the Houston Texans. That debut marked the arrival of a player who had patiently navigated the margins of NFL rosters.
Baltimore Ravens (Second Stint) (2014–2015)
Back with the Ravens in December 2014, Scales earned his first regular-season action against Houston. The experience provided a foothold, although his tenure in Baltimore was brief. He was released by the Ravens on August 31, 2015, opening the door for the move that would define his career.
Chicago Bears Era (2015–2024)
Scales signed with the Chicago Bears on November 28, 2015, beginning what would become a nearly decade-long run in Chicago. He signed a one-year extension on March 4, 2017, but suffered a torn ACL in the Bears’ third preseason game that August and was placed on injured reserve. The injury did not derail his role with the team, and he returned to re-sign on March 27, 2018.
Scales continued to extend his stay with the Bears, agreeing to one-year deals in April 2019 and again in March 2020. He signed another one-year contract on April 7, 2021, and on March 15, 2022, he inked a one-year, $1.27 million extension with Chicago. On March 10, 2023, he signed another contract extension that made him the longest tenured Bears player, a reflection of his reliability and his quiet leadership in the locker room.
The 2024 season brought another setback, as Scales was placed on injured reserve with a back injury on August 29, 2024. The Bears signed Scott Daly to take over the snapping duties for the year, and the team ultimately opted to keep Daly in 2025, which made Scales a free agent after ten seasons in Chicago. Scales thanked the organization in a public statement, calling his time with the Bears a “dream come true” and writing that his children “know no life without you, Chicago Bears.”
Notable Events and Milestones
Scales’ most significant milestone came on March 10, 2023, when his contract extension made him the longest tenured player on the Bears roster. He also navigated two major injuries in Chicago, a torn ACL in 2017 and a back injury in 2024, returning from each setback to reclaim his role with the team.
Patrick Scales Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Patrick Scales’ family background is limited, and he has not publicized details about his parents or extended relatives in available sources. His athletic profile reflects the influence of his high school and college coaches, who helped him transition from a multi-position player into a long-snapping specialist.
Personal Life
Patrick Scales is married and is a father, based on his 2025 statement about his children when he parted ways with the Bears. He has kept most other personal details private, with limited public information available about his spouse or family life beyond his references to his kids and the city of Chicago as a family home.
2025 Season Outlook
Patrick Scales entered 2025 as a free agent after the Chicago Bears chose to keep Scott Daly as their long snapper. The decision ended a ten-year run in Chicago and put Scales in position to pursue a new NFL opportunity, with the next league year underway. His mix of experience, durability, and familiarity with the Bears’ kicking operation made him a candidate to draw interest from teams in need of specialist help.
After more than a decade in the league, Scales continued to handle his free agency with the same professionalism that defined his time in Chicago, thanking the Bears organization and its fans for what he described as the defining chapter of his career. Whether 2025 brings a return to a roster or a transition into a coaching or training role, his NFL resume stands as a model of persistence for late-blooming specialists.