Taybor Pepper Bio
Taybor Pepper (born May 28, 1994) is an American professional football long snapper who has spent his entire NFL career in one of the most specialized roles on a football roster. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing around 245 pounds, he has built a reputation for reliability in a position that demands near-perfect accuracy on every snap. After going undrafted out of Michigan State University, Pepper carved out a steady professional path across multiple franchises before settling in the Bay Area. He is currently listed as a long snapper for the San Francisco 49ers and has become a recognizable presence at the position.
Early Life and Background
Taybor Pepper was born on May 28, 1994, in Urbana, Illinois, and grew up in the surrounding area with family ties to the Midwest. He attended Saline High School in nearby Saline, Michigan, where he first developed the long-snapping skills that would eventually define his football career. During his high school years, Pepper focused on the precise mechanics required for snapping, working to build the kind of consistency that college recruiters look for in a specialist.
Coming out of Saline, Pepper drew attention from several college programs and ultimately committed to Michigan State University, where the Spartans had a tradition of producing dependable specialists. His upbringing in the Midwest and his early dedication to a single specialized craft set the foundation for the professional career that followed. The combination of size, technique, and repetition-focused work ethic helped him stand out as a high school prospect at a position that does not always receive mainstream attention.
Path to American Football
Pepper enrolled at Michigan State University in 2012 and immediately earned the starting long snapper role for the Spartans. He held that position for all four of his college seasons, a remarkable run of stability for a player at any specialist position. By the time his college career ended in 2016, Pepper had appeared in a total of 54 games for Michigan State, gaining significant experience in Big Ten competition and postseason play.
In 2015, longtime college football analyst Phil Steele recognized Pepper’s consistency by naming him to the preseason second-team All-America list, an honor that confirmed his status as one of the top long snappers in the country. His four years of starting experience gave him a level of game-day exposure that few snappers entering the NFL ever accumulate. By the end of his senior season, Pepper had logged thousands of practice and game snaps, preparing him for the next step despite not being selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Taybor Pepper Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
After going undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft, Taybor Pepper waited through the 2016 season without signing with a team, continuing to train and refine his snapping technique. On January 27, 2017, he signed a reserve/futures contract with the Green Bay Packers, getting his first opportunity inside an NFL organization. That initial stint in Green Bay gave him a foothold in the league, although it did not immediately lead to a roster spot.
His early NFL journey continued with a brief stop in Baltimore. On August 28, 2017, Pepper signed with the Baltimore Ravens, but he was waived just four days later as the team trimmed toward its regular-season roster. Later that same year, on September 25, 2017, he re-signed with the Green Bay Packers to replace injured long snapper Brett Goode, giving him another chance to contribute. His 2017 season ended on November 3 when he was placed on injured reserve after suffering a broken foot during practice, an early setback that tested his resilience.
New York Giants and Miami Dolphins (2019–2020)
On January 2, 2019, Pepper signed a reserve/future contract with the New York Giants, looking to compete for a long snapper role going into the next season. He spent the offseason with the organization before being waived on August 31, 2019, as teams finalized their rosters. That release pushed him back into the free-agent market, where he quickly found another opportunity.
On September 2, 2019, Pepper signed with the Miami Dolphins, where he had a chance to take over snapping duties for the regular season. He worked with the Dolphins through the 2019 campaign but was waived on April 26, 2020, as the team made changes during the early stages of the 2020 offseason. Despite the short tenure in Miami, the experience added another franchise to his professional résumé.
San Francisco 49ers Era (2020–Present)
On September 30, 2020, Pepper signed with the San Francisco 49ers, a move that finally gave him a longer-term home in the league. That December, he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on December 28 before being activated on February 2, 2021, navigating the unique challenges of the 2020 season. Just two days after his activation, on February 4, 2021, Pepper signed a two-year contract extension with the 49ers, signaling that the team viewed him as a long-term answer at the position.
His standing in San Francisco continued to grow. On February 25, 2023, Pepper signed a three-year contract extension with the 49ers, further cementing his role within the organization. However, on March 13, 2025, Pepper was released by the 49ers after the team signed veteran long snapper Jon Weeks, ending his multi-year run as the primary snapper in San Francisco.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Taybor Pepper’s career came on February 4, 2021, when he signed his first multi-year contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers after returning from the reserve/COVID-19 list. He followed that with another three-year extension in February 2023, a clear sign of the trust the organization placed in his snapping accuracy. His release in March 2025 marked the end of a five-season stretch as the 49ers’ long snapper.
Taybor Pepper Career Highlights
Across his professional career, Taybor Pepper has appeared with the Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers. He is widely regarded for his consistency, durability through demanding special teams duties, and ability to step into new organizations on short notice. His longest and most stable run came in San Francisco, where he served as the primary long snapper from 2020 through early 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his primary NFL stops, Pepper has been recognized for his college excellence, including his 2015 preseason second-team All-America selection by Phil Steele during his time at Michigan State. His 54 career games at Michigan State remain a benchmark for durability at the long snapper position, and he has continued that reliability at the professional level whenever given the opportunity.
Taybor Pepper Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Taybor Pepper grew up in Urbana, Illinois, before moving to Saline, Michigan, where he attended Saline High School and developed his long-snapping foundation. He went on to attend Michigan State University, where he spent four seasons as the starting long snapper for the Spartans. His path from a Midwestern upbringing to the NFL reflects a steady, family-supported journey built around hard work at a specialized craft.
Personal Life
Taybor Pepper is known on social media by the handle @tayborsnapping, a nod to the position that has shaped his entire football career. He has used his platform to share insight into the long-snapping profession and life as an NFL specialist.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NFL offseason brought a significant change for Taybor Pepper, as he was released by the San Francisco 49ers on March 13, 2025, after the team signed veteran long snapper Jon Weeks. That decision ended his run as the 49ers’ primary snapper that began back in 2020. With his release, Pepper entered free agency looking for a new opportunity to continue his NFL career.
Heading into the 2025 regular season, Pepper remained an experienced long snapper with more than half a decade of NFL games on his résumé and four full college seasons behind him. His previous contract with the 49ers had been set to run through the 2026 season, meaning the early termination created an unexpected opening in his career arc. Should he sign with a new team in 2025, he would offer an experienced specialist option with familiarity in both regular and postseason game settings.