Albert Joseph "A. J." Trapasso (born February 6, 1986 in
Pickerington, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 9,792 people, 3,468 households, and 2,687 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,317.4 people per square mile . There were 3,573 housing units at an average density of 480.7 per square mile...
) is an
American footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
punter who is currently a
free agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the
Tennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played
college footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at
Ohio StateThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
.
Trapasso has also been a member of the
New York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
,
Denver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Hartford Colonials.
College career
Trapasso played
college footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at
Ohio StateThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
. He was recruited from Pickerington High School after graduating in 2004. In 2006, Trapasso was awarded the
Mosi Tatupu AwardThe Mosi Tatupu Award was given annually to the College Football Special Teams Player of the Year by the Maui Quarterback Club and the Hula Bowl, from 1997 to 2006....
for best Special Teams Player in 2006. He finished his college career totaling 203 punt attempt for 8,317 yards in 51 games, 27 kickoffs with 10 touchbacks.
First stint with Titans
After going undrafted in the
2009 NFL DraftThe 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, Trapasso was signed by the
Tennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
as an undrafted free agent on April 30.
In his first professional appearance during the
Hall of Fame GameThe Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
on August 9, 2009, Trapasso ran a fake punt 40 yards for a
touchdownA touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
against the
Buffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Later in the same game, he purposely ran backwards into the endzone, resulting in a safety, but running the clock out to end the game.
On August 21, 2009, during the third quarter of a preseason game with the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium (the first Cowboys game in the new facility), Trapasso punted a ball that struck the bottom portion of the high definition "jumbotron" television. (He had also struck the jumbotron multiple times during pregame warmups). Officials ruled a replay of the down, but Trapasso's punt created an issue of first impression with future kicks and whether raising the television would be cost prohibitive.
Trapasso was waived by the Titans during final cuts on September 4.
New York Jets
Trapasso was claimed off waivers by the
New York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 6, 2009, replacing
Reggie HodgesReginald Aaron "Reggie" Hodges is an American football punter for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
as the only punter on the roster. However, the team waived Trapasso just one day later and signed punter
Steve WeatherfordSteven "Steve" Thomas Weatherford is an American football punter for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Trapasso was signed to the practice squad of the
Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
on September 10, 2009. He was released on September 14.
Second stint with Titans
Trapasso was re-signed to the
Tennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
' practice squad on September 23, 2009 after Titans punter
Craig HentrichCraig Hentrich is a former American football punter. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.Hentrich has also played for the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans....
suffered a calf injury. He was released on November 4.
Denver Broncos
Trapasso signed a future contract with the
Denver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on January 5, 2010. On June 15, 2010 Trapasso was cut by the Broncos.
External links