Thomas Gafford
Encyclopedia
Thomas Edward Gafford is an American football
long snapper
for the Kansas City Chiefs
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers
as a street free agent in 2006. He played college football
at Houston
.
Gafford has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks
and Chicago Bears
.
and was president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
, and a letterman in football. As a senior, he was named both Most Valuable Player and Receiver of the Year for the Clear Brook High School football team.
and played in 47 games for the Cougars football team
.
and remained unsigned until joining the Green Bay Packers
on January 5, 2006. He was waived by the team on August 29.
on January 17, 2007, but was waived on June 20.
on March 5, 2008, only to be released by the team yet again on August 4.
, joining the team on August 19, 2008. He was waived during final cuts on August 31.
on October 29, 2008 after long snapper
J. P. Darche was placed on injured reserve
. He made his professional debut on November 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and went on to serve as long snapper during the team's final nine games.
Gafford was waived by the Chiefs on June 19, 2009. The team re-signed him on August 13 after waiving long snapper Tanner Purdum
.
American football
American 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...
long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
as a street free agent in 2006. He played college football
College football
College 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 Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
.
Gafford has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Gafford attended Clear Brook High SchoolClear Brook High School
Clear Brook High School is a secondary school located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States, adjacent to the city of Friendswood....
and was president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
, and a letterman in football. As a senior, he was named both Most Valuable Player and Receiver of the Year for the Clear Brook High School football team.
College career
Gafford was a four-year letterman at the University of HoustonUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and played in 47 games for the Cougars football team
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
.
First stint with Packers
Gafford went undrafted in the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
and remained unsigned until joining the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
on January 5, 2006. He was waived by the team on August 29.
Seattle Seahawks
Gafford was signed by the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
on January 17, 2007, but was waived on June 20.
Second stint with Packers
Gafford was re-signed by the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
on March 5, 2008, only to be released by the team yet again on August 4.
Chicago Bears
Gafford was briefly a member of the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, joining the team on August 19, 2008. He was waived during final cuts on August 31.
Kansas City Chiefs
Gafford was signed by the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on October 29, 2008 after long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
J. P. Darche was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. He made his professional debut on November 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The 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...
and went on to serve as long snapper during the team's final nine games.
Gafford was waived by the Chiefs on June 19, 2009. The team re-signed him on August 13 after waiving long snapper Tanner Purdum
Tanner Purdum
Tanner Gregory Purdum is an American football long snapper for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as a street free agent in 2009...
.