Will Shipley
In short
Will Shipley is a professional American football player who plays as a long snapper in the National Football League. He is currently a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
In plain words
In American football, a long snapper is a specialist whose only job is to snap the ball between their legs very quickly and accurately. This is usually done to start a play during a punt, a field goal attempt, or an extra point. Because the snap must be perfect for the kicker or punter to do their job, the long snapper must be extremely precise and reliable.
A simple example
Imagine a football team is about to try a field goal to win the game. Will Shipley must grab the ball and fling it backwards with great speed so that it lands perfectly in the hands of the holder, allowing the kicker to strike it without any mistakes.
Why it matters
Even though long snappers do not score many points, they are vital to a team's success. If a snap is too high, too low, or off to the side, the team could lose possession of the ball or miss a chance to score, which can change the entire outcome of a match.
Easy to mix up
People often confuse a long snapper with a centre. While a centre also snaps the ball, they do so to start a regular play from a standing position. A long snapper performs a much longer, more specialised snap specifically for kicking situations.