PHILADELPHIA — Cal Adomitis was at his parents’ house in Pittsburgh when he got a call from his agent. The award-winning but unemployed long-snapper had workouts scheduled with two NFL teams in the next 48 hours. But those plans were canceled in an instant.
They need you in Philly. When can you get there?
“I can pack up my bags right now,” Adomitis said. “I’ll be there in five hours.”
That’s how quickly life can change as a free-agent specialist in the NFL. One minute, you have flights booked from Pittsburgh to Nashville to Phoenix. The next minute, you’re in your car, driving down the Pennsylvania turnpike to sign with the reigning Super Bowl champions.
“It was a whirlwind,” Adomitis told PennLive. “But I was pumped up. It felt like a fresh start. … It was exciting. It was nerve-wracking. It was a Monday afternoon, and I’m playing on Sunday.”
On Sept. 29, Adomitis — a Pittsburgh native and former Pitt standout — learned the Philadelphia Eagles wanted to sign him. Their long-snapper, Charley Hughlett, suffered an injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4. The Eagles needed someone ASAP to snap against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5.
On Sept. 30, Hughlett was placed on injured reserve, and Adomitis was officially signed to the 53-man roster.
In a two-day span, Adomitis went from wondering if he’d ever play in the NFL again to the Eagles’ practice field at the NovaCare Complex. And ever since, Adomitis has run — well, snapped then run — with the opportunity.
Long-snapper is a unique position in that it’s a good thing if the average fan doesn’t know your name. That means you’re not making any glaring mistakes, which Adomitis hasn’t on the field goal, extra point and punt coverage teams.
On Sunday, the 27-year-old stood out in a positive way. Adomitis chased down a pair of tackles in a 16-9 primetime win over the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles celebrated with Adomitis, both on the field Sunday night and in the film room the next day. Special teams coordinator Michael Clay said Adomitis’ tackles drew a few “oohs and ahhs” from teammates. That had to feel good given the state of his career a couple months ago.
Adomitis, much like other long-snappers across the league, had a less-than-straightforward path to where he’s at now.
Adomitis started long-snapping as a junior at Central Catholic High School as another way to get on the field for the Pittsburgh powerhouse. After graduating, he walked on at Pitt and asserted himself as a program staple. He earned a scholarship and was voted a team captain. As a senior in 2021, Adomitis became an ACC champion and a first-team All-American and won the Patrick Mannelly Award, given to the best long-snapper in college football.
Adomitis didn’t get drafted; long-snappers don’t generally hear their names called. So he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and carved out a spot. Adomitis played in 52 games over three seasons for the AFC North franchise. But on August 26, he was released by the Bengals, losing a preseason battle to Michigan rookie Will Wagner.
“I was worried that was the end,” Adomitis said. “Anybody who gets released has that worry.”
But long-snapper is more tenuous than most positions. Teams tend to roster four running backs, five wide receivers, nine offensive linemen, not to mention the practice squad. Like kickers and punters, you only need one long-snapper. There are only 32 spots in the league.
That scarcity can create a different feeling of uneasiness and a different mindset.
“On a personal level, every day in Cincinnati, I tried to be present and enjoy every rep and every game,” Adomitis said. “I wanted another chance. But there was a part of me, too, that was thinking if this was the end of the road, I’m happy I gave my 100%.”
After being released, Adomitis packed up his things and returned to Pittsburgh. He lived with his parents for a month and prepared for whatever and whenever his next opportunity might be.
In the offseason, Adomitis would typically work out at Pitt’s team facility, which the Panthers share with the Steelers. But in need of a “mental reset” away from football, Adomitis lifted at his local Crunch Fitness. At North Catholic High School’s field, he snapped into a towel that was set up on a soccer net, over and over again, and he recorded it all. He “got really into meal prepping” and avoided takeout to limit costs while out of contract.
Adomitis worked out with the New York Giants in mid-September, but nothing came of it. He had workouts scheduled with the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Then, Hughlett went down, and Adomitis’ agent received the call from Philly.
Adomitis didn’t have any previous connections with the Eagles’ staff, and he never worked out for them. But the Eagles played the Bengals in the 2024 regular season and in the preseason on Aug. 7. That visibility, coupled with three years of experience in Cincinnati, is his best guess as to why the Eagles signed him on the spot.
“You never want an opportunity to come at the expense of someone else getting hurt,” Adomitis said, adding that Hughlett is a “good dude.”
It’s still up in the air what will happen when Hughlett, a 14-year veteran who signed a one-year deal in March, is healthy. Hughlett’s agent stated on Oct. 1 that the long-snapper will be “back playing within a couple of months.”
Adomitis is just trying to focus on what he can control, which is providing clean snaps for kicker Jake Elliott and punter/holder Braden Mann, along with being a positive presence in the Eagles’ locker room.
“Something I’ve been told along the way is, if you’re going to be a specialist, it’s in your best interest to be pleasant to be around,” Adomitis said. “Because the margin of error is so small for specialists. … Basically, ‘Don’t be an a**hole.’ It sounds silly. But it will help.”
It has helped Adomitis in his six weeks with the Eagles.
“Cal came in and was himself,” Eagles key special teamer Cam Latu told PennLive. “He’s a workaholic. He came in, was confident in himself and carried himself well. He puts the team first and does his job. You have to respect that.”
The Eagles have respected and appreciated that. Adomitis, meanwhile, has appreciated and will continue to appreciate the opportunity he has in Philadelphia.
An opportunity — and a five-hour drive — that he didn’t see coming.
“I knew it would be a whirlwind,” Adomitis said. “But I just leaned into the gratitude and excitement for another chance to come play. … It’s been a blessing.”
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