:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31819741/180048042.0.jpg)
What a glorious day it must have been back on April 18, 1975. For on that day, Patrick Mannelly, long snapper extraordinaire for our Chicago Bears, was born to Jay and Patty Mannelly in Atlanta, Georgia. Or as Todd likes to call it, the dirty, dirty A-T-L.
Patrick Mannelly was one of the greatest high school athletes to ever come out of the Peach State. He won the Atlanta area Lineman of the Year as a senior at Marist High School and he earned three letters in football, two in basketball and he even graced the Georgia-Florida football all-star game with his presence.
However it was at the age of 13 when Mannelly first started chucking balls back between his legs.
It was at that very moment when a boy became a man.
Or should I say, it was at that moment, when a boy became "The Mann".
As of right now Mannelly is a free agent who is rehabbing after minor hip surgery. There is a roster spot waiting for him in Chicago once he decides on his playing status for 2014.
The Beloved Bears actually have signed two other long snappers, Brandon Hartson and Chad Rempel, just in case, and they also added a third long snapper in Jared Allen for extra Mannelly insurance.
We have a candle lit with an eternal flame in honor of the great #65, in hopes his body allows him to get it going for a 17th season playing for the greatest team in the world, which is in the greatest city in the world, that is cheered on by the greatest fans in the world.
So Happy 39th birthday to The Mann, the Myth, the Living Legend, Patrick Mannelly.
For some more stuff on Mannelly please peruse these links we've arranged for you.
Here's his website, LongSnapper.com
He was the 3rd inductee on Windy City Gridiron's Mt. Lunchpail
He was a member of the WCG All Time Chicago Bears 53 man roster
And the winner of the 2013 Ed Block Courage Award was none other than Mannelly