FanHouse GregWarren

When you're a specialist -- kicker, punter, long snapper -- and you're invited to NFL training camp to serve as a warm body in case catastrophe strikes the guy atop the depth chart, it's just a matter of time before you're back to humping some crappy 9-to-5. Jared Retkofsky's story fits the description, except he's been given a second chance.

A few weeks ago he was making $15 an hour as a furniture mover and now he'll make at least twice that with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The former TCU defensive end spent two summers as the Steelers' backup long snapper, and after incumbent Greg Warren went down with a season-ending knee injury last week (which lead to all sorts of hijinks when James Harrison was forced into emergency duty), Retkofsky's back. Barring any Harrisonian moments, he'll likely keep the job, but credit him for knowing enough to keep his Harrison-as-long-snapper comments completely laudatory in nature.

Sunday's biggest NFL game was determined in large part by the two events you see in the video below:

First, Steelers long snapper Greg Warren suffered a knee injury on the field and then aggravated it trying to walk off under his own power instead of getting carted off. The next time the Steelers tried to punt, linebacker James Harrison tried to snap but sent the ball over punter Mitch Berger's head for a safety. We all learned who Warren is -- and how important long snapping is.

Warren kind of reminded me of Cookie Fleck from Best in Show as he walked off the field on a knee so wobbly that it could give out at any moment. The Steelers will audition long snappers tomorrow.

This season, FanHouse writers take their cameras to NFL stadiums to document what happens when you stop being polite and start getting real. Or something. We've cleverly titled it "FanHouse in the Stands."

Let's consider this post dedicated to Steelers long-snapper Greg Warren, a seemingly anonymous guy -- until yesterday -- who needed his knee ripped to shreds on national TV for the country to know exactly who he is and exactly what he does. Well, now you know, and holy crap are guys like him invaluable. Get well soon, Greg. Seriously.

Who would have thought that the Eli-Big Ben battle would be decided in large part by Steelers long snapper Greg Warren.

Maybe that's going too far, but when Warren blew out his knee covering a punt in the fourth quarter, the game changed. The next time the Steelers lined up to punt, we quickly discovered that the Steelers don't have a backup long snapper. Linebacker James Harrison won the open audition on the sideline for a long snapper, but his attempt sailed way over punter Mitch Berger's head for a safety.

The Steelers 14-12 lead was immediately turned into a 14-14 tie with the Giants getting the ball back. Eli Manning and the Giants then drove down for the go-ahead touchdown and the Giants pass rush feasted on Ben Roethlisberger to pick up their sixth sack of the game before Roethlisberger threw his fourth INT of the game.

Five former North Carolina Tar Heels will take the field tonight for the NFL's 2006 debut when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Miami Dolphins.

Miami will suit up two UNC defensive greats in defensive end Vonnie Holliday and linebacker Keith Newman.

Pittsburgh counters on the offensive side of the ball with running back Willie Parker and on special teams with mainstay kicker Jeff Reed and long snapper Greg Warren.

This should make for an interesting matchup when the Steelers have the ball. Will "Fast Willie" Parker be able to blow by his Tar Heel brethren who will be stalking him on defense, or will he be shut down by his veteran counterparts?

Either way, it will be nice to see the Heels so well represented in the season's opening game. And let's hope North Carolina's football recruits are taking note.