L. P. Ladouceur
{{Short description|American football player (born 1981)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=June 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = L. P. Ladouceur
| image = L. P. Ladouceur.JPG
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Ladouceur with the Cowboys in 2017
| number = 91
| position = Long snapper
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|3|13|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 255
| high_school = Collège Notre-Dame (Montreal)
| college = California
| cfldraftyear = 2004
| cfldraftround = 4
| cfldraftpick = 29
| undraftedyear = 2005
| pastteams =
- New Orleans Saints (2005)*
- Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|2005|2020}})
| highlights =
; NFL records
- Most games by a Canadian-born player
- Most consecutive games by a long snapper
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 253
| statlabel2 = Total tackles
| statvalue2 = 21
| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue3 = 1
| pfr = LadoL.20
}}
Louis-Philippe Ladouceur ({{respell|LAH|doo|sahr}};{{Cite web |title=L.P. Ladouceur Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LadoL.20.htm |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} born March 13, 1981) is a Canadian-American former professional football player who spent his entire 16-year career as a long snapper with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Born and raised in Montreal, he played college football in the United States for the California Golden Bears. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints in 2005, before joining the Cowboys that same year.
Ladouceur holds several longevity records for both the Cowboys and the NFL, including most consecutive games played in Cowboys history, most seasons played in Cowboys history, most consecutive games played by a long snapper in NFL history, and most games played by a Canadian-born player. {{Cite web|last=Archer|first=Todd|title= L.P. Ladouceur thankful for time with Dallas Cowboys, but he's not done|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4773334/l-p-ladouceur-thankful-for-time-with-dallas-cowboys-but-hes-not-done|work=ESPN|date=March 23, 2021|access-date=August 11, 2024}}
Early life
Ladouceur attended Notre Dame High School in Montreal, Quebec. He went on to play as a defensive lineman for John Abbott College, which is a public college, where as a senior he recorded seven sacks, 48 tackles, and one fumble recovery.
He accepted a football scholarship from the University of California, Berkeley. He also received scholarship offers from Syracuse University and Michigan State University.{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/dec/14/lp-ladouceur-long-snapper-dallas-cowboys-nfl | title = The NFL's perfect player: how LP Ladouceur has made $10m from long snapping | date= December 14, 2016 | access-date = September 5, 2018 | newspaper = The Guardian | author = Les Carpenter }} In his first 2 seasons he appeared in only 5 games. As a junior, he was named the team's long snapper and was a key player on a special teams unit that did not allow a blocked kick in two straight years.
Ladouceur was selected in the fourth round of the 2004 CFL Draft by the Ottawa Renegades, but decided to return to school.{{Cite web |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/401532/canadian-l-p-ladouceur-ecstatic-to-be-remaining-with-dallas-cowboys/ |title=Canadian L.P. Ladouceur ecstatic to be remaining with Dallas Cowboys| access-date=September 5, 2018}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 5 1/8
| weight = 257
| dash = 4.92
| shuttle = 4.48
| cone drill = 7.40
| vertical = 33.0
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 3
| bench = 18
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=2005 NFL Draft Scout L.P. Ladouceur College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=54323&DraftYear=2005 |access-date=December 14, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
=New Orleans Saints=
Ladouceur was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 2005 NFL draft on April 27. He was waived on August 29.
=Dallas Cowboys=
File:LP Ladouceur Snap (48614747303).jpg
After playing the third game of the 2005 season against the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys decided to stay the entire week in California, to better prepare for their next game against the Oakland Raiders. Because of issues they were having with rookie long snapper Jon Condo, the team decided to replace him with Ladouceur, who signed with the team on September 28. In his NFL debut against the Oakland Raiders, he snapped cleanly on five punts and two field goals. He finished his rookie season with clean snaps on 70 punts, 25 field goals and 28 PATs.
On February 14, 2008, he signed a five-year contract through the 2012 season. On February 28, 2013, he signed a new five-year contract.{{cite web|last=Helman |first=David |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/28/cowboys-sign-long-snapper-ladouceur-to-five-year-deal/ |title=Cowboys sign long snapper Ladouceur to five-year deal |publisher=ProFootballTalk |date=February 28, 2013 |access-date=September 5, 2018}} In 2014, he was added to the Pro Bowl as a "need player" for special teams purposes.{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/159865/cowboys-l-p-ladouceur-going-it-alone-at-pro-bowl|title=Cowboys' L.P. Ladouceur going it alone at Pro Bowl|date=January 24, 2015 |publisher=ESPN|access-date=September 5, 2018}}
On March 18, 2018, Ladouceur re-signed with the Cowboys.{{cite web|title=Cowboys re-sign long snapper L.P. Ladouceur|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/03/18/cowboys-re-sign-long-snapper-l-p-ladouceur/|author=Williams, Charean|website=Sep 28|date=March 18, 2018|access-date=September 5, 2018}} On March 19, 2019, Ladouceur re-signed with the Cowboys.{{cite web|title=Veteran Long Snapper To Return For 15th Season|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/veteran-long-snapper-to-return-for-15th-season|author=Eatman, Nick|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=March 19, 2019|access-date=March 20, 2019|archive-date=December 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206071741/https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/veteran-long-snapper-to-return-for-15th-season|url-status=dead}}
On March 24, 2020, Ladouceur signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys.{{cite web|title=Cowboys keeping L.P. Ladouceur on one-year deal|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/03/17/cowboys-keeping-l-p-ladouceur-on-one-year-deal/|author=Williams, Charean|work=Pro Football Talk|publisher=NBC Sports|date=March 17, 2020}} He tied the franchise record of playing in 16 seasons, shared with tight end Jason Witten. On December 13, 2020, he became just the third player in NFL history to play 250 consecutive games for one team. On December 20, he played in his 251st career NFL game, moving him past kicker Eddie Murray as the most ever by a Canadian-born player.{{Cite news |last=Ralph |first=Dan |date=December 18, 2020 |title=Canadian long-snapper L.P. Ladouceur set to play in record 251st career NFL game |work=CBC.ca |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/nfl/canadian-long-snapper-lp-ladouceur-nfl-record-251-games-1.5847370 |access-date=May 15, 2021}} He was congratulated by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.{{Cite news |last=Cullinane |first=Susannah |date=December 20, 2020 |title=Canada's Trudeau congratulates L.P. Ladouceur of Dallas Cowboys on pending NFL record |work=CNN.com |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/19/sport/ladouceur-dallas-cowboys-trudeau/index.html |access-date=May 15, 2021}}
On March 15, 2021, it was reported in the media that the Cowboys would not re-sign Ladouceur to play for them in a 17th season. He was replaced with free agent acquisition Jake McQuaide.{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Charean |date=March 15, 2021 |title=Report: Cowboys signing long snapper Jake McQuaide |work=NBC Sports |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/report-cowboys-signing-long-snapper-jake-mcquaide |access-date=2023-11-17}}
At the time of his departure, Ladouceur was the last active NFL player to have played under Bill Parcells, as well as the last active Cowboy that played a game at Texas Stadium.{{Cite web|last=Archer|first=Todd|title= L.P. Ladouceur thankful for time with Dallas Cowboys, but he's not done|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4773334/l-p-ladouceur-thankful-for-time-with-dallas-cowboys-but-hes-not-done|work=ESPN|date=March 23, 2021|access-date=August 11, 2024}}
Ladouceur retired from the NFL in November 2021, but did not make his decision public until February 2022.{{Cite web |last=Engel |first=Mac |date=February 9, 2022 |title=This former Dallas Cowboy is ideal Freakonomics Radio guest |url=https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article258169588.html |access-date=August 7, 2022 |website=Star-Telegram.com}}
Personal life
Ladouceur married his wife, Brooke Worthington, in April 2012. He became an American citizen in 2019 after starting the process in 2013.{{Cite web |last=Engel |first=Mac |date=September 11, 2019 |title=This Dallas Cowboy officially became a U.S. citizen this week. 'It's very special.' |url=https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article234922262.html |access-date=16 September 2019 |website=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://calbears.com/sports/2013/4/17/208198486.aspx California Golden Bears bio]
- {{commons category-inline}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ladouceur, L.P.}}
Category:American football defensive linemen
Category:American football long snappers
Category:California Golden Bears football players
Category:Dallas Cowboys players
Category:Players of American football from Quebec
Category:Sportspeople from Pointe-Claire
Category:Gridiron football people from Montreal
Category:Unconferenced Pro Bowl players