Joe Shimko

Joe Shimko (born September 30, 2000) is an American professional football long snapper. He played college football at NC State.

Early life Shimko was born in Belmar, New Jersey. He played baseball and ran track, but only began football prior to his sophomore year at Wall High School. Shimko sustained injuries playing running back and linebacker and questioned how long he would last playing the sport; his father then convinced him to try out long snapper, a position at which it is more common for players to have long careers. Ranked a five-star recruit, the seventh-best long snapper by Rubio's camp and the fifth-best by 247Sports, he committed to play college football for the NC State Wolfpack.

College career Shimko became a starter at NC State as a true freshman in 2019, serving as the long snapper for all 108 of the team's kicks. The following year, he was a second-team All-American selection by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, given to the best long snapper nationally. In 2023, he won the Patrick Mannelly Award; in his career, 61 games, he never made a bad snap.

Professional career Shimko signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2024. On August 20, 2024, Shimko was released by the Cardinals.

Personal life Off the field, Shimko has been active in charitable organizations, having helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for different groups.