J.J. Jansen, Panthers Agree to 1-Year Contract; CAR's Longest-Tenured Player

Veteran NFL long snapper J.J. Jansen will return for his 15th season in the league after signing a one-year deal to remain with the Carolina Panthers on Monday, the organization announced.

Jansen, 37, is the longest-tenured player on the Panthers' roster and has been with the franchise since they traded for him during the 2009 offseason. In 2022, he broke Carolina's all-time record for games played of 221.

"No doubt about it," Jansen said when asked if staying in Carolina was an important priority for him. "We, my wife and I, we love Charlotte, and we love the Panthers organization. We're rooted here, and going into my 15th year is something I don't take for granted."

Since Tom Brady retired, Jansen now moves into the top 10 of active players in games played with 226. He is tied for 134th all-time in NFL history along with Emmitt Smith and Paul Krause.

Starting his career with the Green Bay Packers in 2008 after going undrafted out of Notre Dame, Carolina gave up a conditional seventh round in the 2011 draft in exchange for the long snapper, one of the better value trades in franchise history.

Jansen made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and will now get the opportunity to play for his fourth head coach in Frank Reich, who was hired by the organization Jan. 26.

Despite being a one-year deal, Jansen has been vocal about wanting to continue playing for at least a few more seasons and hopes that he and Reich can have a good run together.

"To get the chance to play for Frank, who everyone I know in the league says nothing but great things about, is a great thing," Jansen said. "And hopefully, he and I get to work together for many years."