The longest-tenured Chiefs player is moving on. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Kansas City is releasing punter Dustin Colquitt. The move saves the Chiefs around $2MM against the cap.
“I have enjoyed my time in Chiefs Kingdom, all things come to an end, sometimes sooner than you hoped, prayed & pleaded for them to,” Colquitt wrote on Instagram. “I’ll miss walking into the building & smelling the coffee, talking to everyone…it took me forever to weave through some of the most loving people you’d ever hope to work with. I was a young kid when I first walked into Arrowhead…hell, the indoor facility used to be 70 yards. Holding this post for 15 years has been an honor that I never took for granted. Thank you KC.”
The 37-year-old had spent the entirety of his 16-year career in Kansas City, earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods and a Super Bowl championship. Back in 2017, he passed Jerrel Wilson for the most punts and punting yards in franchise history, and he signed a three-year contract extension in 2018.
While Colquitt’s 44.3 yards per punt in 2019 was his lowest average since his sophomore season, his net average of 40.3 yards was on-par with his career marks. The veteran also placed 21 punts inside the 20.
The Chiefs must be content moving forward with their pair of punter additions: Tyler Newsome and Tommy Townsend. Newsome was a 2019 undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame, while Townsend is a 2020 undrafted free agent out of Florida. As Pelissero notes (on Twitter), the Chiefs gave Townsend a lofty $82.5K guaranteed.
What a journey. How cool when your dad and brother also have rings.
Hey, don’t forget Mom! She probably has rings in the bathtub she can show visitors.
Am I reading this right, did they give a ounter a 82.5 million dollar guarantee? Really hope that is a type-0
Total type-o KC actually guaranteed him $825,000,000.
It’s actually a great bargain for the team if the punter can knock a few Goodyear blimps out of the sky.
His career earning is about $32 million.
That can’t be right. $82.5MM for a UDFA punter??? It has to be $82.5K.
Well, at least now you know where Trump sent your Covid assistance cheque.
I bet you didnt send yours back in protest.lol
Can’t return something you never got.
I really would have thought an undrafted punter signing the biggest contract in NFL history would be a bigger story.
I can guarantee you Dustin Colquitt would be a much better broadcasting catch than those narcissistic QBs. Pat Summerall and Paul Maguire were special teams guys too and these guys always have a great perspective of the game and very entertaining anecdotes.
Can he perform kickoffs? Detroit could be looking.
Good punters are underrated. Bad punters can be killers to a team’s win change.
The same is true for kickers, right Bears fans?
This is why many people consider Sammy Baugh to be perhaps the best overall athlete to ever play in the NFL. He excelled not only as a punter, but as a QB and defensive back as well.
$82.5m for an undrafted punter is pretty lofty for sure.
This webiste just does not stop with the typos
I know, man. Just ruins a day doesn’t it?
Should he wish to continue his football career, opportunities with other organizations should present themselves. Either as other punters fail to measure up or when punters fall to injury. The Colquitt family possesses a great punting heritage. Will there be a next generation on the horizon anytime soon??
Spellcheck is no substitute for a proof reader and an editor.
Right now to the average Chiefs fan this does not come off as if anything big, but as the season goes on it well. Flipping the field is really big in football and you need a top punter to do that.
Not sure I agree. The NFL has been trying to phase out special teams for a while now so the impact of punters and return guys is less than it once was. This is the one area where the CFL has it all over the NFL. Special teams in the Canadian league have a huge impact and it’s far more exciting to watch.
Wish him nothing but the best. Class act even on his way out the door. Doubt he goes elsewhere.
Maybe they resign him to a low contract.