For The First Time In Over A Decade, The Kansas City Chiefs Have A Punter Competition
Kansas City Chiefs Special Teams Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach Dave Toub expects the battle to replace longtime Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt to be a “true competition.”
Toub discussed the differences between the two punters on the Chiefs’ roster, rookie Tommy Townsend and NFL sophomore Tyler Newsome, during a teleconference with reporters on Tuesday. According to Toub, the battle appears to be neck-and-neck from the beginning.
“They both got really really strong legs, really powerful legs, they consistently hit over 5.0 [second] hang times, which is real impressive,” Toub said. “Tommy is a little more, I’d say, a little more clean in his technique as far as consistency, whereas Tyler is a little bit more erratic with his technique, but the results are the same. They both pound the ball. We just got to clean Tyler up a little bit more.”
Townsend spent the final two years of his collegiate career starting for the Florida Gators. He punted the ball 93 times for 4,162 yards, averaging 44.8 yards per punt.
Townsend was Toub’s top target in the group of undrafted punters. The Chiefs had him under contract shortly after the NFL draft concluded April 25.
“The kid’s got a ton of talent,” Toub said. “We really liked him coming out. I had him rated the best punter coming out this year and he was available for us. [Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach’s staff] got it done to get him. It was a pretty good deal.”
Newsome agreed to a one-year deal with the Chiefs on April 8. He was with the Los Angeles Chargers last preseason, but was cut at the conclusion of training camp. He logged seven punts for an average of 42.1 yards with LA. He was a four-year starter at Notre Dame and punted 9,909 times averaging 44 yards per punt.
With plenty of stats to lead either way, Toub says he doesn’t have a favorite in the competition quite yet.
“The number one thing, it really is going to be a true competition,” Toub said. “There is nobody up front right now as you look at it. I like them both.”
Townsend and Newsome will also be asked to battle to be kicker Harrison Butker’s placeholder.
Butker and long snapper James Winchester have taken on the role of helping the two adjust to their secondary role.
“They know how important that part is,” Toub said. “Harrison, I guarantee it, Harrison will outwork anybody in the world and he’s going to have these guys work just as hard. If he ever misses a field goal, it’s not going to because of a bad hold. Those guys are going to get so many reps in. Both of them can do it. They’ve been working up here on their own, doing their own thing, and they video stuff. I’m getting to see it and we’re working through things right now as far as the holding stuff… They’re both experienced. lt is an important job. Those guys will rise to the occasion.”
The Chiefs parted ways with Colquitt last month after Colquitt spent 15 years with the team. He was coached by Toub for the last seven seasons.
“Dustin, I mean, first off he’s the best punter I’ve ever coached, the best punter I’ve ever been around,” Toub said. “He’s such a great person, a great team leader, just a great teammate for everybody... He’s going to be hard to replace, that’s the way the NFL is sometimes. Things change, and we need to move on.”
