Total Pro Sports
The New York Jets are moving on from former Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowler Thomas Morstead, the fan favorite announced on Tuesday.
In a video posted on his Instagram account, Thomas Morstead said the Jets informed him he was being released. Morstead expressed his disappointment over “how it went down”, but was sure to sign off with a thank you message.
The Jets signed 2024 undrafted Texas Tech product Austin McNamara in March, opening up a punter competition between him and Morstead. But when New York also signed undrafted rookie Kai Kroeger on Tuesday, Morstead immediately became expendable.
The Jets ultimately decided to move forward with a punter competition between McNamara and Kroeger, with Morstead returning to free agency.
The 39-year-old Thomas Morstead spent his first 12 seasons with the New Orleans Saints (2009 to 2020), winning a Super Bowl 44 championship in his rookie year. He earned his only Pro Bowl and Second-team All-Pro selections in 2012 after averaging a career-high 50.1 yards per punt.
Morstead split the 2021 season with the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets before landing with the Miami Dolphins in 2022. Morstead returned to the Jets in 2023 and finished with a league-leading 4,831 punting yards, clearly indicating how awful the New York offense was.
In his last season with the Jets, Morstead averaged 47.2 yards per punt and committed seven touchbacks, the second-highest mark of his career.
Morstead has been a reliable punter throughout his NFL career, so he should be signed by another team before Week 1 rolls around. At the end of the day, it’s safer to trust a seasoned veteran at the position than an unproven youngster, after all.
Also Read: New York Jets Sign Popular SEC Quarterback To Their Roster In Surprise Offseason Move
