🏈 Pro Bowler Brett Kern Hangs Up His Cleats, Proving Punters are People Too 😲
TL;DR:
Longtime NFL punter, Brett Kern, is stepping away from the gridiron after a whopping 15-year career in the sport. Known for his 🚀 rocketing punts and icy cool under pressure, Kern leaves the game ranking 11th in NFL history for punting average and 25th for total punts. Starting as a rookie who wasn’t even drafted, Kern carved out an impressive path, proving that even the underdogs can have their day. So now, with cleats hung up and helmet stored away, what’s next for this NFL legend? 🤔
🎙️ The Full Punt Down
If you ever thought being a punter in the NFL was an easy gig, think again, sports fans! 😅 Brett Kern’s retirement after 15 years of punting pigskins across fields is testament to how demanding the job can be. But who are we kidding, he made it look easy!
Kern, the 3x Pro Bowler, showcased consistent excellence on the field, with a career punting average of 45.9 yards. He booted the ol’ ball 1,006 times, ranking 25th most in NFL history. Out of those 1,006 punts, he managed to drop 396 inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. Can you even imagine the skill involved in that? 😱
While Kern never won a Super Bowl, he certainly got close. In a plot twist straight out of a Hollywood movie, he was brought in by the Eagles after their regular punter, Arryn Siposs, got injured. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to punt in the Super Bowl because Siposs made a comeback. But hey, at least he got to enjoy some Philly cheesesteaks, right? 😜
After being undrafted in 2008, Kern’s journey started with the Broncos. The rookie averaged 46.7 yards per punt in his debut year, ranking fifth in the NFL. Talk about a statement entrance, amirite? But in a baffling turn of events, the Broncos let him go after just six weeks into the 2009 season. Ah, regrets, they’ve had a few… 🤷
However, it was Tennessee that proved to be his true home, where Kern spent 12.5 seasons showing the Titans what he’s made of. His hot streak from 2017 to 2019 included three Pro Bowl nods and a first-team All-Pro honor. In 2017, he even led the NFL in punting with an average of 49.7 yards per punt! 🎯
Not just a great punter, Kern was also clutch under pressure. Remember the 2019 playoffs? When he pinned New England on their own one-yard line in the dying seconds of a wild-card game? Yep, that was Kern, sending Tom Brady’s Patriots packing in what was one of the last games of Brady’s New England career. 🍿
So here’s to Brett Kern, the Titans’ all-time career leader in punts, punting average, and net punting average. You’ve left some big shoes to fill on that field, buddy! 👏
The big question now is, what’s next for Kern? Maybe he’ll take up knitting, or become a professional cheese taster? Or perhaps he’ll find another way to wow us with his undeniable talent and drive. 🌟 What do you think Kern will do in his retirement? Will he take up a life of leisure, or does he have another surprise up his sleeve?
