The 15th-year punter joined the Cool Your Jets podcast to talk about his free agency process, the nuances of NFL punting, whether punters get trash-talked, and more
On Thursday, the New York Jets waived punter Braden Mann, who served as their primary punter for the past three seasons. The Jets’ new punter in 2023 will be Thomas Morstead, who returns to New York two years after playing seven games as an injury replacement for Mann in 2021.
As he enters his 15th NFL season, Morstead understands how difficult it is for a punter to continue finding work at this stage of his career. He believes the Jets present a perfect situation for a player of his age.
“I just found as I’ve gotten older, over the past few years, that no matter how well I’m playing or how consistent I’m playing, all the teams aren’t looking to sign a 37-year-old punter,” Morstead told the Cool Your Jets podcast. “They’re always looking to get younger and cheaper. It’s got to be a good fit, a team’s gotta be in win-now mode, I think, to be interested in me.”
Morstead believes the Jets’ win-now mentality is the reason he ended up back in New York. He says potential suitors for a 37-year-old punter would have to “not be looking so looking into the future, and more looking into winning now … I’ve learned that over the past few years when I’ve gone to the Dolphins, they were kind of in that space last year, and the Jets are in that space this year.”
You can listen to Morstead’s full interview with the Cool Your Jets podcast below. Morstead also broke down intricate nuances of punting technique, revealed some of his most hilarious trash-talking experiences, and shared what he learned from highly-regarded special teams coaches Brant Boyer and Mike Westhoff.
