Sam Koch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sam Koch

Koch with the Baltimore Ravens in 2015
Position:	Special teams consultant
Personal information
Born:	(1982-08-13) August 13, 1982 (age 43) York, Nebraska, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	222 lb (101 kg)
Career information
High school:	Seward (Seward, Nebraska)
College:	Nebraska (2002–2005)
NFL Draft:	2006 / Round: 6 / Pick: 203
Career history
As player:
Baltimore Ravens (2006–2021)
As coach:
Baltimore Ravens (2022–2024) Special teams consultant
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XLVII) Second-team All-Pro (2015) Pro Bowl (2015)
Career NFL statistics
Punts: 1,168 Punting yards: 52,868 Average punt: 45.3 Longest punt: 74 yards Inside 20: 453
Player stats at PFR

Samuel David Koch (born August 13, 1982) is a former American football player. He was a punter for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 years. Sam played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Ravens chose him in the 2006 NFL draft. He is famous for creating many different ways to punt the ball. This changed how the punter position was played in football.

Early Life and High School Sports

Sam Koch grew up in Seward, Nebraska. He went to Seward High School. There, he played many positions on the football team. These included punter, kicker, and tight end. Besides football, Sam also played basketball, baseball, and soccer.

College Football Career

Sam started playing for the Nebraska football team without a scholarship. He earned a scholarship before the 2004 season. In 2002, he was a backup punter but did not play in any games. He became Nebraska's main punter from 2004 to 2005.

In 2005, Sam had an amazing season. He set a new school record for the best punting average with 46.5 yards per punt. This was the best average in the school's history. His average was the second-best in the entire country that year. He was also a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the best college punter.

In his last college game, the 2005 Alamo Bowl, Sam averaged 51.5 yards on eight punts. He had five punts that went over 50 yards in that game. Sam earned a degree in business administration in December 2005.

College Statistics Overview

Here are some of Sam Koch's college football statistics:

Professional Football Career

The Baltimore Ravens picked Sam Koch in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played in all 16 games during his first year. He punted 86 times and placed 30 of those punts inside the 20-yard line. This was the fourth-best in the NFL that year.

Koch at training camp in 2009

Sam was known for his clever plays. In 2008, he completed his first pass in a game. In 2010, he completed another pass for 13 yards. After the 2010 season, he was named to the All-Fundamentals Team. This team recognizes players who show great basic skills.

Winning the Super Bowl

In 2012, Sam scored his first touchdown on a fake field goal play. This happened in a big win against the Oakland Raiders. Later that season, Sam helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII. They beat the San Francisco 49ers. In the final seconds of the game, Sam made two very important plays. He ran into his own end zone to take an intentional safety. This used up valuable time on the clock. Then, he made a long free-kick that kept the 49ers from trying a game-winning field goal.

Later Career Highlights

On July 9, 2015, Sam signed a new five-year contract with the Ravens. This made him one of the highest-paid punters in the NFL.

In 2016, Sam used the intentional safety play again. This helped the Ravens win a close game against the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2017, he completed a 22-yard pass on a fake punt. This play earned him the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award twice that season.

On September 26, 2021, Sam was the holder for Justin Tucker. Tucker kicked the longest field goal in NFL history, a 66-yard kick. This kick won the game for the Ravens against the Detroit Lions.

Sam Koch retired from football on May 19, 2022. He played his entire 16-year career with the Baltimore Ravens. In his NFL career, he completed 7 out of 8 passes for a total of 82 yards.

Coaching Career

After he stopped playing, Sam Koch joined the Ravens' staff. He became a special teams consultant. This means he helped coach the players who handle punts, kicks, and returns. He left the Ravens during the 2024 offseason.

NFL Career Statistics

Ravens Team Records

Sam Koch holds several records for the Baltimore Ravens:

• Most career punt yards: 52,868 yards
• Longest career punt: 74 yards
• Highest career yards per punt average: 45.3 yards
• Most games played: 256 games

See also

In Spanish: Sam Koch para niños