Shane Lechler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shane Lechler

Lechler with the Houston Texans in 2016
No. 9
Position:	Punter
Personal information
Born:	(1976-08-07) August 7, 1976 (age 48) East Bernard, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school:	East Bernard
College:	Texas A&M (1996–1999)
NFL Draft:	2000 / Round: 5 / Pick: 142
Career history
Oakland Raiders (2000) Houston Texans (2013)
Career highlights and awards
6× First-team All-Pro (2000, 2003, 2004, 2008–2010) 3× Second-team All-Pro (2001, 2007, 2011) 7× Pro Bowl (2001, 2004, 2007–2011) 4× NFL punting yards leader (2003, 2008, 2009, 2017) Golden Toe Award (2009) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team NFL 2010s All-Decade Team NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team PFWA All-Rookie Team (2000) 2× First-team All-American (1998, 1999) Second-team All-American (1997) 3× First-team All-Big 12 (1997–1999)
Career NFL statistics
Punts: 1,444 Punting yards: 68,678 Average punt: 47.6 Inside 20: 469 Extra points attempted: 7 Extra points made: 7 Kickoffs: 19 Kickoff yards: 1,210
Player stats at PFR

Edward Shane Lechler (born August 7, 1976) is a former professional football player. He played as a punter for 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). A punter kicks the ball to the other team after their offense fails to get a first down.

Shane Lechler played college football at Texas A&M University. The Oakland Raiders picked him in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL draft. Many people think Lechler is one of the best punters ever in the NFL. He was named an All-Pro nine times and went to the Pro Bowl seven times. He led the league in punting average five times. He was also one of only two punters chosen for the special NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Early Life and High School Football

Shane Lechler grew up in East Bernard, Texas. He went to East Bernard High School. He was a star athlete in many sports, including football, basketball, golf, and baseball.

In high school football, Shane played as a quarterback, punter, and placekicker. In his senior year, he led his team to the state quarterfinals. He threw for 1,640 yards and 11 touchdowns that year. During his whole high school career, he passed for almost 5,000 yards. He also averaged 41.6 yards per punt. His longest punt in high school was an amazing 85 yards!

College Football Career

Shane Lechler played college football for the Aggies from 1996 to 1999. He was a very flexible player for the team. He was the main punter and also kicked off. He was the long field goal kicker and held the ball for shorter field goals. He was even the emergency quarterback!

As a junior, he made a 29-yard pass on a trick play called a "fake punt." He also threw a touchdown pass on a "fake field goal" play. This helped his team win a tough game against Texas Tech.

In 1998, when many quarterbacks were hurt, Shane became the backup quarterback for the Big 12 championship game. Even though he didn't have to play, his coach, R. C. Slocum, called him "the team's most valuable player." This was because Shane helped the team in so many ways.

Shane started strong at Texas A&M. He was named a Freshman All-America in 1996. He set a team record in 1997 with a 47.0-yard punt average. He earned Associated Press first-team All-American honors in 1999. He holds the NCAA record for the best career punt average, with 44.7 yards per punt. Only one of his punts was ever blocked during his college career.

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

The Oakland Raiders picked Shane Lechler in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL draft. He was the only punter chosen that year.

Oakland Raiders (2000–2012)

Shane Lechler quickly became a top punter in the NFL. In his first season (2000), he was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team and earned First Team All-Pro honors. He helped the Raiders reach the playoffs.

Over his 13 seasons with the Raiders, Lechler was known for his powerful kicks. He consistently had some of the best punting averages in the league. He earned many awards, including:

• 6 First-team All-Pro selections
• 3 Second-team All-Pro selections
• 7 Pro Bowl nominations

In 2002, he played in his first Super Bowl with the Raiders, though they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2003, he had the longest punt in the NFL that year, a 73-yard kick.

Shane Lechler (right) and placekicker Sebastian Janikowski in 2007.

In 2009, Shane Lechler signed a big contract, making him the highest-paid punter in NFL history at the time. That same year, he set a Raiders record for most punting yards in a season (4,909 yards). His average of 51.1 yards per punt in 2009 was one of the highest single-season averages ever in NFL history.

Shane Lechler punts during a game in 2008.

He continued to excel, even throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal in 2011! He also kicked a career-best 80-yard punt that year, setting a new record for the Raiders.

Shane Lechler in 2009.

Shane Lechler in October 2010.

Houston Texans (2013–2017)

In 2013, Shane Lechler joined the Houston Texans. He continued his strong performance there. In his first season with the Texans, he reached a major milestone, becoming only the sixth player in NFL history to have 50,000 career punt yards.

In 2014, there was a moment when he almost played quarterback again! The Texans had many injured quarterbacks, and Shane, who played QB in high school, was ready to step in if needed. However, he didn't have to enter the game.

He helped the Texans reach the playoffs in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, he was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for a great game against the Detroit Lions. He played his last NFL season in 2017.

Retirement

After not playing in the 2018 season, Shane Lechler officially announced his retirement from football on March 30, 2019. He was honored by being named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2010s Team and the special NFL 100 All-Time Team.

Records and Achievements

Shane Lechler holds many impressive records:

• He had at least one punt of 50 yards or more in 33 games in a row, which is the longest streak since 1970.
• He was a 7-time Pro Bowler and a 9-time All-Pro. No other punter has been named a 1st-team All-Pro more times than him.
• For almost 20 years, he held the NFL record for the best career average yards per punt (47.6 yards). This record was finally broken in 2023.
• He has the five best single-season punting averages in Raiders history. His 51.1-yard average in 2009 is the third-highest single-season average in NFL history.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Postseason

Family Life

Shane Lechler is married to Erin Gibson. She was also a talented athlete, playing All-American volleyball at Texas A&M. Shane comes from a family of athletes. Both of his parents played sports at Baylor University. His brother, Derek, was also a punter for Texas A&M.

See also

• List of most consecutive games played by National Football League players
• List of National Football League annual punting yards leaders
• List of National Football League career punting yards leaders