Thomas Morstead facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Thomas Morstead

Morstead with the New Orleans Saints in 2012
No. 6 – New York Jets
Position:	Punter
Personal information
Born:	(1986-03-08) March 8, 1986 (age 39) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Pearland (Pearland, Texas)
College:	SMU (2004–2008)
NFL Draft:	2009 / Round: 5 / Pick: 164
Career history
New Orleans Saints (2009–2020) New York Jets (2021) Atlanta Falcons (2021) Miami Dolphins (2022) New York Jets (2023–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XLIV) Second-team All-Pro (2012) Pro Bowl (2012) NFL punting yards leader (2023) 2× First-team All-C-USA (2007, 2008)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024
Punts: 960 Punting yards: 44,944 Punting average: 46.8 Longest punt: 75 Inside 20: 352
Player stats at PFR

Thomas James Morstead (born March 8, 1986) is a professional American football player. He is a punter for the New York Jets in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the Jets, he played for teams like the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins. He was first drafted by the Saints in 2009 after playing college football at SMU.

Growing Up and High School

Thomas Morstead was born in Houston, Texas. He grew up in a nearby town called Pearland, Texas. He has one brother named Patrick.

Thomas went to Pearland High School. There, he played both football and basketball. In his senior year of football, he was recognized as one of the best players in his district. He was also named the best special teams player in Brazoria County. Thomas was a great student too, being part of the National Honor Society.

College Football Journey

In 2004, Morstead started college at Southern Methodist University (SMU). He had offers from other big schools but chose SMU. He spent his first year as a "redshirt," meaning he practiced but didn't play in games.

In 2006, he became the main place-kicker and punter for SMU. He was one of the best punters in his league, averaging 43.82 yards per punt. He also scored 73 points by making field goals and extra points.

As a sophomore, Thomas continued to excel. He was named to the All-Conference USA first team. He led his conference in punting again, averaging 44.65 yards. He also set a league record by making all 43 of his extra point attempts. In 2008, he focused more on directional punting. This means he tried to kick the ball to specific areas on the field.

Playing in the NFL

Joining the Saints

The New Orleans Saints picked Thomas Morstead in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He was the second punter chosen that year.

In his first year, he became the Saints' main punter. He played a very important role in the Saints' win in Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts. During the game, he performed a surprise onside kick in the second half. The Saints recovered the ball, which led to a touchdown and helped them take the lead. The Saints went on to win the Super Bowl 31–17. Thomas later said he was excited but also nervous about making such a risky play.

In 2011, Morstead set a record for the most kickoff touchbacks in one game. A touchback happens when the ball is kicked into the end zone and the receiving team doesn't return it. He also set a record for the most touchbacks in a single season that year.

A Top Punter

In 2012, the Saints signed Thomas to a big contract extension. This made him one of the highest-paid punters in the league. He had an amazing season, leading the NFL in net punting yards. He was also chosen to play in the Pro Bowl, which is a special game for the best players in the league.

Morstead (left) serving as holder at the 2013 Pro Bowl

From 2014 to 2015, Thomas was chosen as the special teams captain for the Saints. This means his teammates looked to him as a leader for the kicking and punting parts of the game.

In 2017, during a playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings, Thomas got hurt. He tore cartilage in his rib cage after making a tackle. Even though he was hurt, he kept playing and punting throughout the game. The Vikings won the game in the final seconds. Fans of the Vikings were so impressed by Thomas's toughness and sportsmanship that they donated over $140,000 to his charity. Thomas then gave these donations to the Children's Hospital of Minnesota.

In 2018, Morstead signed another contract with the Saints. In 2019, he had a great season, often kicking the ball deep into the opponent's territory. He was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice and Player of the Month once. He continued to play well in 2020.

After 12 seasons with the Saints, Thomas Morstead was released by the team in March 2021.

Moving to Other Teams

In September 2021, Thomas signed with the New York Jets for his first time with the team. He played for them for a few months before being released. Later that year, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. In his first game with the Falcons, he again showed his skill by placing three punts inside the 20-yard line. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and Player of the Month for December.

In 2022, Morstead signed with the Miami Dolphins. During one game, a play where a teammate accidentally kicked the ball off another player's backside became very famous. Thomas finished the 2022 season with strong punting numbers.

Back with the Jets

In April 2023, Thomas Morstead signed with the New York Jets again. In a game against the New York Giants, he had 11 punts, averaging 48.1 yards each. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for this performance. He led the entire league in 2023 with the most punts and punting yards.

In March 2024, Morstead re-signed with the Jets, continuing his career with the team.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Postseason

Personal Life

Thomas Morstead is married to Lauren, and they have five children. In 2014, they started a charity called "What You Give Will Grow." Thomas is also a Catholic.

He also co-wrote a book for young readers with Sean Jensen. The book is called "The Middle School Rules of Thomas Morstead."