Thomas Morstead facts for kids
Morstead with the New Orleans Saints in 2012
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| No. 7 – San Francisco 49ers | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Punter | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | March 8, 1986 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| 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 | |||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Thomas James Morstead (born March 8, 1986) is an American professional football punter. He currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the 49ers, he played for the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins. Morstead played college football for the SMU Mustangs before being drafted into the NFL.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Thomas Morstead was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Pearland, Texas. He has one brother named Patrick. Thomas went to Pearland High School, where he was a star in both football and basketball.
In football, he was recognized as one of the best players in his district. He was also named the Special Teams MVP for Brazoria County during his senior year. Thomas was a great student too, being part of the National Honor Society.
College Football Career
Morstead started at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 2004. He chose SMU over other schools like Texas Christian and Missouri. He spent his first year as a "redshirt," meaning he practiced but didn't play in games.
In 2006, Thomas became the main place-kicker and punter for SMU. He was one of the best punters in his conference, averaging 43.82 yards per punt. He also scored 73 points by making 13 field goals and 34 extra points.
By his sophomore year, Morstead was a top punter in Conference USA. He led the conference with an average of 44.65 yards per punt. He also set a league record by making all 43 of his extra point attempts. In 2008, he continued to be a strong punter and kicker for SMU.
Professional Football Journey
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Bench press | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+1⁄4 in (1.94 m) |
225 lb (102 kg) |
32 in (0.81 m) |
9 in (0.23 m) |
4.88 s | 1.79 s | 2.91 s | 19 reps | |||||
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Joining the New Orleans 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. As a rookie in 2009, he became the Saints' main punter.
Morstead played a huge part in the Saints winning Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. During the game against the Indianapolis Colts, he surprised everyone with an onside kick at the start of 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.
In 2011, Morstead set an NFL record for the most kickoff touchbacks in one game (nine). A touchback happens when a kick goes 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 with 68.
In 2012, the Saints signed Morstead to a big contract. He had an amazing season, leading the league in net punting yards. He was also chosen for the Pro Bowl, which is a special game for the best players in the NFL.
A Moment of Sportsmanship and Charity
During a playoff game in 2018 against the Minnesota Vikings, Morstead got hurt early in the game. He tore cartilage in his rib cage but kept playing, even though he was in pain. The Vikings won the game in the final seconds.
After the game, Vikings fans were so impressed by Morstead's toughness and good sportsmanship that they started donating money to his charity. In less than 24 hours, they raised over $140,000! Morstead then gave these donations to the Children's Hospital of Minnesota.
Awards and Later Years with the Saints
Morstead continued to be a strong player for the Saints. He earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards multiple times for his excellent punting. He was also named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September 2019. After 12 seasons with the Saints, he was released in March 2021.
Playing for Other Teams
After leaving the Saints, Morstead played for a few other NFL teams.
- New York Jets (First Time): He joined the New York Jets in September 2021 for a short time.
- Atlanta Falcons: In November 2021, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. He quickly made an impact, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and Player of the Month honors.
- Miami Dolphins: In April 2022, Morstead signed with the Miami Dolphins. During a game, he had a funny moment where his punt accidentally hit a teammate's backside. This play became known as the "Butt Punt" and went viral!
Return to the New York Jets
In April 2023, Morstead signed with the New York Jets again. He had a fantastic season, leading the entire league in punts and punting yards. He was also named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for a game where he had 11 punts, many of them landing very close to the opponent's goal line. He re-signed with the Jets in March 2024 and played another full season.
Joining the San Francisco 49ers
In May 2025, Thomas Morstead signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He continues his long and successful career as an NFL punter.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | Punting | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punts | Yds | Avg | Lng | Blk | |||
| 2009 | NO | 16 | 58 | 2,528 | 43.6 | 60 | 0 |
| 2010 | NO | 16 | 57 | 2,618 | 45.9 | 64 | 0 |
| 2011 | NO | 16 | 46 | 2,224 | 48.3 | 64 | 1 |
| 2012 | NO | 16 | 74 | 3,707 | 50.1 | 70 | 0 |
| 2013 | NO | 16 | 61 | 2,859 | 46.9 | 61 | 0 |
| 2014 | NO | 16 | 58 | 2,690 | 46.4 | 63 | 0 |
| 2015 | NO | 14 | 56 | 2,551 | 45.6 | 58 | 0 |
| 2016 | NO | 16 | 57 | 2,751 | 48.3 | 66 | 0 |
| 2017 | NO | 16 | 60 | 2,822 | 47.0 | 68 | 0 |
| 2018 | NO | 16 | 43 | 1,996 | 46.4 | 60 | 0 |
| 2019 | NO | 16 | 60 | 2,770 | 46.2 | 64 | 0 |
| 2020 | NO | 16 | 62 | 2,674 | 43.1 | 58 | 0 |
| 2021 | NYJ | 7 | 23 | 1,108 | 48.2 | 59 | 0 |
| ATL | 7 | 22 | 1,015 | 46.1 | 64 | 0 | |
| 2022 | MIA | 17 | 61 | 2,828 | 46.4 | 66 | 0 |
| 2023 | NYJ | 17 | 99 | 4,831 | 48.8 | 62 | 0 |
| 2024 | NYJ | 17 | 63 | 2,972 | 47.2 | 75 | 0 |
| Career | 255 | 960 | 44,944 | 46.8 | 75 | 1 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | GP | Punting | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punts | Yds | Avg | Lng | Blk | |||
| 2009 | NO | 3 | 13 | 618 | 47.5 | 66 | 0 |
| 2010 | NO | 1 | 4 | 191 | 47.8 | 55 | 0 |
| 2011 | NO | 2 | 5 | 227 | 45.4 | 60 | 0 |
| 2013 | NO | 2 | 7 | 260 | 37.1 | 55 | 0 |
| 2017 | NO | 2 | 8 | 375 | 46.9 | 57 | 0 |
| 2018 | NO | 2 | 7 | 305 | 43.6 | 50 | 0 |
| 2019 | NO | 1 | 5 | 229 | 45.8 | 50 | 0 |
| 2020 | NO | 2 | 5 | 200 | 40.0 | 58 | 0 |
| 2022 | MIA | 1 | 6 | 262 | 43.7 | 52 | 0 |
| Career | 16 | 60 | 2,667 | 44.5 | 66 | 0 | |
Personal Life and Charity Work
Thomas Morstead is married to Lauren, and they have five children. In 2014, they started their own charity called "What You Give Will Grow." This charity helps children and families in need. Thomas is also a Catholic.
He even co-wrote a book for kids with Sean Jensen called "The Middle School Rules of Thomas Morstead."
