Thomas Morstead Bio
Thomas James Morstead is an American professional football punter who plays in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft and built his reputation as one of the league’s most reliable directional punters over more than a decade. Morstead won Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints and has since continued his career with several teams, including the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, and the San Francisco 49ers.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing around 225 pounds, Morstead has combined size, hang time, and control of the football to thrive in both indoor and outdoor venues. He is widely respected for his preparation, his community work off the field, and his longevity in a specialist role that places unique physical demands on the athlete.
Early Life and Background
Morstead was born on March 8, 1986, in Houston, Texas, and was raised in the nearby suburb of Pearland. He grew up alongside a brother, Patrick, in a close-knit household that emphasized academics as well as athletics. The Houston area’s deep football culture gave him an early connection to the sport, and he balanced multiple sports throughout his school years.
Morstead attended Pearland High School, where he earned varsity letters in both football and basketball. As a senior, he was named the Brazoria County Special Teams MVP and received second-team All-District honors for his work as a punter. He was also a member of the National Honor Society, earning Academic All-State recognition alongside his athletic achievements. Those high school experiences helped shape the disciplined approach that has defined his professional career.
Path to the NFL
Morstead enrolled at Southern Methodist University in 2004, turning down scholarship offers from Texas Christian, Rice, Texas, and Missouri. He spent his first season as a redshirt and was named to the Conference USA Academic Honor Roll in 2005 without appearing in a game. In 2006, he took over both place-kicking and punting duties and immediately stood out, earning All-Conference USA third-team honors while leading the league with a 43.82-yard punting average.
As a sophomore, Morstead became a consensus All-Conference USA first-team selection and was named First-team All-Conference USA in both 2007 and 2008. He again led the conference in punting average with a 44.65-yard mark and set a league single-season record by making all 43 of his extra point attempts. In 2008, he concentrated more on directional punting and was recognized as All-Conference USA honorable mention. His college production and academic consistency placed him on NFL radars heading into the 2009 draft.
Thomas Morstead Career
New Orleans Saints (2009-2020)
The New Orleans Saints selected Morstead in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft with the 164th overall pick. He was the second punter chosen that year and beat out Glenn Pakulak for the Saints’ punting job as a rookie. In his first season, he recorded 58 punts for a 43.59 average and quickly became a trusted special teams weapon.
Morstead played a key role in the Saints’ victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, executing a critical onside kick during the second half kickoff that New Orleans recovered and converted into a go-ahead touchdown. He also holds NFL records for most kickoff touchbacks in a single game with nine, set in a 2011 win over the Colts, and most touchbacks in a single season with 68 in 2011. In 2012, he was elected to the Pro Bowl, was named Second-team All-Pro, signed a six-year extension worth $21.9 million, and posted a 50.09-yard punting average. He was named Saints special teams captain in 2014 and held that role through 2015, and he signed a five-year extension in 2018. He remained with the organization through the 2020 season before being released on March 4, 2021, after 12 seasons, making him the last active player from the Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV roster.
New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons (2021)
On September 14, 2021, Morstead signed with the New York Jets to fill in for the injured Braden Mann. He was released on November 8, 2021, after punting 23 times for 1,108 yards with a 46.1 average. Shortly after, on November 23, 2021, he joined the Atlanta Falcons, where he made an immediate impact.
In his Falcons debut in Week 12, Morstead downed three of his five punts inside the 20-yard line during a 21-14 road victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He was later named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December. He finished the 2021 season with the Falcons having punted 45 times for 2,123 yards and a 47.18 average.
Miami Dolphins (2022)
On April 8, 2022, Morstead signed with the Miami Dolphins. During a narrow Week 3 21-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills, he inadvertently kicked a punt from the end zone into the buttocks of teammate Trent Sherfield, resulting in a safety. The play went viral and became known as the “Butt Punt.” Morstead finished the 2022 season with 61 punts for 2,828 yards and a 46.36 average.
New York Jets Second Stint (2023-2025)
Morstead re-signed with the New York Jets on April 7, 2023. In a Week 8 13-10 road victory over the New York Giants, he delivered 11 punts at a 48.1-yard average with three punts landing inside the five-yard line, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He finished the 2023 season leading the league in punts with 99 and punting yards with 4,831 while posting a 48.8-yard average, the top mark in the NFL that year.
He re-signed with the Jets again on March 14, 2024, and appeared in all 17 games that season, logging 63 punts for 2,972 yards and a 47.2 average. On May 13, 2025, following the signing of Kai Kroeger, Morstead was released by the Jets.
San Francisco 49ers (2025-Present)
On May 28, 2025, Morstead signed with the San Francisco 49ers. On August 26, he was waived as part of final roster cuts before being re-signed to the active roster the next day. He joined the 49ers seeking to extend a special teams career that began in 2009.
Driving Style and Strengths
Morstead is recognized for his directional punting ability, consistently placing the ball inside opposing 20-yard lines and forcing fair catches. His 48.8-yard punting average in 2023 reflected the value of his strategy-focused approach, blending hang time and placement over raw distance. That consistency has been the foundation of his long career across multiple organizations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Beyond his Super Bowl XLIV onside kick, Morstead set the league’s single-game record for kickoff touchbacks with nine in 2011 and added the single-season record of 68 that same year. The viral 2022 “Butt Punt” against Buffalo, his 2023 league punting title, and his post-Super Bowl charity moment with Minnesota Vikings fans all became defining chapters of his career.
Thomas Morstead Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Morstead and his wife, Lauren, have five children. He is a Catholic and co-wrote a book with Sean Jensen titled “The Middle School Rules of Thomas Morstead.” In 2014, the couple created the charity What You Give Will Grow, which has supported causes including children’s health care. After a 2017 playoff game in Minnesota, Vikings fans and a Reddit community donated more than $140,000 to his charity in less than 24 hours in recognition of his toughness, and Morstead later presented the donations to the Children’s Hospital of Minnesota.
2025 Season Performance
Thomas Morstead joined the San Francisco 49ers on May 28, 2025, after his release from the New York Jets. He briefly exited the roster on August 26 during final cuts before being re-signed the following day, indicating the team’s intent to rely on his veteran presence.
Heading into the 2025 regular season, the 49ers added Morstead to bolster their special teams with a player who has led the league in punting yards as recently as 2023. His experience in high-leverage situations, including a Super Bowl-winning onside kick, provides a steady hand for San Francisco’s coverage units and punt protection schemes.
Morstead’s outlook for 2025 centers on his continued ability to control field position and mentor younger special teams contributors. With more than 16 NFL seasons of wear on his legs, the focus will be on efficiency, placement, and consistency rather than workload, as the 49ers look to remain a contender in the NFC playoff picture.