Special teams has been a net-positive for Kansas City since Andy Reid brought coordinator Dave Toub with him to the Chiefs in 2013.
While some of the names and faces have changed since their tenure began, the team’s commitment to winning in that crucial phase of the game has continued unhindered, and the current lineup of special-teamers has remained the same since 2017, with only one exception.
When longtime punter Dustin Colquitt was released by Kansas City in 2019, the Chiefs had a glaring hole at the position he had filled since the team drafted him in 2005. Colquitt had long been a fan-favorite, especially given his major contributions in less successful seasons in the aughts, plus Pro Bowl selections in 2012 and 2016. Punting has by no means been the mode for this Chiefs team of late, but minimizing crucial yardage conceded in the field position battle remains a focus for Kansas City.
Second-year punter Tommy Townsend found himself in a desirable position, filling the shoes of a beloved Chief while only being needed in a minimal role. With a full offseason in 2021, Townsend has never felt more comfortable as a professional.
“I already feel 10 times more comfortable now than I did going into the season last year,” Townsend told reporters on Friday. “Last year, we were just straight into training camp. As you know, and me, James [Winchester] and Harrison [Butker] got work in during last offseason, and we did the same here, but we also had OTA’s and minicamp to really tune-up with the team before going into camp.”
Kansas City needed only minimal contributions from Townsend as a rookie. He punted just 52 times over the course of the season, the ninth-lowest rate in the league. He made the most of his opportunities in 2020, averaging just over 40 yards per punt, and pinning opponents behind the 20-yard line 20 times. Unfortunately, when the team did need him to show up last season, he put up his worst performance. Townsend struggled in Super Bowl LV, averaging just 29 net yards per punt.
“Obviously, that’s not the way you want to end the season, end your rookie campaign, or even have a game like that,” Thompson said at Friday’s press conference, “But you’ve just got to learn from it, move on.”
“All I can do is get better,” he continued, “Conor McGregor actually put out a quote a couple of years ago and it was kind of about losing in defeat. He said, ‘It’s not the losses that ruin careers, it’s the wins and getting complacent.’ It’s when you lose, you’ve got to look back and learn from it and move on.”
Townsend clearly understands the stakes heading into this season. Expect him to minimize any kind of complacency that could hold Kansas City back. As the Chiefs prepare for their first preseason game next week, the young punter will be a player to watch, and his continued development could give the defense an added edge in terms of field position on game day.
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