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Source confirms Thomas Morstead has been released. https://t.co/MjGMN30Q6K
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) March 4, 2021
This one hurts. Multiple reports confirmed the release of veteran punter Thomas Morstead on Thursday. The New Orleans Saints parted ways with a fan-favorite after 205 games together, including the playoffs and a Super Bowl victory. The move saves $2.5 million against the salary cap while leaving $2 million in dead money.
Morstead fell off in 2020 after his body began breaking down from a decade of high-level performance; he averaged the fewest yards per punt (43.1) of his career and had difficulty going for long-distance tries, though his accuracy is still there. He should land with another team sooner or later.
It’s still painful to see his era come to a close. Morstead was critical to one of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history, having completed the “Ambush” onside kick to win New Orleans possession to open the second half in Super Bowl XLIV. He’s been a leader on the team for years, invested in local businesses and worked around the local for charitable efforts. His 190 regular season appearances rank fourth-best in franchise history and second-most among active players, trailing only Drew Brees (228).
While it’s a small consolation, the Saints do have a replacement in mind. Blake Gillikin was stashed on injured reserve last season as an undrafted rookie out of Penn State, having put together a solid college career (where he worked closely with Phil Galiano, Penn State’s special teams coordinator who was later hired as a Saints assistant). Gillikin signed with New Orleans for a $5,000 signing bonus and held his own with Morstead in training camp. They might bring in some competition for him over the summer, but it’s his job to lose.
So here’s a toast to Morstead. He’s earned it.