Tag: Tommy Townsend

Which former Gators are playing in Super Bowl LVIII?

For the 22nd year in a row, a former Florida Gator will play in the Super Bowl, and two could make history with back-to-back rings.

Now that we know which teams are playing in Super Bowl LVIII, we know which former Florida Gators will be a part of the big game.

Several former Gators have played in (and won) Super Bowls. In fact, this is the 22nd Super Bowl in a row to feature a player who spent his college years in Gainesville. Legendary Dallas Cowboys running back Emmit Smith and linebacker Godfrey Myles both won back-to-back Super Bowls in the early ’90s.

This year, five Gators are a part of the two organizations playing for the Lombardi trophy. Let’s take a look at each of them.

WATCH: Chiefs execute perfect punt vs. Ravens

The #Chiefs pulled off a perfect punt against the #Ravens in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ special teams unit has been a key component of the team’s success in recent years and put on a show on Sunday in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens.

All-Pro punter Tommy Townsend was called on to pin the Ravens back deep in their own territory late in the fourth quarter and was able to boot a perfect ball that was caught by Justin Watson about a yard away from the goal line.

Kansas City only has a 10-point lead, and Baltimore’s offense has shown that it can get downfield in a hurry against the Chiefs’ stout defense. Forced to start a crucial drive at the one-yard line, Lamar Jackson faces an uphill battle to put points on the board to cut into Kansas City’s lead.

Stay tuned to the game to see if Jackson can lead the Ravens to a scoring drive, or if the Chiefs are able to keep Baltimore on its heels.

Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend celebrates 27th birthday

#Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday, November 12.

The Kansas City Chiefs special teams unit has been one of the best in the NFL this season, and punter Tommy Townsend’s efforts to flip field position have played a large part in the squad’s success in 2023.

Townsend, now in his fourth year with the Chiefs, celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday, marking yet another trip around the sun for the All-Pro punter.

A consistent presence for Kansas City on Sundays, Townsend has cemented himself as one of the league’s top punters in recent seasons and is known as one of the Chiefs’ most coveted assets on special teams.

In addition to his role as Kansas City’s punter, Townsend also serves as the team’s holder on field goals and has been stellar in his time helping Harrison Butker nail three-point tries since joining the Chiefs as Dustin Colquitt’s successor in 2020.

Though he won’t be on the field in Week 10 as Kansas City takes its bye, fans can expect to see Townsend back in action against the Philadelphia Eagles on November 20.

Dave Toub: QB Patrick Mahomes is the Chiefs’ emergency punter

Special teams coordinator Dave Toub says quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the #Chiefs’ emergency punter.

The Kansas City Chiefs avoided possible disaster before their Week 6 victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football. All-Pro punter Tommy Townsend was dealing with a sore knee ahead of the game but was well enough to get through the game.

Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub has never shied away from utilizing any player on the roster for a role. He has gone to place-kicking enthusiast Justin Reid as an emergency backup for Harrison Butker. Toub revealed to reporters on Thursday his intentions to utilize Patrick Mahomes as the team’s backup punter if necessary in games.

“Yeah, we had a plan. We had a plan, and believe it or not, ’15’ (Mahomes) Is our backup punter,” Toub explained. “He could do it. I mean, he shows me all the time. You know he’s out there boom on Saturdays hitting punts. He can do it all, that guy. It’s unbelievable.”

Mahomes has often pushed for doing more outside of the quarterback position, whether in jest or for the team’s betterment.

“If we wanted him to, he could probably,” said Toub, reiterating the real possibility of Mahomes the punter being an emergency option.

WATCH: Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend struts his stuff at fashion show

Watch punter Tommy Townsend take to the catwalk at the #Chiefs Style Lounge in a video posted to social media on Tuesday.

Tommy Townsend is known for his luscious hair and deadly-accurate leg, but the Kansas City Chiefs punter showed off another side of his personality on Tuesday at a fashion show.

The All-Pro special teamer was seen strutting his stuff on the catwalk at the Chiefs Style Lounge. This annual event celebrates women entrepreneurs and is a chance for Kansas City to show off some of their new gear available for purchase at the Chiefs’ Pro Shop.

Townsend’s confidence was on full display during his time on the catwalk, and he ended his strut with a flare that was more befitting of Paris, France than the Paris of the Plains.

This mid-week showing was a great chance for Townsend to showcase his personality amid the Chiefs’ five-game winning streak, wherein fans haven’t seen much from his beloved boot.

Expect this video to get plenty of play around Kansas City ahead of the Chiefs’ Week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

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Chiefs Dave Toub reveals the complexity of returning punts

Kansas City #Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub reveals the complexity of returning punts. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into Week 3 of the season with some parts of their system to fix. A facet of the team that could use improvement is special teams in the return game.

Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub has sorted multiple options over the last two years at punt returner. The Chiefs’ current punt returner, Richie James, notably fumbled away an opportunity in the first half of last Sunday’s victory in Jacksonville. Toub addressed the mishap during his Thursday press conference with reporters.

“I think he thought he was, you know, and I’m speaking for him, but I think he thought he was in a perfect position to catch it,” Toub explained. “I mean, could you watch the tape and you can really, you know, the TV copy, you can see his eyes like he was looking at the ball. It wasn’t like he was looking at the coverage or anything.

“He thought he was looking at the ball. And then also it kind of moved late on him and obviously, you know, didn’t work out like we want it to but that, you know, he was a he’s a good catcher, you know, and that was an oddball. That was a thing that, you know, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem going forward. And we just need him to get better.”

James suffered an injury in Jacksonville and hasn’t practiced, creating doubt about his availability against the Bears. Toub explained the difficulties of becoming a good punt returner and hinted at what he is looking for in a player at the position.

“It’s way different,” Toub continued. “It’s way different catching a real punt and catching a punt for jugs totally different, like the jugs (machine) will give you the perfect turnover every time upon that you’re gonna get the crazy pump, you know, the crazy turn rotation of the football and the wind affects it differently.

“So it’s harder to catch a real punt. So that’s why we try every time we have a chance to catch Tommy’s (Townsend) punt. So we want to do that as much as we can. But you can’t have Tommy; he can’t; he’s not a human juggs machine. So you can only get so many.”

Bizarre: Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend tried to put on second helmet vs. Lions

Bizarre: Tommy Townsend inexplicably tried to put a second helmet on after an extra point conversion.

The Kansas City Chiefs led the Detroit Lions heading into halftime during their highly anticipated Week 1 matchup. While the team’s spectacular play has dazzled fans across the country, a relatively innocuous moment early in the game may be a talking point on Friday.

After a successful extra point conversion, Chiefs punter and holder Tommy Townsend came across a stray helmet on the field. Inexplicably, Townsend tried to place the helmet on his head while already donning his game-issued protective equipment, which provided a moment of levity in an otherwise nerve-wracking tilt.

Did Townsend forget that he had his helmet on? Was this some kind of inside joke? Could it be that he wanted an extra layer of protection? Whose helmet was it anyway?

The world may never know. Fans will have to wait until the Chiefs’ post-game press conference and hope that Townsend is selected to speak to find out more about this bizarre moment.

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Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend: Ankle injury is ‘improving really quickly’

Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend told reporters that his ankle injury is “improving really quickly” during comments after practice on Monday. | from: @WesleyRoesch

Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro punter Tommy Townsend rolled his ankle last week during a training camp practice, but the injury appears to be healing quickly according to the man himself.

“It’s just kind of been a day-to-day thing,” Townsend said during Monday’s press conference. “It’s been improving really quickly which is good. It just got twisted up a little bit last week, but like I said, it’s been feeling really good.”

Townsend, who has been practicing off and on despite the injury, didn’t make it seem like he plans to miss any significant time in the coming weeks.

“I’ve been working with [assistant athletic trainer David] Glover in the training room, and it’s been progressing really well,” he said. “I don’t really expect it to be lingering or anything like that, so feeling good.”

Barring a setback, it sounds like Townsend will be playing in the preseason. At the very least, Townsend should be ready to go once Week 1 kicks off on September 7 against the Detroit Lions.

That’s good news, as Townsend was the NFL’s best punter in 2022, posting the league’s best net punting average (45.6) during the regular season. Now entering his fourth season, the 26-year-old hopes to come off his best season by solidifying himself as a consistently-elite punter.

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Tommy Townsend wants to be ‘Harry Potter’ with the football in 2023

Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend says he wants to be ‘Harry Potter with the football in 2023. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs offense garners plenty of well-deserved attention around the league, but an often overlooked strength of the team is their ability to win the field position battle against opponents on special teams.

Punter Tommy Townsend’s 2022 season was about as good as could be for any NFL punter. He earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors, making it his best season to date. Townsend spoke with the media on Monday, revealing his plans to improve in 2023, even referencing a famous wizard for inspiration.

“[I’m] just trying to work on, like, the same things that I did last year,” Townsend explained. “[I’m] just trying to, like, hold on to the ball a little bit longer, because like I’ve mentioned before, and like everyone knows… Kansas City [is] one of the windiest places to play.

“So yeah, just trying to, like, hold on to the ball as long as I can. And really pull my legs straight through. But, you know, a big thing, you know, try and work on a bunch of different kicks, and you know, try and be a wizard with the football just, you know, [be] Harry Potter with the football.”

Townsend was named an AFC Special Teams Player of the Week last year and was a playoff captain for Kansas City during its Super Bowl run. He will look to replicate that same magic in 2023 as the new season draws near.

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Top quotes from Chiefs’ August 7 post-practice press conference

Check out some of the top quotes from the #Chiefs’ post-practice press conference on August 7:

The Kansas City Chiefs were back to work on Monday after a day off at training camp with fresher energy and enthusiasm on the field during their workouts at Missouri Western State University. Four Chiefs got in front of the podium for the team’s post-practice press conference, and each gave reporters’ generous responses heading into preparation for this Sunday’s preseason opener.

Andy Reid, Isiah Pacheco, Trent McDuffie, and Tommy Townsend spoke to reporters and provided valuable insight into their thoughts on training camp, teammates, and more.

Check out their top quotes below: