For the first time in 15 seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs will have a new punter in the locker room. One of the players vying for that job is undrafted free agent punter, Tommy Townsend. While there was competition for his services following the draft, Townsend knew that he made the right decision by joining the Chiefs.
“I’ve been hearing amazing things about the Chiefs, the coaching staff and just the culture that the Chiefs organization brings forward,” Townsend told reporters on Wednesday. “So, it was always something in the back of my mind that told me the Chiefs would be a really great spot for me, and it played out that way.”
Townsend didn’t anticipate Dustin Colquitt’s departure, in fact, he’d been looking forward to learning from Colquitt. He’d become familiar with him during his freshman year of college when he was with the Tennessee Volunteers, the alma mater of the Colquitt brothers.
“I actually met Britton (Colquitt) when I was at Tennessee,” Townsend said. “He came out and got some work in with us. I’ve heard stuff about Dustin (Colquitt). He’s a legend, not just for the punting industry, but for the Chiefs and throughout the NFL. Just to get a chance to work with him and learn from him is hard to pass up.”
Dustin’s departure from Kansas City was a signal to Townsend — one that let him know the Chiefs believed in his abilities.
“It definitely meant a lot,” Townsend said. “They’ve been with Dustin for a really long time. He’s a guy that has done everything the right way. The biggest thing for me is, I’m just trying to make a name for myself and become my own person. That’s what I’m really excited about.”
Townsend has wasted no time and is already getting familiar with the two players he’ll be working with most, kicker Harrison Butker and long snapper James Winchester.
“I’ve spoken to them a lot,” Townsend said. “I think that’s a big thing, having them get comfortable with me. That’s kind of one of my main goals is getting comfortable with Harrison (Butker) and James (Winchester) and having a really good, smooth and efficient operation.”
In addition to working with his teammates, Townsend participated in the Chiefs’ virtual rookie minicamp this past weekend, working with Dave Toub and the rest of the coaching staff.
“We’ve spoken a bunch, but we just finished the virtual rookie minicamp and we went over schemes and stuff like that,” Townsend explained. “So, I’ve gotten a little bit of a taste for what we’re doing in Kansas City. And I’ve gotten a chance to watch all the film from the past few seasons, and that’s kind of something I’ve been pushing for and working on is to get a feeling and understanding of the schemes that we’re using here in Kansas City and just trying to learn that. And on the holding, I’ve been holding since high school. It’s something that I’m fairly confident in. Like I said, I’ve been a holder since high school, and I also held the two seasons that I played at Florida and we did pretty well there. I’m just excited, like I said a minute ago, I’m just really excited to get to work with Harrison (Butker) and James (Winchester) to try to make the operation as efficient as possible.”
Townsend, of course, has big shoes to fill coming into Kansas City after Colquitt’s tenure. He believes that he’s prepared for the task after having to do the same with his own brother at the University of Florida.
“I think I did that at Florida,” Townsend said. “My brother (Johnny Townsend) led the country in punting average for two seasons before coming out and he was a legend at Florida. I had to come in and step into his shoes and perform. I think I did a decent job stepping in and filling his shoes. I’m really excited about the chance to step in after a guy like Dustin (Colquitt). He’s an absolute legend, so it’s exciting to have the chance to try and live up to the standard that he has set. That’s something that doesn’t scare me, it excites me. To me, it’s an opportunity to try and do what he’s done.”
Townsend’s brother was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He’s currently a free agent, but he was one of the best punters in Florida Gators history.
At the end of the day, Townsend wants to be the guy who is in Kansas City for the next 15 years. He doesn’t want to live in the shadow of Colquitt’s legacy, but he wants to compete against the standard set by Colquitt and create a legacy of his own in the NFL.
