Ups and downs have defined the Kansas City Chiefs’ past 14 seasons. When it comes to Chiefs loyalty, however, Dustin Colquitt far from just a punter.
Long time Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt has endured some lean years.
This includes the miserable 2012 season when the Kansas City Chiefs went 2-14, finishing not only in the AFC West basement but finishing tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the worst record in the NFL.
In addition, he was around for the equally dismal 2008 season when the team was saved from owning the NFL’s worst record only by besting the 0-16 Detroit Lions by two meaningless wins.
This longtime, still active Chief has taken the field w nine different starting quarterbacks (Trent Green, Damon Huard, Brodie Croyle, Tyler Palko, Kyle Orton, Alex Smith, Chase Daniel, Nick Foles, and Patrick Mahomes.
The punter has also played under five Head Coaches running the show (Dick Vermeil, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Todd Haley, and Andy Reid).
It’s safe to say that the Chiefs punter has lived the highs and lows that all Chiefs fans have over the past decade and then some.
Drafted in the third round of the 2005 draft (99 overall), the 6-foot-3, 210 pounds left-footed kicker has booted the ball on 4th downs in the Red and Gold for the past 14 years.
Despite the long tenure he is nowhere near finished.
Colquitt, the oldest player on the Chiefs roster at 36-years-old, signed a three-year contract worth up to $9 million last offseason, although teased with more lucrative offers from other teams.
Like his quarterback (Mahomes),the Chiefs punter had made it no secret that he wants to retire in Kansas City.
Having endured the Chiefs abhorrent, mediocre, and semi-successful years in Kansas City, last year was an anomaly for Colquitt.
To put it in perspective, he was forced to boot the ball on fourth down a total of only 45 times, the third least in the league, behind only the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints.
In those ‘never-to-be-spoken-of-again’ 2008 and 2012 seasons, he punted 153 times, combined.
He had to put so little that an underutilized was Colquitt, during week Ten’s 26-14 drubbing of the Arizona Cardinals, he jokingly quipped to a mic’d up Mahomes after one of his few punts of the game, “Thanks for letting me punt. I appreciate it. It felt good to get out there again.”
"They better put some respect on your name." – @PatrickMahomes5 to @cheetah on Sunday ✊
Mahomes had the 🎤 against the Cardinals. https://t.co/VneM2B2HvQ
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 14, 2018
The long-time Cheif had punting in his genes. Dad, Craig Colquitt, took over fourth down duties for the Pittsburgh Steelers in seasons 1978-1981 and 1983-1984, garnering two Super Bowl rings with the Black and Gold.
His brother, Britton, also owns a super bowl ring that he won with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. He now punts for the Cleveland Browns.
Uncle, Jimmy Colquitt, punted two games for the Seattle Seahawks in 1985.
However, aside from the rings, Dustin, tops them all. Currently the highest-paid punter in the NFL, he is a two-time Pro Bowler, holds the Chiefs record for longest punt (81 yards) and is the Chiefs all-time leader in both most punts (1,067) and most punting yards (48,267).
Colquitt is third on the NFL all-time list for punting inside the 20.
The veteran has earned the appreciation and respect of both his fans and his teammates during his career in Kansas City.
He was voted team captain by teammates a total of three times (2013, 2016, and 2017). In addition, he was also the Chiefs 2018 nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for the past two seasons in part because of his charitable work within the community.
His main charity is TeamSmile, an organization which provides freed dental work to underprivileged children.
Colquitt launched his “Punting for Smiles” campaign where he raises $500 dollars for each punt inside the 20-yard line.
Additionally, the married father of five donates $20,000 yearly to TeamSmile.
His loyalty to Kansas City, both the city and the team, makes it clear that Colquitt is not just one of the best NFL punters ever.
