ARLONGTON – When cornerback Ka’dar Hollman tackled Detroit Lions punt returner Kalif Raymond for a loss of a yard, Tommy Townsend had an excellent vantage point to watch this successful special-teams play unfold.
The Texans punter, a two-time Super Bowl champion and All-Pro selection with the Kansas City Chiefs, boomed a 62-yard punt last Sunday night with plenty of hangtime for Hollman to make an impact.
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“That’s one of my favorite plays when I catch one and I see the gunners go downfield and make a big play,” Townsend told KPRC 2. “That always fires me up. Just trying to keep the momentum going and just keep getting better week to week. The season is a grind, so you just want to keep progressing.”
The Texans play the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night at AT&T Stadium. The stadium has a gigantic scoreboard above the field that punters have hit before with high kicks.
“It’s not something that I’m going to go for,” Townsend said. “It’s one of those things if I hit it, I hit it. That’s not my purpose on game day to go and hit the scoreboard. I’m going to try and get dialed in and get ready.”
Booming punts with eye-popping leg strength and follow-through, Townsend is averaging 47 yards per punt with a 43.6 net average and a long punt of 66 yards with 24 punts downed inside opponents’ 20-yard line and just two touchbacks with one blocked punt. Opponents are averaging just 4.9 yards per punt return against the Texans.
Townsend once hit a 67-yard punt with a staggering 5.71 seconds worth of hang time against the Las Vegas Raiders while punting for the Kansas City Chiefs.
And the Texans signed Townsend to a two-year, $6 million contract this offseason as the replacement for punter Cameron Johnston, who joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on a three-year, $9 million contract after negotiations broke down.
#Texans punter Tommy Townsend @tommy_townsend on punting for first time at #Cowboys AT&T Stadium, (No, he's not trying to hit the scoreboard), Ka'dar Hollman tackle on big punt against #Lions Frank Ross' Rocky videos he shows the special teams guys @KPRC2 https://t.co/SqXhtv4786
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 17, 2024
“It’s all about winning one-on-one matchups,” Townsend said. “Everything has to go right on special teams in order to have a successful play. Everyone has to be on their Ps and Qs and hopefully you come out with some big plays.”
A former undrafted free agent from Florida, Townsend averaged 47.1 yards last season for the Super Bowl champions with five touchbacks and 20 kicks placed inside the 20-yard line.
Townsend had a career-long punt of 76 yards two seasons ago and a season-long punt of 68 yards last season.
“He brings a good energy,” Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn said. “Good spirit about him. He’s fit in well.”
High-energy Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross carries a boxer’s mentality and a hard-nosed approach to special teams. A former John Carroll University football player, Ross was nicknamed Franky Ross, the Italian Stallion when he was working for the New England Patriots. Ross likes to show the special-teams guys Rocky clips or play the theme song.
“When we when we get into cold tubs on Thursdays as a specialist unit, he always has the the Rocky theme song going on,” Townsend said. “We’re up to our necks while we sit there for a few minutes. He’s always got the Rocky thing going.”
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Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
