Personal information | |||||||
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Born: | Leoti, Kansas, U.S. | February 14, 1995||||||
Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Boone (Orlando, FL) | ||||||
College: | Florida | ||||||
Position: | Punter | ||||||
NFL draft: | 2018 / Round: 5 / Pick: 173 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com |
Johnny Townsend (born February 14, 1995) is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football at Florida.[1] He was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. His younger brother Tommy is a punter on the Chiefs' active roster.
Townsend played at William R. Boone High School in Orlando.[2] He was initially recruited by Ohio State.[3]
Townsend had the highest Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) punting average in the country in 2016, with a 47.9 yard average.[4] With this average, he also set the all-time punting record for the Florida Gators.[5] Townsend held the FBS record for highest career average yards per punt until 2021, when it was broken by Colorado State punter Ryan Stonehouse.[6]
Townsend was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round (173rd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.[7] The pick used to draft him was acquired from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for Jamize Olawale.[8] He made his NFL debut in the Raiders' season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. He had four punts for 178 net yards in the 33–13 loss.[9] In Week 10, against the Los Angeles Chargers, he executed a 42-yard rush on a fake punt.[10] He totaled 70 punts for 3,022 net yards for a 43.17 average in his rookie season.[11] He was waived by the Raiders on August 13, 2019.[12]
On August 14, 2019, Townsend was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants.[13] He was waived on August 31, 2019.[14]
After sitting out the 2019 NFL season, Townsend had a tryouts with the Baltimore Ravens on August 18 and 22, 2020.[15][16] He signed with the team on August 25, 2020.[17] He was waived on September 5, 2020.[18]
Townsend was signed to the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs on November 17, 2020, joining his brother Tommy who is on their active roster.[19]
Townsend was signed by the Baltimore Ravens off the Chiefs' practice squad on December 31, 2020, after punter Sam Koch was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.[20]
On August 17, 2021, Townsend was waived by the Ravens and re-signed to the practice squad on September 1, 2021[21] He was released from the practice squad on September 21, 2021.[22]
Townsend signed with the Tennessee Titans on September 30, 2021.[23] He was waived on October 19, 2021.[24]
On October 30, 2021, Townsend was signed to the Houston Texans practice squad.[25] On November 2, 2021, Townsend was released by the Texans.[26]
Townsend was signed to the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad on December 23, 2021.[27] Following his brother, Tommy, the Chiefs' usual punter, testing positive for COVID-19, he was elevated via a standard elevation for the Chiefs' week 16 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He reverted back to the practice squad after the game, and later released on December 28.[28]
Townsend joined the Orlando Guardians of the XFL in February 2023.[29] The Guardians folded when the XFL and United States Football League merged to create the United Football League (UFL).[30]