Ryan Stonehouse on pace to break one of the NFL’s oldest records
When the Tennessee Titans chose rookie punter Ryan Stonehouse over veteran and fan-favorite Brett Kern, in was a major endorsement of the future they saw for him in Nashville. Stonehouse has already made good on that investment, having a stellar rookie campaign that has earned him AFC Special Team Player of the Month honors for […]
When the Tennessee Titans chose rookie punter Ryan Stonehouse over veteran and fan-favorite Brett Kern, in was a major endorsement of the future they saw for him in Nashville.
Stonehouse has already made good on that investment, having a stellar rookie campaign that has earned him AFC Special Team Player of the Month honors for October and a selection as the Pro Bowl alternate for the AFC.
Stonehouse not only leads the NFL in punt average (53.37 yards), he is actually on pace to break one of the longest standing records in NFL history if he can keep pace through the final two games.
Sammy Baugh's record for highest single-season punt average (51.40 yards) has stood on it's own for 82 long years. That is the oldest single-season individual record that is held by a sole player.
Pretty soon, that player could be Ryan Stonehouse.
The rookie has not been perfect this season. Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman has spoken to the media about Stonehouse needing to improve his hang time when punting those 50 or 60 yard bombs in order to take away the possibility of a big return.
All that said, Stonehouse has proven to be a real weapon time and time again this year. He can flip the field on a dime and force opposing offenses to earn their points the hard way.
In a disappointing and frustrating second half of the season, Stonehouse has been a small silver lining that can impact Tennessee's special teams unit for years to come.
Image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
