The Average Salary of an NFL Punter
The punter is the person who kicks the ball to the opposing team on fourth down in football games. Punters sometimes also serve as kickers, who kick the ball for field goals and points after touchdowns. Both positions are part of the special teams group on a football team. Punters are typically not known to fans as stars of a football team. But punters, like all other players in the NFL, are paid according to a contract and earn a paycheck once every two weeks during the football season.
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Average Salary
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The average salary of a punter in the NFL is less than $1 million per year. According to Sports Illustrated, the average is $868,005. In addition to a player's base salary, though, he may earn bonuses. A player can also earn money from other sources, such as endorsements and speaking engagements.
Highest Salaries
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The highest paid punter in the league is Minnesota Vikings' Chris Kluwe. He is slated to earn $5 million in 2010, according to Sports Illustrated. The Buffalo Bills have the highest paid special teams duo in Brian Moorman (punter) and Rian Lindell (kicker) who earn a combined $5.4 million as of 2010.
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Lowest Salaries
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The lowest paid punters in the NFL earned base salaries of $310,000 for the 16-games season in 2009, according to USA Today. Each of those players, all rookies, did earn signing bonuses for higher total salaries --- ranging from $335,250 to $505,400.
Punter-friendly Teams
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In 2009, the Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams had some of the highest paid special teams players in the league, with four players combined in the top 10. Being considered a punter-friendly team can be fickle. Special teams players will do well with teams when their kicks are on target; a player can be cut after only a few games with repeated poor kicks.
Franchise Punters
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There are a few franchise punters and kickers in the league. The franchise tag value in 2010 is $2.48 million, according to the NFL. The only active franchise punter in 2010 is Shane Lechler of the Oakland Raiders. The franchise value is derived from the salaries of the top five players in the position --- punters and kickers both count toward the total.
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References
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