Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt has become the franchise record holder for most games played with a 31-yard punt in the first quarter.
Colquitt has now played in his 225th career game, passing Hall of Fame right guard Will Shields for the lead in games played. Colquitt is the only remaining player on the Chiefs roster to have played with Shields, and he learned from his example. That hard work and perseverance has now paid off as Colquitt exceeds the record formerly held by Shields.
The Chiefs’ high-powered offense allowed Colquitt to punt in the first quarter, which is actually a rarity. It’s a bit of a surprise that he didn’t break the recorder holding for a PAT or field goal attempt.
Colquitt has played at an extremely high-level since signing extensions in 2013 and 2018. He nearing 50,000 career punt yards on just under 1,200 career punts. He averages around 45 yards per punt and he also has deadly accuracy, hitting tons of punts within the 20. His career statistics already exceed and rival Ray Guy, who is the only punter in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Hopefully, Colquitt sticks around for a few more seasons with the Chiefs to continue on as a leader. Playing with a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes, he’ll have to work extra hard to extend his career. Each hold and punt is magnified with the frequency and infrequency at which they occur. He’s not afraid of that challenge and will attack it head-on because that’s just the guy that he is.
