Chiefs release Dustin Colquitt, who bids farewell to team, fans on social media accounts
Longtime Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt, released by the team this week in a salary-cap move, thanked Kansas City for his 15 years in a Chiefs uniform on his Instagram account.
“I have enjoyed my time in Chiefs Kingdom, all things must come to an end, sooner, sooner than you hoped, prayed & pleaded for them to,” Colquitt wrote. “I’ll miss walking into the building and smelling the coffee, talking to everyone...It took me forever to weave through some of the most loving people you’d ever hoped to work with. I was a young kid when I first walked into Arrowhead...hell the indoor facility used to be 70 yards. Holding the post for 15 years has been an honor than I never took for granted. Thank you KC.”
In a tweet, Colquitt responded to someone who suggested he was leaving on his own terms: “Not my terms ... this is tough.”
Later Tuesday, the Chiefs announced the news, and Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach all expressed their appreciation for Colquitt’s many years in KC.
The move provides a salary cap savings of $2 million.
“Dustin has cemented his place as one greatest punters in the history of the NFL. In addition to his exceptional play on the field, Dustin has been an invaluable member of the Kansas City community, and his dedication and generosity improved the lives of countless families throughout Chiefs Kingdom,” Hunt said. “Dustin consistently represented himself, the Chiefs and the Kansas City community with integrity and class, and he will always be a member of the Chiefs family.”
Said Reid, “I will always be a huge Dustin Colquitt fan.”
Colquitt was a third-round draft pick by the Chiefs in 2005 and was the longest-tenured player on the team that won the Super Bowl in February. He’s a two-time Pro Bowl selection, and among his franchise records is the longest punt in Chiefs history: 81 yards in a 2007 game.
He appeared in 238 games and his franchise-record 15 seasons matches former punter Jerrel Wilson as the most with the Chiefs.
Colquitt’s specialty was punts inside the 20-yard line. He landed 462 of his 1,124 punts inside the 20, a total that ranks first with the Chiefs and third in NFL history. His 50,393 yards ranks eighth in the NFL record books.
Colquitt’s involvement in the community includes his support of TeamSmile. Dental professionals from Kansas City provide dental care for kids and promote children’s oral health. Colquitt became the team’s point man for TeamSmile soon after joining the Chiefs
He’s also a member of the NFL’s first family of punting. His father, Craig, won a pair of Super Bowl rings punting for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His younger brother, Britton, plays for the Minnesota Vikings and won a Super Bowl ring with the Denver Broncos. An uncle, Jimmy, briefly punted in the NFL, too. All attended the University of Tennessee.
The Chiefs recently agreed to terms with Tyler Newsome, a former Notre Dame punter who signed a one-year deal earlier this month. They also signed former Florida punter Tommy Townsend as undrafted rookie free agent over the weekend.
Herbie Teope contributed to this story.
This story was originally published April 28, 2020 at 7:52 AM.