The Kansas City Chiefs have established themselves as one of the most dominant teams in the NFL in recent years and they’ve done it with several legends. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have already cemented their spot in Canton with three Super Bowl titles and counting, dating back to 2019 and the list could continue to grow if the Chiefs keep bringing Lombardi Trophies back to Arrowhead Stadium.
While Mahomes and Kelce are the first names Chiefs fans think of during the dynasty, there are other players who have contributed to the cause. That includes a former legend that came back to Kansas City on Wednesday to end his career where it began.
The Chiefs announced on Wednesday that former punter Dustin Colquitt has signed a one-day contract with the intention of retiring with the team. Colquitt was a third-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2005 NFL Draft and spent 15 of his 17-year career in Kansas City, collecting a resume that Kirk Ferentz would love.
Colquitt ranks first in franchise history with 1,124 punts, but also was effective, ranking second in franchise history in yards per punt (44.8) and net yards per punt (39.7) among those with 100 attempts during their career. Colquitt also ranks second in touchback percentage (8.7%) in that group and is first in franchise history with 462 punts inside the 20-yard line.
The 43-year-old spent his final two seasons splitting time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020 and with the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns in 2021. While he hasn’t punted since that season, he remained active after calling it quits on Wednesday.
Although the Chiefs aren’t punting as much as they used to, they are in good hands with current punter Matt Araiza, who averaged 48.8 yards per punt, 41.5 net yards per punt with a 14.5% touchback percentage and 25 punts inside the 20 yard-line last season. If he can cut back on his touchback numbers and continue to put the Chiefs in great position, he could be in line to hold the job for years to come.