RIP Ray Guy

Those attributes don't mean squat to one individual, apparently.

 

I guess he ... kicked the bucket.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHH!

 

I could only find statistics back to 1976 for net yards.

https://www.footballdb.com/leaders/yearly-punting-netavg

Guy never lead the league in net everage.

 

Ahem ... Russell Erxleben ... in response to your first sentence.

Back on topic ... Ray Guy and Reggie Roby are the two best punters I've seen. RIP, good sir and Thank You.

 

IRRC, Dr. Z shared your thoughts.

 

I knew Erxlaben did both, but I thought he was used mostly for placekicking in the NFL, when it was mostly punting.

 

People used to rip Peter King on Twitter for not supporting Ray Guy for the hall. King's standard response was "What should we do about the 63 punters ranked ahead of him?"

 

He shared them repeatedly. I recall he specifically raved about Davis’ control of the ball in Candlestick.

 

I remember that game well. Bears’ defense had 72 sacks that season. Plunkett was already hurt and out for the game. Marc Wilson, I believe, got a concussion and David Humm injured his leg and ended up having his career ended. Guy almost got in the game, but Wilson went back in. That likely wouldn’t have happened today.

Jim McMahon also got knocked out of the game for the Bears and Steve Fuller had to come in. That entire game was a train wreck.

I read a Guy interview a while back where he said that he once did take a snap on the last play before halftime to throw a Hail Mary against the Lions, but Bubba Baker crushed him and he didn’t get a chance to throw.

Also had an incredible moment in the Super Bowl against the Redskins, er, Commanders. Caught a high snap over his head with one hand and got the punt off. Could have turned the game around for the Washingtons if not for his athleticism. RIP

 

Erxleben was drafted as a dual, but ended up just as a punter after missing some kicks and having psychological problems dealing with the pressure of kicking.

He’s also had quite the checkered post-NFLlife.

The Messed Up Life of "The Most Hated Man in Saints History"

 

Yeah. The Saints then drafted some stiff named Morten Andersen. Worked out just a bit better ...