Pat McAfee

Pat McAfee

No.1 Indianapolis Colts

McAfee with the Colts in 2014
No. 1 Indianapolis Colts
Position: Punter
Personal information
Date of birth: (1987-05-02) May 2, 1987
Place of birth: Plum, Pennsylvania
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 233 lb (106 kg)
Career information
High school: Plum (PA)
College: West Virginia
NFL draft: 2009 / Round: 7 / Pick: 222
Career history
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2015
Punts: 520
Punting yards: 23,958
Punting average: 46.1
Longest Punt: 66
Inside 20: 174
Player stats at NFL.com

Patrick Justin McAfee, (born May 2, 1987) nicknamed "Boomstick",[2] is an American football punter for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He was a placekicker, punter, and soccer player at West Virginia, and was drafted by the Colts in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

High school

McAfee attended Plum High School in his hometown of Plum, Pennsylvania, playing both soccer and football. As a senior, he borrowed $100 from a friend and played poker at an illegal poker club, turning it into $1,400. He used the funds to finance a trip to Miami to participate in the final day of a national competition highlighting the best field goal kicking prospects in America. McAfee made nine consecutive field goals, starting at 25 yards and moving five yards out each time. He narrowly missed a 70-yard field goal, with the ball missing to the right but with enough distance to make it. After returning home, he was approached in the school's lunchroom by Tony Gibson, West Virginia's recruiting coordinator, who offered him a scholarship.[3]

College career

Freshman season

McAfee earned the starting job at West Virginia as a freshman. He was 11 for 18 as a freshman on field goals, and had 70 kickoffs for the season with 20 being touchbacks. McAfee's most memorable moment came against Louisville in a 46-44 triple overtime win, which was reached after a successful McAfee onside kick. The onside kick gave running back Steve Slaton the chance to tie the game with a one-yard touchdown run.[4]

Sophomore season

Although they had losses to Louisville and USF, the Mountaineers won ten games and were victors in the Gator Bowl over Georgia Tech.[5]

Junior season

McAfee started his junior season with a missed extra point against Western Michigan, ending his streak of 106 consecutive extra points. He finished the season in the Fiesta Bowl with a 2 for 4 performance, having one kick blocked by Oklahoma. He was named to the ESPN All-Bowl Team following the bowl season.[6]

McAfee missed two relatively short field goals in WVU's 13-9 loss to a Pitt Panthers team with only 4 wins; ultimately taking the Mountaineers out of the BCS National Championship Game. He was named to the 2007 Lou Groza Award semi-finalist list for the best collegiate kicker. McAfee earned Big East Special Team Player of the week honors three times in 2007 and was named second-team All-Big East. He earned West Virginia's Scott Shirley Award for the second consecutive year.

Senior season

McAfee began his senior year in a 48-21 season-opening victory over Villanova in which he kicked two field goals, including a career-long of 52-yards, six extra points, and two punts. In the following 27-3 win over Marshall, McAfee became the school record holder for all-time scoring with a field goal, passing Slaton.[7] He went two for two on field goals to move to third place for the Big East record of career field goals made in a 34-17 victory over Auburn.

Perhaps McAfee's most memorable performance of the season came against Cincinnati on November 8. The Mountaineers trailed by 13 points with 1:11 left in regulation, but reduced the deficit to 3 points with a safety, touchdown, and two-point conversion, all in less than a minute. Departing fans came sprinting back into the stadium just in time to see McAfee's onside kick recovered with 18 seconds remaining. He would tie the game as time expired with a 52-yard field goal, but the Mountaineers would go on to lose in overtime.

McAfee finished his senior year with a career-best 44.7 yards per punt average, a Big East-leading 23 punts inside the 20-yard line, and a career-high 2,639 yards with a 65-yard long.

Professional career

Pre-draft

Following his senior season at WVU, McAfee was invited to the 2009 Senior Bowl in Alabama, joining Mountaineers Pat White and Ellis Lankster. He started the Senior Bowl as the South team's kicker. McAfee performed in the 11th annual State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge, winning the "round the world" kicking competition.

Indianapolis Colts

McAfee was drafted in the seventh round (222nd overall) by the Indianapolis Colts. McAfee was signed before training camp. He handled punting and kick-off duties for the Colts in 2009, as well as holding for extra-points and field goals.

McAfee maintained a 46.6-yard punting average for the 2011 regular season, a career-high mark. He would better that mark the following season by posting a 48.2-yard average on punts.[8] On March 7, 2014, McAfee announced he had signed a five-year contract to remain with the Colts.[9]

McAfee was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September 2014. He led the NFL in punting average (45.6 yards) and touchbacks on kickoff (24), and converted the NFL's only two successful onside kicks in the first four weeks of the season.[10] In week 6, McAfee converted his third onside kick of the season, recovering the ball himself after it traveled the necessary 10 yards.[11] On December 23, 2014, McAfee was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl,[12] and on January 2, 2015, he was selected by the Associated Press as the First Team All-Pro punter.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season

Season Team Punting
GP Punts Yds Net Yds Lng Avg Net Avg Blk OOB Dn In 20 TB FC Ret RetY TD
2009 Indianapolis Colts 16 64 2,837 2,416 60 44.3 37.8 0 0 7 21 6 15 36 301 0
2010 Indianapolis Colts 15 65 2,731 2,302 66 42.0 35.4 0 3 8 21 7 22 25 289 1
2011 Indianapolis Colts 16 88 4,098 3,488 64 46.6 39.2 1 8 11 21 3 18 48 550 1
2012 Indianapolis Colts 16 73 3,520 2,985 64 48.2 40.3 1 10 9 26 8 14 32 375 1
2013 Indianapolis Colts 16 76 3,499 2,963 65 46.0 38.5 1 8 15 27 7 17 29 396 1
2014 Indianapolis Colts 16 69 3,221 2,956 61 46.7 42.8 0 7 5 30 3 19 35 205 0
2015 Indianapolis Colts 9 48 2,331 2,085 61 48.6 43.4 0 5 5 13 3 12 23 186 1
Total 104 483 22,237 19,195 66 46.0 39.7 3 41 60 159 37 117 228 2,302 5

Postseason

Season Team Punting
GP Punts Yds Net Yds Lng Avg Net Avg Blk OOB Dn In 20 TB FC Ret RetY TD
2009 Indianapolis Colts 3 12 550 514 56 45.8 42.8 0 0 0 3 1 7 4 16 0
2010 Indianapolis Colts 1 4 153 138 46 38.3 34.5 0 0 1 1 0 2 1 15 0
2012 Indianapolis Colts 1 4 194 137 53 48.5 34.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 57 0
2013 Indianapolis Colts 2 6 310 268 58 51.7 44.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 42 0
2014 Indianapolis Colts 2 8 375 296 68 46.9 37.0 0 1 1 1 3 0 3 19 0
Total 9 34 1,582 1,350 68 46.2 38.7 0 1 2 5 4 9 18 149 0

Controversies

On October 20, 2010, McAfee was arrested and charged with public intoxication, a Class B misdemeanor. McAfee had been found shirtless and wet, and assumed to be swimming in a canal in Broad Ripple, a popular nightclub area, at approximately 5:15 that morning after being reported by a woman who found him near her car. Police reported that he tested with a blood alcohol content of 0.15.[14] The Colts later issued a one-game suspension to McAfee for his actions.[15] Two weeks after being arrested, McAfee issued an apology for his actions. "Obviously I made a dumb decision on a night when things got out of control," he said. "I will never put my team or my family through this kind of embarrassment again." Since the October 2010 arrest, McAfee has not had any run-ins with the law.[16]

On January 4, 2014, McAfee tweeted a photo with Colts teammate Andrew Luck in the background, almost completely nude.[17] McAfee, who was taking a picture of kicker Adam Vinatieri being interviewed in the locker room, apologized for the incident and was fined $10,000 by the Colts organization, according to his interview with the Bob & Tom Show.[18]

Philanthropy

The Pat McAfee Foundation

The Pat McAfee Foundation is a not-for-profit organization with the goal of providing assistance for the sons and daughters of military personnel. McAfee worked closely with his father, Tim McAfee, to establish the foundation.[19]

Appearances

In November, 2011 McAfee chopped off his signature locks for Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces for children who are suffering from long-term illness and are financially disadvantaged. [20]

McAfee is a regular on the nationally syndicated morning radio program The Bob & Tom Show. He has described co-host Bob Kevoian as one of his best friends during an interview on the Off the Air Podcast hosted by sports commentator Chick McGee [21]

Personal life

McAfee is also a stand-up comedian, and has performed in events around Indiana.[22]

On February 5, 2016, McAfee became a Guinness World Record Holder by successfully kicking a 40-yard field goal while being blindfolded. [23]

References

  1. ↑ DaSilva, Cameron (February 5, 2016). "Colts' Pat McAfee sets Guinness World Record for longest blindfolded FG". Fox Sports. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  2. ↑ http://www.stampedeblue.com/2013/10/23/5005878/the-boomstick-lays-the-boom
  3. ↑ Keefer, Zak (October 24, 2014). "$100, a lie and a poker club: How Pat McAfee became an NFL punter". indystar.com. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  4. ↑ MSNsportsNET.Com - West Virginia University Mountaineers
  5. ↑ MSNsportsNET.Com - West Virginia University Mountaineers
  6. ↑ ESPN.com's 2007 All-Bowl Football Team
  7. ↑ http://www.msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm?story=13500&cat=exclusives
  8. ↑ "Pat McAfee, P for the Indianapolis Colts". NFL.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ Sanchez, Josh (March 7, 2014). "Pat McAfee, Indianapolis Colts agree to five-year deal". fansided.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Colts' Pat McAfee named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month". wthr.com. October 2, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  11. ↑ Mandell, Nina (October 9, 2014). "The Colts completely fooled the Texans with an early onside kick". ftw.usatoday.com. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  12. ↑ "2015 Pro Bowl: Complete roster". NFL.com. December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  13. ↑ Wesseling, Chris (January 2, 2015). "2014 All-Pro Teams: Analysis of the full rosters". nfl.com. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Colts' McAfee Suspended After Public Intoxication Arrest". theindychannel.com. October 21, 2010. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  15. ↑ Colts punter Pat McAfee charged with misdemeanor | IndyStar.com
  16. ↑ "Colts punter Pat McAfee apologizes for 'embarrassing' arrest". USA Today. November 3, 2010.
  17. ↑ Hanzus, Dan (January 9, 2014). "Pat McAfee fined for posting Andrew Luck in the buff". NFL.com. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  18. ↑ https://soundcloud.com/bobandtom/pat-mcafee-explains-his-tweet
  19. ↑ "About Us-History". Pat McAfee Foundation. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  20. ↑ Chapman, Chuck. "Pat McAfee Sheds Ponytail for Charity". Sports Media 101. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  21. ↑ "Episode 128: Pat McAfee Returns". Off the Air Podcast. February 10, 2015.
  22. ↑ Bream, Rebecca. "Pat McAfee making Indiana comedy tour". Indy Star. USA Today. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  23. ↑ daSilva, Cameron. "Colts' Pat McAfee sets Guinness World Record for longest blindfolded FG". Fox Sports. Retrieved 16 February 2016.

External links

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