Punters don't get very much recognition, and when they do, it's usually for doing something bad. However, a good punter can instantly turn around their team’s fortunes.
Since beginning play in 1961, the Minnesota Vikings have had some good punters. They have stepped up (or, literally, stepped forward) to boot the ball and pin opponents deep inside their end of the field.
The criteria used to select this top-five list is a minimum number of games with Minnesota (60), average yards per punt, number of punts resulting in touchbacks, number of punts that landed inside an opponent’s 20-yard line, and net yardage. Without further ado, here are the top five punters in Vikings history.
(A note for clarification: similar lists show Bobby Walden, 1964-1967, as the Vikings' all-time leader in net average with 42.9. However, the NFL did not keep track of punts inside the 20 and touchbacks until 1976, therefore inflating Walden’s net average.)
5 best Minnesota Vikings punters of all-time
5. Greg Coleman (1978-1987)
Greg Coleman was a 14th-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in 1977 before becoming a Viking in 1978. Athleticism is evident in the Coleman family as Greg’s cousin, Vince, played outfield in the MLB for over a decade.
Coleman was so adept at pinning opponents deep in their territory that his nickname was “Coffin Corner.” Another characteristic of Coleman’s skills was kicking the ball quickly. That ability alone made defenses line up near the line of scrimmage to ensure Coleman didn’t fake a punt and run for a first down.
During his career, Coleman played 138 games as a Viking, averaged 40.8 yards per punt, 59 of his punts went for a touchback, and 155 punts landed inside opponents’ 20-yard line, bringing his net yardage to 34.5.
4. Mitch Berger (1996-2001)
When one looks at Mitch Berger’s career in a nutshell, it appears that he played for over half the teams in the NFL. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but his time in Minnesota was not. Berger became a Viking in 1996 after spending the previous two years on and off the rosters of five different clubs.
Berger stuck with Minnesota due to his ability to kick the ball well. Not only was he a good punter, but Berger was used on kickoffs and was known for hammering the ball into the opposite end zone for touchbacks. Vikings fans might also recall with fondness the times when Berger pulled a Snickers candy bar out of his spare shoe for a quick snack.
As a Viking, Berger played in 90 games, averaged 43.5 yards per punt, had 46 punts for a touchback, 109 punts landed in the opponents’ 20, and his net average was 35.0.
3. Harry Newsome (1990-1993)
Harry Newsome was an eighth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1985. He held a Steelers record with an 84-yard punt during a game. In 1990, Newsome became a Viking even though he had a bad habit of getting his punts blocked.
Not only does he share an NFL record with 14 punts blocked in his career, but Newsome also set a single-season league record (in 1988) with six blocked punts.
Newsome played in Minnesota for 64 games. His average yards per boot was 44.4, 39 of his punts were for a touchback, 80 landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line, and Newsome’s net average was 35.1.
2. Chris Kluwe (2005-2013)
Chris Kluwe is still well known for his eight-year career as a Viking. He came to Minnesota after failing to make the Seattle Seahawks final roster in 2005. Right away, Kluwe gained a reputation for his big leg which helped him average 44.1 yards per punt as a rookie, good for second in the NFC.
Kluwe was also voted as the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Month in September, a franchise first for a rookie. He was then selected for the Pro Football Writer’s Association (PFWA) All-Rookie Team.
When he wasn’t kicking the ball, Kluwe gained national attention for his off-field pursuits. Those included his activism for gay rights and same-sex marriage. When the Vikings released Kluwe following the 2012 season, he openly believed it was due to his stance on same-sex marriage (which the team denied).
As a Viking, Kluwe played in 127 games. His average yards per kick was 44.4, 54 punts went for a touchback, 198 landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, and Kluwe’s net average was 37.3.
1. Jeff Locke (2013-2016)
In the 2013 NFL Draft, the Vikings made a surprise selection. With the 155th pick in the fifth round, the team took UCLA punter Jeff Locke. The selection raised eyebrows because drafting a punter (at least in the modern era) is largely frowned upon. In fact, Locke is the highest pick the Vikings have ever used on a punter.
It was hard to deny his talent, however, as Locke was a three-time all-conference member in college. Locke then became a necessary addition for Minnesota when the team released Kluwe a few days after the draft.
Right off the bat, Locke proved to be a good punter. He was a member of the franchise for 64 games, averaging 43.2 yards per punt, and he had 17 touchbacks. 101 of his punts landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, and Locke had a net average of 38.7.