Kyle Larson
Encyclopedia
Kyle Larson is an American football
punter who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals
as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football
at Nebraska
.
in Kearney, Nebraska
. He saw action at center
, linebacker
, and punter, and as a senior, he won All-State honors at punter after averaging 46.5 yards per punt. In addition to football
, Larson competed in track and field
. Larson was a member of Kearney High's 1999 Class A State Championship team where he placed 2nd in discus
and 3rd in shot put
at the Nebraska State Track Meet.
season in 1999, he backed up starter
Dan Hadenfeldt in 2000. He then started from 2001-2003. He was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award
his junior year, and finalist his senior year, as well as being named an All-American by the American Football Coaches Association
. He benched 405 pounds his senior year and hang cleaned 458. As a senior in 2003, he set the Nebraska
record with a 45.1-yard avg. on 66 punts, the record would later be broken by Sam Koch
. Larson also earned All-Big 12 honors. He graduated with a degree in business administration.
as a college free agent on April 27, 2004. He made his NFL debut at the New York Jets
on September 12. In his opening season he averaged 42.2 yards from 83 punts and even scored a touchdown from a fake field goal attempt at the New England Patriots
on December 12. He had not missed a game in four seasons.
Larson was waived on April 28, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
punter who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
.
Early years
Larson attended Kearney High SchoolKearney High School
Kearney High School is a public high school in Kearney, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Kearney Public Schools district. It is one of two high schools in Kearney . However, it is the only public high school in Kearney...
in Kearney, Nebraska
Kearney, Nebraska
Kearney is a city in and the county seat of Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 30,787 at the 2010 census. It is home to the University of Nebraska-Kearney....
. He saw action at center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
, linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, and punter, and as a senior, he won All-State honors at punter after averaging 46.5 yards per punt. In addition to football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, Larson competed in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. Larson was a member of Kearney High's 1999 Class A State Championship team where he placed 2nd in discus
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
and 3rd in shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
at the Nebraska State Track Meet.
College career
Larson was a walk-on at the University of Nebraska. Following a redshirtRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
season in 1999, he backed up starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
Dan Hadenfeldt in 2000. He then started from 2001-2003. He was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award
Ray Guy Award
The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to college football's top punter by the Greater Augusta Sports Council. The award is named after punter Ray Guy, a former All-American at Southern Mississippi and an all-pro player for the Oakland Raiders.-Criteria:...
his junior year, and finalist his senior year, as well as being named an All-American by the American Football Coaches Association
American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
. He benched 405 pounds his senior year and hang cleaned 458. As a senior in 2003, he set the Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
record with a 45.1-yard avg. on 66 punts, the record would later be broken by Sam Koch
Sam Koch
Sam David Koch [pronounced Cook] is an American football punter for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
. Larson also earned All-Big 12 honors. He graduated with a degree in business administration.
Cincinnati Bengals
Larson was signed by the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
as a college free agent on April 27, 2004. He made his NFL debut at the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 12. In his opening season he averaged 42.2 yards from 83 punts and even scored a touchdown from a fake field goal attempt at the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on December 12. He had not missed a game in four seasons.
Larson was waived on April 28, 2009.