Greg Coleman

Last updated

Greg Coleman
No. 9, 8, 15
Position: Punter
Personal information
Born: (1954-09-09) September 9, 1954 (age 70)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school: William M. Raines
(Jacksonville, Florida)
College: Florida A&M
NFL draft: 1976  / round: 14 / pick: 398
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Punts:820
Punting yards:33,285
Punting average:40.6
Longest punt:73
Player stats at PFR

Gregory Jerome Coleman (born September 9, 1954) is an American former professional football punter who played a 12-year career in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Florida A&M Rattlers. [1] Coleman is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity

Contents

Coleman was the Vikings sideline reporter for KFAN, until the end of the 2021 season. He is the cousin of former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder Vince Coleman. Early in his career, he earned the nickname "Coffin Corner" because of his ability to aim his kicks near the corner of the playing field where the end zone and out-of-bounds lines meet. Due to his uncharacteristic speed (for a punter) defenses often lined up to guard against a fake punt because he was a threat to run for a first down.

He is known as being one of the few African American punters who played in the NFL, with Dave Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals being the first. [2] Coleman was enshrined in the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2021. He was selected by the fans to be a member of the Viking 40th Anniversary team. He is a member of the Florida A&M Football Hall of Fame and is also a member of the State of Florida Track and Field Hall of Fame.

NFL career statistics

Legend
Led the league
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamPunting
GPPuntsYdsNet YdsLngAvgNet AvgBlkIns20TB
1977 CLE 14612,3891,7915839.229.40232
1978 MIN 9511,9911,6106139.031.01123
1979 MIN 16903,5513,0177039.533.21229
1980 MIN 16813,1392,7006538.833.30209
1981 MIN 15883,6463,0277341.434.401711
1982 MIN 9582,3842,0886741.136.0076
1983 MIN 16913,7803,3236541.536.50288
1984 MIN 16823,4732,9986242.436.60162
1985 MIN 16672,8672,4596242.836.70124
1986 MIN 16672,7742,3416941.434.90144
1987 MIN 9451,7861,4035439.730.5153
1988 WAS 10391,5051,1405338.629.2083
Career16282033,28527,8977340.633.9318464

Playoffs

YearTeamPunting
GPPuntsYdsNet YdsLngAvgNet AvgBlkIns20TB
1978 MIN 162481664941.327.7010
1980 MIN 152001795240.035.8000
1982 MIN 283172886139.632.0121
Career4197656336140.331.7131

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References

  1. Greg Coleman. nfl.com
  2. "Marquette King is the N.F.L.'s Only Black Punter. How Come?". The New Yorker . February 5, 2016.