Sean Landeta

Last updated

Sean Landeta
No. 5, 7
Position: Punter
Personal information
Born: (1962-01-06) January 6, 1962 (age 62)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school: Towson (MD) Loch Raven
College: Towson
Undrafted: 1983
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Punts:1,401
Punting yards:60,707
Punting average:43.3
Player stats at PFR

Sean Edward Landeta (born January 6, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a punter in both the United States Football League (USFL) and the National Football League (NFL). Landeta played 22 seasons in the NFL for five different teams between 1985 and 2006. He was named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team as the first punter and the 1990s All-Decade Team as the second punter, as chosen by the Hall of Fame Selection Committee members. He is one of 29 individuals out of 25,000 players in NFL history to be selected to multiple All-Decade teams. [1]

Contents

High school career

Landeta grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. Landeta originally began kicking as a nine-year-old. At Loch Raven High School in Towson, Maryland, Landeta was an All-City and All-Metro punter in his only season (1978). Landeta kicked a 41-yard field goal on his first attempt in his first game. His longest punt was 76 yards, which still stands as a school record. He first began playing organized football as a high school senior.

College career

Before his pro career, he played college football at Towson University in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982. He started as a freshman for Towson at the age of 17. He led the nation in punting (NCAA Division II) in 1980 and was named First-Team All American in 1982 (NCAA Division II). Landeta booted a school record 72-yard punt in 1981 and hit the school record 57-yard field goal in 1980. He became the only player in NCAA history to lead the nation in punting and field goals in the same season (1980).

Professional career

Landeta played almost half of his career for the New York Giants, where he won two championship rings in Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV. He also played for the Rams, Buccaneers, Packers and Eagles. Landeta led the NFL in punts with 107 in 1999, led the NFL in gross punting in 1994 with a 44.8 average, led the NFL with a 37.8 net average in 1989, and led the league with 24 punts inside the 20 in 1990.

Landeta was the last active NFL player who played in the United States Football League in the 1980s, punting for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars in all three of the original USFL's seasons. Landeta was named as the punter to the All-USFL team in 1983 and 1984. The Stars won back-to-back USFL championships in 1984 and 1985.

Upon the USFL's folding, Landeta joined the NFL's New York Giants, winning two Super Bowls in 1986 and 1990 in his nine seasons with the team (he would return in 2006, in what would be his last season as an active player). He then played for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams from 1993 to 1996. He re-joined the Rams for the 2003 and 2004 seasons, giving him six years with the organization. After spending one season (1997) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he moved on to play for the Green Bay Packers in 1998. In 1999, he signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles. He spent five seasons with the Eagles where he became the oldest punter in NFL history at the age of 44.

Other career highlights include being the first punter in NFL history to average more than 50-yards per punt in a game in three different decades. In 1994, Landeta led the NFL in punting with a 44.8-yard average playing for the Los Angeles Rams. He also recorded the longest punt in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history, with a 74-yarder in 1997 in a game against the New York Jets. As a member of the Green Bay Packers, he set a club record for the highest net punting average and most punts inside the 20 in team history (since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970). As a member of the Eagles, Landeta set the NFL all-time record for number of punts, punting yardage and punts inside the 20 during the 2001 season. [2]

Landeta was the longest-tenured punter in NFL history and is still the oldest punter to ever appear in an NFL game. In addition, Landeta became the first punter in NFL history to earn a $1 million annual salary. Landeta was also named to ESPN's list of 50 All-Time Greatest New York Giants players.

On March 6, 2008, the 25th anniversary of Landeta's first game in the USFL, he officially announced his retirement from professional football. [3] [4]

Post-playing career

In September 2005, Landeta was elected to the Towson University Hall of Fame.

In November 2006, Landeta was elected to the NCAA Division II College Football Hall of Fame.

In May 2009, Landeta was elected to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in Philadelphia.

In September 2011, Landeta was elected to the inaugural Loch Raven High School Hall of Fame Class.

In November 2011, Landeta was elected to the State of Maryland Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2010, Landeta became eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and appeared on the ballot for the first time.

In 2024 Landeta was named to the NY GIANTS 100th Anniversary Team.

After his retirement from the NFL, Landeta has worked with the Eagles and Giants organizations as an alumnus of both teams. He has worked in the media for CBS Radio, FOX Television, ComCast Network and Westwood One. In addition, Landeta has spoken and appeared on numerous radio and television shows around the country. Landeta has also been involved with many charities throughout his NFL career.

NFL career statistics

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
BoldCareer high
Regular season
GeneralPunting
SeasonTeamGPPuntsYardsY/PNetIn20TB
1985 NYG 16813,47242.936.42014
1986 NYG 16793,53944.837.12411
1987 NYG 12652,77342.731.0126
1988 NYG 1622237.035.810
1989 NYG 16703,01943.137.8197
1990 NYG 16753,30644.137.32411
1991 NYG 15642,76843.335.3168
1992 NYG 11532,31743.731.51810
1993 NYG 8331,39042.135.0113
LARams 8421,82543.532.977
1994 LARams 16783,49444.834.3239
1995 STL 16833,67944.336.72312
1996 STL 16783,49144.836.1239
1997 TB 10542,27442.134.1156
1998 GB 16652,78842.937.1307
1999 PHI 161074,52442.335.12112
2000 PHI 16863,63542.336.0238
2001 PHI 16974,22143.536.42610
2002 PHI 12522,22942.934.6197
2003 STL 16592,52542.832.9145
2004 STL 10401,73343.332.593
2005 PHI 5341,48343.638.272
Career2841,40160,70743.335.3380166

Personal life

Landeta is married (Donna) and has one son (Joey). He resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Nassau County, New York.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Tom Brady is first QB to make two all-decade teams". April 6, 2020.
  2. ↑ King, Peter (January 6, 1986). "Giants take a Bear-style beating". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Newsday. p. 1C, 5C. Retrieved October 13, 2021– via Google News.
  3. ↑ "Flutie retires, to work as analyst for ABC, ESPN". ESPN. Associated Press. May 15, 2006. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Former Giants punter Sean Landeta retires". nfl.com. NFL. March 6, 2008. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
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