Wikipedia

Andy Lee (American football)

Andrew Paul Lee (born August 11, 1982) is an American former football punter. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL draft.

Andy Lee
refer to caption
Lee with the Browns in 2015
No. 4, 8, 2, 14
Position:Punter
Personal information
Born: (1982-08-11) August 11, 1982 (age 42)
Westminster, South Carolina, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school:West-Oak
(Westminster, South Carolina)
College:Pittsburgh (2000–2003)
NFL draft:2004 / round: 6 / pick: 188
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Punts:1,466
Punting yards:68,405
Punting average:46.7
Longest punt:82
Inside 20:476
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Lee also has been a member of the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. He was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 2007, 2009, and 2011 seasons.

Early life

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Lee was born in Westminster, South Carolina.[1] He graduated from West-Oak High School in Westminster.[2] At West-Oak High School, Lee was a 3-sport star athlete, lettering in football, baseball, and basketball. In football, he punted and played tight end and wide receiver as a senior. His punting average as a senior was 42.8 yards, earning him a 33rd ranking in South Carolina by SuperPrep. He was selected twice to All-Conference honors in basketball and helped lead the baseball team to a district championship and the state playoffs. As a pitcher, he went 5–0 as a junior and 8–2 as a senior, with a selection to the North-South Baseball All-Star Game and a Golden and Silver Arm Award.[citation needed]

College career

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Lee attended the University of Pittsburgh and played for the Pittsburgh Panthers football team from 2000 to 2003.[3] He was Pittsburgh's starting punter for three seasons after winning the starting role late in true freshman season (2000). His 244 punts and 10,353 yards are tops in school history.[4] He had 29 fair catches, 61 kicks downed inside 20-yard line and three blocked kicks.[citation needed] He was the only player to ever win Big East Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors twice in career.[5] His senior year in college, Lee was a semi-finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given to college football's top punter.[6] Lee was the All-Big East Conference first-team choice and Co-Special Teams Player of the Year.[7]

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash
6 ft 1 in
(1.85 m) 		207 lb
(94 kg) 		31 in
(0.79 m) 		9+1⁄8 in
(0.23 m)		 5.00 s
All values from NFL Combine[8][9][10]

San Francisco 49ers

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Andy Lee

2004 season

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Following a successful collegiate career, Lee was selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft with the 188th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers.[11] He was the last active player drafted in the 2004 NFL draft. Lee had never attended an NFL game growing up in South Carolina. Even when he went on to become a standout punter on the collegiate level at the University of Pittsburgh, he was still a stranger to live NFL action. In Lee's rookie season, he punted 96 times with 25 dropped inside the 20 and an NFL-long of 81 yards. His punting average of 41.6 yards per punt was first time a 49ers punter averaged over 40 yards per punt since Reggie Roby in 1998. Lee also posted seven punts for 338 yards (48.3 avg.), including career-long of 81 yards with one punt downed inside 20-yard line at Tampa Bay (11–21). His 81-yarder was fourth-longest in 49ers history and NFL's longest punt of the year.[12]

2005 season

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In 2005, Lee set a career-high with 107 punts (41.6 avg.), including 15 punts downed inside the 20. His three touchbacks in 107 punts was third-best ratio of touchbacks-to-punts among punters with 30 or more kicks in 2005, trailing Houston’s Chad Stanley (one touchback in 70 punts) and Detroit's Nick Harris (two touchbacks in 84 punts). His ratio of touchbacks-to-punts is best for any 49ers punter since 1970, topping Joe Prokop (one touchback in 40 punts) in 1991.

2006 season

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In 2006, Lee registered 81 punts (44.8 avg.) with 22 punts dropped inside the 20-yard line and a net average of 36.8. He finished seventh in NFL with 36.8 net yards, while his 44.8 gross average marked team’s highest since Tommy Davis averaged 45.6 in 1964. Lee was awarded game ball for his efforts in the 20–14 victory vs. Seattle (11–19) when he landed two punts inside the 20-yard line to help the 49ers win the battle of field position. He also grossed 51.5 yards per punt at St. Louis (11–26), which included a season-long of 66 yards.

2007 season

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Lee earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 2007 after setting numerous records on 105 punts (47.3 avg.) with a net average of 41.0 and NFL record 42 punts downed inside opponents’ 20-yard line.[13] His yardage, gross average, net average and punts downed inside 20-yard line all set team records. His 4,968 punting yards in 2007 are an NFL single season record. His 42 punts downed inside 20-yard line broke Baltimore's Kyle Richardson's NFL mark of 39 in 1999. His 41.0 net average ranks second all-time in NFL history, trailing only Shane Lechler of Oakland (41.1 in 2007). He ranked second in NFL for gross average (47.3) and net punting average (41.0) to Oakland's Lechler. Also led the NFL with 49 punts over 50+ yards, which was 16 more than second ranked St. Louis’ Donnie Jones (33). Recorded four games in which he dropped four punts inside 20-yard line. Lee played key role in 49ers 37–31 overtime victory at Arizona (11–25), booming a 58-yard punt in overtime that wound up pinning Cardinals on their own three-yard line. The punt helped set up 49ers winning touchdown on DT Ronald Fields sack and forced fumble in the end zone that was recovered by linebacker Tully Banta-Cain for game-winning score.

2008 season

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San Francisco 49ers kicker Joe Nedney prepares to kick an extra point with punter Lee as the holder, 2008

After earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 2007, Lee once again put up outstanding numbers, in 2008, as he set a career-high and team record with his 47.8 gross average. He had a career long 82-yard punt against the New England Patriots on October 5.[14]

2009 season

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In the 2009 season, Lee returned to his 2007 form, having a superb year and earning his second Pro Bowl selection.[15]

2010 season

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Lee followed up his Pro Bowl season in 2009 with another stellar year for the 49ers, playing in all 16 games and averaging 46.2 yards per punt. The 2010 season also marked the first season a punter ran for more than 70 yards in a single game, as he completed 2 successful fake punt run attempts.

2011 season

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In 2011, Lee set a new NFL single-season record by averaging 44.0 net yards per punt, while his gross average of 50.9 yards was third best in league history.[16] He was named First-team All-Pro by the Associated Press and was voted to his third Pro Bowl.[17]

2012 season

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On May 25, 2012, he received a six-year $20.4 million contract extension with the 49ers that made him the third highest-paid punter in the league.[18]

In the 2012 regular season, Lee had 67 punts with a 48.15 average.[19] At the end of the 2012 season, Lee and the 49ers appeared in Super Bowl XLVII. In the game, he had three punts for 159 net yards (55.0 average) as the 49ers fell to the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 34–31.[20]

 
Andy Lee with the 49ers 2014

2013 season

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In the 2013 season, Lee had 79 punts with a 48.15 average.[21]

2014 season

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In the 2014 season, Lee had 72 punts with a 46.79 average.[22]

Cleveland Browns

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On June 6, 2015, Lee was traded to Cleveland Browns for a seventh-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft.[23] This took place after the 49ers drafted punter Bradley Pinion. He announced he would wear #8 for the team in honor of his daughter Madelyn, who died in February 2015 at just eight days old.[24] In the 2015 season, Lee had 70 punts with a 46.71 average.[25]

Carolina Panthers

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On August 29, 2016, Lee was traded from the Browns to the Carolina Panthers along with a 2017 seventh round pick for a 2018 fourth round pick and punter Kasey Redfern.[26] Lee was placed on injured reserve on November 14, 2016, after pulling his hamstring.[27]

On September 2, 2017, Lee was released by the Panthers.[28]

Arizona Cardinals

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On September 4, 2017, the Arizona Cardinals signed Lee to a two-year deal.[29] In the 2017 season, Lee had 88 punts with a 47.26 average.[30]

On June 14, 2018, Lee signed a two-year contract extension with the Cardinals through the 2020 season.[31] In the 2018 season, Lee led with the league with 94 punts for 4,568 net yards for a 48.60 average.[32][33]

In Week 10 of the 2019 season, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lee converted on a 25-yard pass to Pharoh Cooper on a fake punt.[34] In the 2019 season, Lee had 61 punts with a 47.75 average.[35]

On December 20, 2020, in Week 15, against the Philadelphia Eagles, Lee converted on a 26-yard pass to linebacker Ezekiel Turner on a fake punt.[36] He finished the 2020 season with 58 punts with a 44.83 average.[37]

Lee re-signed to a one-year contract with the Cardinals on March 22, 2021.[38] In the 2021 season, Lee punted 51 times with a 49.04 average.[39]

Lee signed another one-year contract on March 17, 2022.[40] In the 2022 season, Lee punted 67 times with a 47.12 average.[41]

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Led the league
Bold Career high
Year Team GP Punting
Punts Yds Avg Lng Blk
2004 SF 16 96 3,990 41.6 81 0
2005 SF 16 107 4,447 41.6 58 1
2006 SF 16 81 3,625 44.8 66 0
2007 SF 16 105 4,968 47.3 74 0
2008 SF 16 66 3,155 47.8 82 1
2009 SF 16 99 4,711 47.6 64 0
2010 SF 16 91 4,203 46.2 64 0
2011 SF 16 78 3,970 50.9 68 1
2012 SF 16 67 3,226 48.1 66 0
2013 SF 16 79 3,804 48.2 62 0
2014 SF 16 72 3,369 46.8 71 1
2015 CLE 16 70 3,270 46.7 67 0
2016 CAR 9 36 1,769 49.1 76 0
2017 ARI 16 88 4,159 47.3 63 0
2018 ARI 16 94 4,568 48.6 64 0
2019 ARI 15 61 2,913 47.8 64 1
2020 ARI 16 58 2,600 44.8 61 0
2021 ARI 16 51 2,501 49.0 62 0
2022 ARI 17 67 3,157 47.1 65 1
Career 297 1,466 68,405 46.7 82 6

49ers franchise records

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  • Most career punting yards (43,468)[42]
  • Most punting yards in a single season: 4,968 (2007)[43]

References

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  1. ^ Dorsett, Chad (April 17, 2013). "Andy Lee remembering Westminster Rec". 94.1 – The Lake / WSNW. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  2. ^ Kroichick, Ron (December 7, 2011). "Punter Andy Lee gives 49ers a leg up". SFGATE. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "Andy Lee College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  4. ^ "Where Are They Now - Andy Lee". Pitt Panthers. May 20, 2008. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "Where Are They Now - Andy Lee". Pitt Panthers. May 20, 2008. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  6. ^ "Ray Guy Award Candidate Andy Lee Named Big East Special Teams Player of the Week". Pitt Panthers Athletics. October 27, 2003. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "Rutgers' Jones in honored". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. December 11, 2002. p. 67. Retrieved June 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Andy Lee, Pittsburgh, P, 2004 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  9. ^ "Andy Lee 2004 NFL Draft Profile". insider.espn.com. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  10. ^ "Andy Lee Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  11. ^ "2004 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  12. ^ "2004 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  13. ^ "2007 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  14. ^ "New England Patriots at San Francisco 49ers – October 5th, 2008". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  15. ^ "2009 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  16. ^ Price, Taylor (May 23, 2012). "Andy Lee Valued in San Francisco". 49ers.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  17. ^ "2011 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  18. ^ "Breaking down Andy Lee's contract". NFL.com. May 25, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  19. ^ "Andy Lee 2012 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  20. ^ "Super Bowl XLVII – San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens – February 3rd, 2013". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  21. ^ "Andy Lee 2013 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  22. ^ "Andy Lee 2014 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  23. ^ Sessler, Marc (June 6, 2015). "Browns acquire 49ers punter Andy Lee for draft pick". NFL.com. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  24. ^ Gribble, Andrew (June 11, 2015). "Browns punter Andy Lee to honor late daughter with new jersey number". ClevelandBrowns.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  25. ^ "Andy Lee 2015 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  26. ^ Patra, Kevin (August 29, 2016). "Browns trade punter Andy Lee to Carolina Panthers". NFL.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  27. ^ Henson, Max (November 14, 2016). "Andy Lee placed on IR; Michael Palardy signed". Panthers.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2016.
  28. ^ Henson, Max (September 2, 2017). "Panthers trim roster to 53". Panthers.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2017.
  29. ^ Urban, Darren (September 4, 2017). "Cardinals Sign Punter Andy Lee". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  30. ^ "Andy Lee 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  31. ^ "Andy Lee Signs Two-Year Extension". AZCardinals.com. June 14, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  32. ^ "Andy Lee 2018 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  33. ^ "2018 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  34. ^ "Winston rallies Bucs past Cardinals to snap skid". Reuters. November 10, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  35. ^ "Andy Lee 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  36. ^ Raley, Dan (December 20, 2020). "Mr. Fourth Down: No One Does It Better than Ex-Husky Zeke Turner". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  37. ^ "Andy Lee 2020 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  38. ^ Urban, Darren (March 22, 2021). "Some Work Done In Free Agency For Cardinals, Some Holes Left". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  39. ^ "Andy Lee 2021 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  40. ^ Urban, Darren (March 17, 2022). "Cardinals Sign Long Snapper Aaron Brewer, Keep Andy Lee". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  41. ^ "Andy Lee 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  42. ^ "San Francisco 49ers Career Punting Leaders". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  43. ^ "San Francisco 49ers Single-Season Punting Leaders". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
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