For the Kicking Colquitts, punting is a family affair By Alex Marvez FOXSports.com February 6, 2016

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1 For the Kicking Colquitts, punting is a family affair By Alex Marvez FOXSports.com February 6, 2016 The NFL's greatest family punting legacy -- the Kicking Colquitts -- began with a man who never attempted a kick in college or professional football and a son who answered a want-ad. It will grow more if a third-generation Colquitt -- Britton -- is on the winning end Sunday for Denver in Super Bowl 50. As much media attention is placed on the Manning family, the Colquitts are an even more impressive clan when you consider how many members have flourished in the special-teams ranks. Britton is now in his seventh season with the Broncos. His brother Dustin has spent the past 11 years in Kansas City. Their father Craig won two Super Bowl titles with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s. Craig's nephew Jimmy spent one season with Seattle in the 1980s. Two cousins (Travis and Greg) were college punters. And then there's the patriarch who started it all -- Lester Colquitt. He was a standout high school punter in Knoxville, Tenn., before a military commitment kept Lester from accepting a scholarship offer to the University of Alabama. Lester didn't pursue playing again once completing his service, instead returning home and becoming a police officer. That didn't end Lester's love of kicking. "They would say he used to come home with his big old cop motorcycle boots and he'd punt the ball," Britton told FOXSports.com earlier this week. "It would literally go the entire block. Kids were just terrified (to catch it) when the ball would come down. They would dive out of the way." Colquitt admits some of the yarns he's heard about his grandfather may be exaggerated ("B-lesters" is what the family calls such tall tales). But the improbable story about how Britton's father began his path to the NFL is true. The University of Tennessee was so desperate for punting help in 1974 that a classified listing was placed in the Knoxville News-Sentinel promoting tryouts. Craig Colquitt, who was working in a department store two years removed from his own high school punting days, answered the advertisement. He won the job and ended up playing for eight NFL seasons. Craig then began passing the torch to Britton and Dustin, who is three years older.

2 "In the backyard he just showed us the fundamentals," Britton said. "Instead of running around passing the ball with our hands, we were passing it off our feet to each other. You would run a route and it would be like, 'Lead me.' That's directional punting right there. "It was great for learning the basics and teaching you the drop, which is the most important thing anyway." Although punting is in their DNA, there was no guarantee Britton and Dustin were going to try following in their father's footsteps. Neither began playing organized football until high school. Dustin didn't even pursue the sport his first three seasons there, instead focusing on soccer skills that earned him college scholarship offers. "Our kicker got hurt and Dustin filled in," Britton said of Dustin's introduction to football. "The story there is Dustin didn't like the tight pants. It was like, 'I don't think I can do this in front of all these people.' But in the first real game, he had a girl come up to him behind the fence before the first game who screamed at him, 'Hey Colquitt -- nice butt!' "He was like, 'OK, I can do this. Now I'm in.'" The anecdote is reflective of how the Colquitts grew up without a sibling rivalry. Another one: Britton would always attend the kicking camps held by his father and former Volunteers/NFL kicker Fuad Reveiz. Dustin didn't. "There was no competitive punting between us at that point," said Britton, 30. "Our dad did a real good job of teaching us early but not pushing football on us. I wanted to play growing up but our parents wouldn't let us because we did soccer and they didn't want us to get hurt. "I think my dad knew eventually when the door was open (for football) we'd be able to do it." Britton's path to NFL success was far bumpier than the one taken by his brother. Britton had four alcohol-related arrests at Tennessee, which created huge red flags among NFL teams. While his brother was a third-round draft pick, Colquitt was forced to enter the league in 2009 as an undrafted college free agent. He spent time on Miami's practice squad before being signed to Denver's 53-man roster later that season. Britton has gotten his personal life together, which has led to punting prosperity. He surpassed Dustin as the NFL's highest-paid punter in 2013 when signing a four-year, $13 million contract extension in Denver. For their careers, Britton has the higher gross average (45.2 yards to 44.8) while Dustin is better in net average (39.5 to 39.1). Now a father of three, Britton says his family's legacy "and what an honor and how crazy it is" means even more to him as he gets older. "Whenever Dustin and I play that's very surreal because I'm almost pinching myself being in the NFL, much less getting to play against my brother twice a year," said Britton, referencing the AFC West rivalry between the Broncos and Chiefs. "When you're talking Super Bowls, that's even wilder. But the fact I grew up around Super Bowl rings has provided some normalcy this week. One reason I think I've been able to make it is the belief that I can be there and a lot of grace from God because I definitely needed that."

3 Britton's own family recently made some off-field news when the Denver Post reported he was forced to spend $1,800 on a Super Bowl ticket for his week-old daughter to attend. More headlines about Colquitt's kids may be coming in the future. His 3-year-old son Nash has already learned how to fully extend his leg whenever playing around with the football. "My first daughter is into it more than he is, but it's in him," Britton said. "When he came into the hospital room recently to see the baby, for whatever reason, he was kicking his leg around." Britton, though, wouldn't be disappointed if Nash tries to follow a different athletic pursuit. "I'll teach him some stuff, but honestly I'd rather Nash play golf," Britton said. "Then I'd be able to play golf more." Maybe so, but the Golfing Colquitts doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

4 B. Colquitt wants a SB ring to add to the family collection By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press February 3, 2016 Broncos punter Britton Colquitt always knew that he would get a Super Bowl ring someday. The only question is whether it'll be bequeathed to him or bestowed upon him. Britton, brother Dustin of the Chiefs and their father two-time Super Bowl champion with the Steelers Craig Colquitt are the NFL's first family of fourth downs. Craig once sat the boys down and told them they'd each inherit one of his Super Bowl rings. Crickets. Of course, they were watching cartoons. Disappointed in their lack of enthusiasm, Craig retreated upstairs to make lunch. Soon, his youngest boy was tugging at his shirt. "So, Dad," Britton wondered, "when are you going to die?" He really wanted that ring. "Yeah, turns out he could relate to the gold and diamonds after all," Craig said. Dustin, 33, is in line to inherit his father's ring from Pittsburgh's win over Dallas in Britton, 30, will get his father's ring from Pittsburgh's victory over the Los Angeles Rams the following year. If the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, baby brother will be getting his hands on his own gaudy jewelry. "That would be pretty nice," Britton said. "It would be worth a lot more than my dad's old rings, too." Britton figures his AFC championship ring, the consolation prize he keeps in its case after losing the Super Bowl to Seattle two years ago, is probably bigger and more expensive than the Super Bowl rings his dad won, though certainly not as valuable. And just where does dad keep his kids' heirlooms? "With him," Britton shot back incredulously. "The most braggadocios human being you'll ever meet. He's walking around: 'Hey, are you a Steelers fan? You want to see something?' "When we went to Pittsburgh in December, oh, my gosh, I mean, he was showing homeless people on the street."

5 Flashing the first ring on his left hand, the second on the right, a 1-2 punch that sends Steelers Nation into a tizzy. "It's gotten him in trouble, though," Britton said. "I think a year ago, he actually lost it in a restaurant. He was letting this group of guys check it out and just kind of forgot about it and realized it was gone. So, I think he's a little safer with it now but he still shows everybody." Craig said he found it a week later, jammed into his luggage he'd rolled into the restaurant on a business trip. "It was just like losing a child," Craig said. He doesn't play favorites with his kids but he sure does when it comes to his rings. "Thirteen is gaudy and we beat the Dallas Cowboys and I love to show that off," he said. "Fourteen looks like a very expensive class ring, that's all. Super Bowl XIII looks like a Super Bowl ring. I like the ring because Dallas was going to draft me in the fifth round and Pittsburgh took me in the third round. We never lost to the Cowboys." The Colquitts are to punting what the Mannings are to passing, although the patriarch had an inauspicious start a safety on the his very first punt at the University of Tennessee in Craig went on to rewrite the school record book, averaging 42.5 yards per punt, a mark that would be bested by three more Colquitts. His nephew, Jimmy, averaged 43.9 yards from Dustin averaged from and Britton, from After Craig's senior year in 1977, Chuck Noll personally worked him out before drafting him. He averaged 41.3 yards in six seasons in the pros. He made a brief return to the NFL in 1987 when the players went on strike. He was in financial straits at the time and the chance to get back into the game and more importantly, to earn an $8,000 weekly paycheck spurred him to cross the picket line. In his one game with the Indianapolis Colts, he had the only blocked punt of his pro career. That was the low point of an otherwise joyful journey across America's football fields. Britton got his dad tickets for Sunday's game, but he didn't have to splurge for tickets for his brother, who's recovering from surgery on his left knee and isn't coming out to California. Britton did have to dole out $1,800 for each of his three kids, including his newborn daughter who won't even be 3 weeks old Sunday. "That baby's costing him more to take her to the Super Bowl than it cost to bring her into this world," Craig said. Maybe one day she'll inherit her father's Super Bowl ring. "Yeah," Britton said, smiling, "hopefully one with a big Bronco head on it."

6 Broncos Q&A: Britton Colquitt on facing brother Dustin, of Chiefs By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post November 13, 2015 To the Broncos, Sunday's meeting against the Kansas City Chiefs is just another among many over the years between the AFC West rivals. But the meetings are always family affairs for the Colquitts. The Broncos' seventh-year punter Britton Colquitt is the younger brother of Kansas City punter Dustin Colquitt. As the No. 1 and 2 highest-paid punters, respectively, in the NFL, Britton and Dustin have continued their family's tradition of jumping to the pros after college careers at the University of Tennessee. Their father, Craig, was on two Super Bowl winning teams with the Steelers, and their uncle, Jimmy, punted for the Seahawks in Both were Volunteers. Britton recently spoke to The Post about his upcoming matchup against his brother, his 3-year-old son Nash and more: Q. You've faced your brother's team numerous times now. What's it like for you guys? A. "I think this is the 12th time, but it never gets old. It's always really cool. It's really a dream to be in the NFL already, and then to play your brother and the fact that we're in the same division and we get to do it twice a year is so cool." Q. Are you and Dustin competitive? A. "We are but not with each other. I don't know who's a bigger fan of the other. He says he's more nervous when I'm out there than when he is, and that's probably just because I'm the younger brother. At an early age he was kind of a father figure not that my dad wasn't, but he just kind of took over that role. Especially when I kind of followed his path. When I didn't make it here the first time, I drove to Kansas City and stayed with him for two or three months and learned under him not just football, but he had kids and everything. "I learned what it was to be a man and a father and how to assume this role and be a professional. We're definitely really close. Everybody asks, 'Do you guys have a bet?' No, I just hope we win. I hope he punts good, but I hope we get a return or something on him. I don't feel bad for that." Q. Did you ever want to break away from the family tradition and not punt, or at least play a different position? A. "Well, we were big into soccer and I always wanted to play football, but Dustin didn't really have a desire to. He didn't play until his senior of high school, and that was my freshman year. I was already going out for football then because I wanted to play wide receiver and free safety and kick as well. Dustin, he had scholarship offers for soccer and he was going to do that. But the varsity kicker broke his ankle and so they asked if he would."

7 Q. Have you started training your son Nash to punt? A. "Oh yeah. Mine's 3 ½ and Dustin has four boys and a girl, and his oldest two are kicking everything and are left-footed like him. My son it's weird, he started out left-footed, and I don't know if just doing it in the yard with him, kicking soccer balls, I don't know if he watched me, but now he's rightfooted. Totally right-footed. That makes me happy. But he's left-handed. So he's going to have to do the same thing Dustin did; Dustin's left-footed but right-handed, and he had to learn how to drop with his left hand. But if I could choose, I'd have my son play golf. That way I could play more."

8 Britton Colquitt comes through with clutch punts By Mike Klis 9 News Sport October 7, 2015 All but overlooked in the Denver Broncos' win Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings were the two terrific, divergent punts delivered by Britton Colquitt. Showing his versatility, Colquitt had one punt from the back of his end zone where his effortless leg kick resulted in the ball exploding off his foot 50 yards before it was marked out of bounds with no return. "Swing easy, hit it hard," Colquitt said. "That's what my dad always said." Craig Colquitt is a former Pittsburgh Steelers punter who earned two Super Bowl rings and raised two NFL punters Britton and the Kansas City Chiefs' punter Dustin Colquitt. "I think I got a good mark on that one," Britton Colquitt said of his 50-yard punt. "I didn't necessarily want to hit it out of bounds. I just wanted to hit it towards the sidelines." On his other fine punted, Colquitt dropped a 48 yarder on the Vikings' 3-yard line. These are the two most difficult type of punts, and Colquitt delivered. "I don't know if inside the 10 is the toughest, but it's definitely where you get the most reward for our team," Colquitt said. "You want to be aggressive but not too aggressive. That ball could have hit and bounced into the end zone, but it took a good bounce, and we had guys down there. You also want to get enough hang so there are guys down there." Pro Football Focus ranks Britton Colquitt as the league's' No. 4 punter. His brother Dustin is No. 2.

9 Veteran Colquitt chooses to lead by example By Allie Raymond DenverBroncos.com May 30, 2015 Entering the 2015 offseason as the longest-tenured specialist isn t something that punter Britton Colquitt expected or thought about. It s not something you think about all the time, said Colquitt of his veteran status. I guess I don t feel that old. Colquitt might not be that old, but with 80 regular-season and seven postseason game appearances under his belt after seven years with the Broncos, the punter has more than enough experience to help lead the group of young specialists. I try to lead by example, said Colquitt. I ve got to really work hard, show what it means to be a pro. I m still learning that. I still look for more ways that I can do things to make me a better player and just try to lead by example. With the addition of first-year Special Teams Coordinator Joe DeCamillis, Colquitt s experience is invaluable to the specialists. His professionalism and attitude hasn t gone unnoticed by DeCamillis. The biggest thing is you want to see to a pro... and I think he is, said DeCamillis of his first impressions of Colquitt. He s done a great job so far. It s a different system for him, it s a little bit different what we re asking him to do - and he s bought in completely so far. So we ve got to keep him on that path and so far he s been hitting the ball excellent. The franchise career leader in gross (45.5) and net (39.0) punting average, Colquitt is already feeling comfortable under the direction of DeCamillis. It s going really good, he s a great guy, a great coach obviously, he s been around a lot of years, so he knows what he s doing, said Colquitt. With us, the specialists in particular, he s big on working and looking at film and stuff like that and that s something that at our position you could easily get away from. He s a coach who s there pushing you, but also is cool off the field and just a fun guy to be around. So I think he s definitely going to make an impact and guys are already starting to buy into his ideas. Each year as a Bronco, Colquitt not only gains more experience, but also becomes more comfortable. When asked what differences he s noticed this offseason in comparison to 2014, Colquitt says it hit him this year that Denver feels like home. I feel like now that I ve been in Denver going on seven years, its feels more like home, said Colquitt. Like I m a real part of this organization, whereas before, you re kind of just hoping. It s not that I m complacent, I just feel like I have more pride in this team and more of a reason to want to help us to do well and win.

10 Kickin It with the Denver Broncos Britton Colquitt By Sam Adams Colorado Avid Golfer July 2, 2014 Golfers are labeled athletes with some reluctance. So are punters in football. Don t tell that to Denver Broncos punter Britton Colquitt, who is a pure athlete at heart and a real good golfer. How good? He s reached celebrity status. Colquitt received an invitation to play at the American Century Championship this month at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Nevada. The tournament showcases a galaxy of sports greats past and present. Some in the field, like Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, are pretty good golfers. Others, like Hall of Fame basketball player Charles Barkley, are not very good but they show up for the fun of the event. Colquitt s bosses, head coach John Fox and general manager John Elway, are in the field. Elway has participated every year at the celebrity tournament, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. What s crazy is, it s been on my bucket list ever since I knew about it, one day to play in it, said Colquitt, his ever-present smile lighting up a dark corner of the locker room at his home club, Colorado Golf Club. It s come true a lot sooner than I thought. Colquitt believes he will give a good account of himself in Tahoe. He is a 2.2 handicap, though my game doesn t always show it. His best score is a 73, but Colquitt continues to work hard on different facets of his game with hopes of reaching his No. 1 goal to shoot par for the first time ever. It changes for me, Colquitt said. I really wanted to narrow down my irons and ball-striking. Lately I ve felt myself hitting it pretty good off the tee, then I end up being about 100 yards or less... that s one of those places where you re so close you don t even know what to do. The trouble with that shot is, it s all feel. When it s feel, you just have to do it a lot. Of course, with golf every round there might be something different. Now it s putting. I was putting great, but lately I haven t been happy with it. Really, it s a little bit of everything. My putting might be on and my driving might be in the woods. I m hoping to be firing on all cylinders in Tahoe.

11 Colquitt, 29, will have his older brother Dustin on the bag for the Tahoe tournament. Dustin Colquitt is the Kansas City Chiefs punter. Last season he beat out his younger brother for Pro Bowl honors in the AFC, although Britton had a statistically superior season. Their father, Craig, was punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers on two Super Bowl championship teams, and his brother Jimmy punted for the Seattle Seahawks. Punting is a family business all four Colquitts plied their craft for the University of Tennessee even though Britton also showed his athletic prowess as an allstate soccer player, while playing other positions on the football team at Bearden High School in Knoxville. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Colquitt played safety and wide receiver and was really good at both positions, according to his father. The threat of injury to their youngest son kept Colquitt s father and mother, Anne, on edge. Defensively, his instincts were great, Craig Colquitt said. It was fun to watch. What ended it for me was, as a wide receiver Britton would go up for the ball. I was always afraid that eventually something would happen. In a playoff game, a guy tackled him from behind, between the knees and Britton buckled over. I went straight to the coach and said, Next year he s punting and punting only. Unfazed by the family s fear of injury, Britton went back to wide receiver in his senior season. I knew it would be my last chance to do something athletic, and then it would be punting from there on out, Colquitt said. By the time I got to college, the level of competition had jumped so high I knew I couldn t run routes with those guys, whereas in high school I could. So it was easy to be just the punter. But it s nice when you have all these great athletes saying they wish they were you, that they wish had your position. It reinforces that I can let go of the athletic term and just be a punter. When it comes to punting and kicking, it is a skill. It s fun to see some of these big guys trying to kick a ball. They hit with their toes, trying to punt. The timing and mechanics of it, if you ve never learned it, really, it s so much like golf. Craig Colquitt taught his sons how to punt and how to play golf. Britton took to golf a lot quicker and with more passion than Dustin. Dustin is not as serious about golf as his younger brother is, Craig Colquitt says. He talks during your backswing, your ball may disappear... he ll be an interesting caddie in Tahoe.

12 On the other hand, Craig says, Britton s one of those people that can physically do anything. I m not surprised by the golf. Golf, Britton says, has helped his punting and vice-versa. He draws similarities between the two sports from his golf bag. Dustin and I talk about different punts and refer to them in golf terms, using different clubs in the bag, Colquitt says. He describes his NFL-best 67-yard punt at Atlanta in 2012 as a 3- wood or driver. Colquitt puts the comparison into a historical perspective as well. A lot of people talk about the rugby punt, and ask what happened to the coffin corner punt, he explains. Well, back in the day golfers didn t have the 60-degree club. Now all these pros are hitting high and sticking it. That s kind of what the rugby punt is, because you re closer almost at an uncomfortable position. If you re punting from your own 38, it s uncomfortable. A professional punter definitely can hit it into the end zone. Well, if you don t want to worry about that, pull out your 60-degree which essentially hitting that rugby punt and try to hit it high and stick it inside the 10-yard line. I guess the next biggest thing I learned, and it came from golf, is not to try to kill it. Most guys look smooth and create clubhead speed with their flexibility. It s the same with punting. Some of the best, highest and furthest punts I ve hit, I felt like I didn t swing. You hardly feel it off your foot. Dad taught us that in golf, but it holds true in football. A lot of times in practice, my mind might be on golf, so I can relate it to don t try to kill it and throw my back out, and make a nice, easy swing. If he could, Colquitt probably would play golf every day. But his seasonal obligations to the Broncos, who last year signed him to three-year, $11.7 million extension, along with the daily duties of marriage and fatherhood, prevent that from happening. Colquitt and his wife Nikki have been married for three years. The couple has a two-year-old son, Nash, and three-month old daughter, Everly. On occasion, Dad will take Nash to the golf course. The toddler already has started an apprenticeship in the family punting business. The other day we were in the basement. He put on his Broncos helmet and said, Nash kick it, Colquitt said. He found a football and tried to swing his leg. He doesn t get the concept of dropping the ball on his foot, but he gets it pretty high. Nikki Colquitt understands her husband s great passion for golf. She doesn t get in his way when he receives a text invite from Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning to hop a private jet for 54 holes at the exclusive Sand Hills Golf Club in Nebraska.

13 But I mark those things on my calendar, she says laughing. If he gets a little too excited about playing golf all the time., I ll say, You know, you just went on that trip He gets to play whenever. But he is such a good dad and knows how hard it is to take care of two little ones. He doesn t try to play too much and stretch me too much. But he loves golf. It s his absolute favorite thing. Marriage and fatherhood may take Colquitt away from golf a bit more than he d like, but his wife has noticed a welcome change in his personality. In college, he was that same jovial, smiling guy but he was wild, Nikki Colquitt said. He went out, he partied and had a great time. Now he is the best husband, the best dad and he is so level-headed. He has matured so much. On the football field Colquitt has delivered some outstanding kicks for the Broncos. But there s a mildly amazing statistic attached to Colquitt and the Broncos recordsetting offense in Last season, Denver s offense produced more touchdowns (71) than Colquitt produced punts (65) in 16 regular season games. In one three-game stretch, Colquitt punted only three times including a punt-less game in Dallas won by the Broncos Sometimes it s kind of uncomfortable, Colquitt said. It s hard to get into a groove. Back in the day when we were punting nine times a game, it was almost better because of the repetition. Now you have to be mentally strong, mentally ready for every situation. Even the Dallas game, there were seven times that I was about to run on the field and punt. But then we d convert it on third down. It s hard to say I want to punt, but it s my job. Manning s proficiency may have limited Colquitt s playing time and there were plenty of fourth-and-short situations where the quarterback has tried to wave off Colquitt as he leads the punting unit onto the field to a chorus of booing fans but there is no rift between University of Tennessee alums. However, there might be some question as to who has the better golf game. Colquitt recently partnered with Manning against Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme and retired wide receiver Brandon Stokley at Castle Pines Golf Club. In his first crack at the former home of The International, the punter carded a 78, the low round of the four. I don t think Peyton blacklisted me from invite list, he jokes, but if Colquitt continues to boom punts on the football field while lowering his

14 scores on the links, the number of celebrity golfing invites he receives is sure to rise.

15 Colquitt Sibling Rivalry By Stuart Zaas DenverBroncos.com November 13, 2013 Brothers Britton and Dustin Colquitt will square off at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. For the second time this year, a Broncos game will feature a sibling rivalry. While plenty of attention was paid to Peyton and Eli Manning s matchup in Week 2, this one is flying a bit more under the radar. I ve met with (Peyton), individually, a lot this week just to the brother-to-brother thing coming up. I wanted to talk to him about how he handled dealing with Eli, Colquitt laughed. All joking aside, Colquitt said that he was not treating this week any differently based on the fact that his brother, Dustin, is in his ninth season as the Chiefs punter. We talk just the same, I guess, Colquitt said of their communication leading up to Sunday. We always talk during the week. We get mixed up with our kids and stuff like that so we just text nowadays a little more than talking. But it doesn t COLQUITTS' HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUPS change. The Colquitts come from a long lineage of punters. Dustin and Britton are both current NFL punters, while their father, Craig, Colquitt Britton Colquitt Dustin Colquitt Record No Gross Net LG In TB 2 5 won two Super Bowl rings as the Steelers punter from The entire family of punters, including a cousin, Jimmy, all punted collegiately at the University of Tennessee. This will be the seventh matchup that pits the Colquitts against one another in the NFL. In those games, Dustin has a slight statistical edge, but Britton has the advantage when it comes to record, as Denver is 4-2 in those games.

16 To see your brother on the other sideline, it s even more surreal and just a dream come true and a blessing, Colquitt said. We re excited to see each other.

17 Colquitts are NFL's first family of punting By Arnie Stapleton The Associated Press September 26, 2013 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Craig Colquitt, who won two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s, feels like he handed down a family business to his sons Dustin and Britton. The brothers each signed offseason deals with the Chiefs and Broncos, respectively, that made them the highest-paid punters in the NFL at nearly $4 million a year about 45 times as much as their father ever earned in the pros. The Colquitts are to punting what the Mannings are to passing, and this first family of punters had an inauspicious start a safety on the patriarch's very first punt at the University of Tennessee in Craig was 21, having worked at a department store for two years after high school, and the Volunteers were playing Maryland. Punting from his end zone, "I was so nervous, the ball hit my hands, hit my facemask and went straight up," Craig recounted. "And just as I grabbed it I could see this guy coming off my right side. So, I fell down and he fell on top of me." Time to go back to stocking shelves, he thought. "I really wanted to run out the back of the stadium because I figured this is the end for me," Craig said. George Cafego, Tennessee's renowned kicking coach, instead greeted him with a hearty, "Great job!" Those two words would be repeated many times over the next three seasons as Craig, driven by Cafego's vote of confidence, rewrote the school record book, averaging 42.5 yards per punt a mark that would be bested by three more Colquitts. His nephew, Jimmy, averaged 43.9 yards from Dustin averaged from and Britton, from After Craig's senior year in 1977, Chuck Noll personally worked him out before drafting him in the third round. By 1979, he had two Super Bowl rings.

18 He averaged 41.3 yards in six seasons in the pros, earning $85,000 in his final year in 1984, before settling down with his wife, Anne, to raise a family in Tennessee. He made a brief return to the NFL in 1987 when the players went on strike. He was in financial straits at the time and the chance to get back into the game and more importantly, to earn an $8,000 weekly paycheck spurred him to cross the picket line. In his one game with the Indianapolis Colts, he had the only blocked punt of his pro career. That was the low point of an otherwise joyful journey across America's football fields. Looking back, Craig, who's now a sales rep for a janitorial company in Nashville, said that safety he took as a sophomore in college was the turning point in his life. "This was my opportunity to get a scholarship and take the financial burden off my parents," he said. "So, I really saw a lot of things go through my head that were all negative. It could have been a calamity and it wasn't. It was a great experience." Had he been benched, he doubts he would have passed punting onto his sons. He didn't push them, though. After his playing career, Craig ran a punting and kicking camp and Britton helped him out but Dustin didn't. "I was swimming in the pool when they were punting," Dustin said. "He wanted us to be two things, holy and happy, and that was good enough for him." Two weeks before Dustin's senior year in high school, the football coach told him his kicker had gotten hurt and he also needed a punter. "And he knew nothing about punting," Craig said. So, Dad and baby brother gave him a crash course, and Dustin, who's left-footed and right-handed, which complicated matters, quickly caught on. Craig was always a mixture of Coach and Dad to his boys. "When the kid's trying to get up the steps, you've got to push them a little bit. Yeah, there was a little bit of that, a little parenting, but nothing like if you don't do this, you're not eating today," Craig said. "We did not live through our children. We lived with our children." Britton said his father never pressured them to follow in his footsteps.

19 "It was the opposite. He didn't let us play football until high school. That was the rule. He taught us before that, and so it might look like it but I think he was just preparing us," Britton said, "and I think he knew that soccer was going to train us up, too." Britton, who always wanted to play football, said Dustin's real reason for shunning the sport was "he didn't like tight pants. And then at his very first game, some girl whistled at him and said, 'Nice butt.' And after the game, he told my dad, 'OK, I think I can do this.'" Good thing, because Dad was surreptitiously preparing him all along. "The way we grew up he was always putting us in crazy situations where we had to kick a ball over a tree, so we'd already been in those situations," Dustin said. It paid off this year when Dustin signed an $18.75 million deal and Britton got an $11.7 million extension. "People tell me you must be proud," Craig said. "I'm glad they have jobs. They just happen to have exceptional jobs."

20 Klee: The Book of Colquitt? Better believe it By Paul Klee Colorado Springs Gazette September 25, 2013 Editor's note: The "Broncos Roots" series takes you off the field and into the lives of the Broncos. Denver columnist Paul Klee will profile one individual every Thursday until the Broncos' bye in Week 8. DENVER "The Book of Manning:" Have you seen it? The documentary on Archie, Olivia and the Manning boys aired Tuesday. It is award-winningly good, a living-room view of football's first family. Two thumbs up. Here, ESPN, is another idea: the Book of Colquitt. "They wouldn't make it a national documentary," Broncos punter Britton Colquitt said with a laugh when I pitched the idea Wednesday. "They might give us our own copy. That's it." As the sports world grabbed a front-row seat for the scratchy home movies of Peyton and Eli playing catch in the backyard, another family with football ties jumped to mind. Britton is the younger brother. He punts for the Broncos. Dustin is the older brother. He punts for the Chiefs. Dad is Craig. He won two Super Bowls punting for the Steelers. This isn't football's first family. But it might be football's smartest family. "My son is 1 1/2. He's kicking already," Britton said of Nash, who recently visited dad's office at Dove Valley. "I'll hold the ball out and he'll kick it. He's figured it out." Keep kickin', kid. These are special, rare genes you're working with. Here's an argument the Colquitts faced taller odds than the Mannings.

21 No, really. A quick rummage through NFL depth charts revealed 83 quarterbacks and only 32 punters. Britton wasn't a math major at the University of Tennessee - yes, all three Colquitts played in SEC country - but both of us can crunch these numbers: The odds of a father-son-son trio punting footballs in the NFL are even smaller than a father-son-son trio throwing footballs in the NFL. "Dustin and I were talking about that, actually," Britton said. "We're one of 32 people at our position in the entire world." Hey, ESPN. Fire up the cameras. Someone call Tom Rinaldi. "When I was watching (The Book of Manning), I could relate to it," Britton said. "Not just because of the family thing, but because Archie didn't push the two boys to play quarterback. That was our dad. We couldn't play football till high school. And I grew up watching our videos, too. Our parents filmed everything." Father, son and son punted at Tennessee. Ole Miss wasn't a consideration. "The first games I went to at Neyland Stadium were when Peyton was playing for Tennessee. I was 10 or 11," Britton said. "He was the hero." The beauty of Britton Colquitt's career is not simply that he's a punter in the NFL. It's that he's a punter in the NFL, kicking at altitude, with an offense that has Peyton Manning at quarterback. Punting for Peyton is like the dishwasher at a finger-food restaurant, the cab driver in a ghost town, the weatherman in Palm Springs. "Very few people can say they have their dream job. I'm fortunate to say that." Only seven teams have punted fewer times than the Broncos, and Britton has pinned eight of his 13 punts inside the 20. Dustin and the Chiefs have punted twice as often. "As soon as we signed No. 18, my brother said, 'Dude. I hate you,'" Britton recalled. There's a method to this family madness. They're not just kickin' it. With each punt, Britton has a pair of goals, at least: hang time of 5.0 seconds and downed inside the 10-yard line. His only punt of the first half on "Monday Night Football" had a hang time of 4.9 seconds and was fair caught at the 9.

22 "The other night against the Raiders, it was really windy warming up," Britton said. "I texted Dustin because it's usually windy in Kansas City. He gave me some advice." He could've texted Dad, too. "Our dad does point out they didn't have (big contracts for punters) like we do now," Britton said. "He's joking, though. He's so happy for us." Sounds like another father, from another football family, doesn't it?

23 Colquitt now highest-paid punter in family, NFL By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press August 12, 2013 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) Britton Colquitt spent close to an hour with his wife and their 1-year-old son in one of the corporate tents at the Denver Broncos headquarters following practice Monday. The NFL's new highest-paid punter swears he wasn't being a snob. He just didn't realize he was keeping a throng of reporters waiting for him at the podium. It's not every day that punters get this kind of attention or make this kind of money. Colquitt became the league's highest-paid punter when he signed his three-year, $11.7 million extension upon arriving to work Monday. The deal included a $3 million signing bonus that, when added to this year's $1.275 million salary, also makes him the NFL's highest-compensated punter in His extension averages $3.9 million a season, besting the $3.75 million average that his older brother, Dustin, is getting with a five-year, $18.75 million deal he signed this spring with the Kansas City Chiefs. "He was laughing about it and he's very proud of me and he's kind of my biggest fan, so it's nice to have a big brother like that," Colquitt said. "And we all know he's the better punter, so I can give him a hard time about that." Depending on how you look at it, both brothers can claim they're the pro punter making the most money. "Yeah, I think he still does," Colquitt said. "But somehow they've made it look like he doesn't. He lives in a bigger house, has more kids. He's still picking up the dinner check." Fifteen years ago, Chris Jacke raised eyebrows when he said he wanted to become the league's first $1 million kicker. Now a punter is making close to four times that much. "I've already had a few of my friends and people text me saying, 'My son's going to be a punter. I'm sending him to you when he's 15,'" Colquitt said. "I've always told people, though, 'Special teams is the way to go. Or golf.'"

24 His son, Nash, is a lefty, he said, "so I'm sending him to Dustin. So, I don't even have to worry about that. I'm teaching him to golf and then Dustin can teach him how to punt." That would only carry on the family bloodlines. Colquitt's father, Craig, won two Super Bowls as the Pittsburgh Steelers' punter from , and his uncle, Jimmy, played for Seattle in 1985 after breaking records at Tennessee, where all four Colquitts went to school. Dustin and Britton now have given picked-on punters the last laugh. Along with long snappers and kickers, punters tend to get picked on or shunned because they're off on the side fields doing their thing while the big linemen are toiling away and the skill players are racing up and down the football fields. Now, they not only have lighter workdays to envy but big, fat paychecks. "No, it's worth it. They make fun of us a lot but then when training camp rolls around they hate us and they're really jealous of us. They see us hanging out in the locker room and they're sweating in the meetings," Colquitt said. "Just a blessing, you know." Colquitt considers himself fortunate to play for an organization that puts its money where its mouth is, too. Coaches always say that special teams are as important as offense or defense, but few teams show it the way Broncos Executive Vice President John Elway has. Last year, he signed kicker Matt Prater to a four-year, $13 million deal and five months ago he signed special teams ace David Bruton to a three-year, $5.5 million deal. And now he's taken care of Colquitt. The Broncos feature one of the most dynamic kicking games in the league with Colquitt, Prater and returner Trindon Holliday, who scored on a kickoff and punt return in Denver's playoff loss to Baltimore and could come up for a big payday next summer if he has the kind of season everyone's expecting out of him in "Oh yeah, we're expecting to get him into the end zone a lot this year," Bruton said. Colquitt is the franchise leader in career gross (46.1) and net (39.5) punting averages. He ranked third in the NFL last season in net punting with a franchise record 42.1-yard average, second with a 6.2-yard return average and second with 45 punts inside the 20 with only seven touchbacks.

25 When Dustin signed his big deal this spring, Colquitt said he never thought he'd make that kind of money. "I felt like he's put in the time and deserved that and... I never dreamed that I'd be in position to be compensated like that," Colquitt said. "And again, that's why I'm just humbled and thankful and just want to show that I deserve it." At the end of his eight-minute Q&A, Colquitt apologized for making the media wait. "I didn't know," he said, stepping off the podium. "I'm over there playing with the kid and then I turn around and I'm like, 'There's no way they're waiting on me.'" Being a nearly $4 million-a-year punter takes some getting used to, even for a Colquitt.

26 Colquitt Honored, Humbled by Extension By Mike Morris DenverBroncos.com August 12, 2013 After signing a contract extension through 2016, punter Britton Colquitt expressed his excitement about remaining a Bronco in the upcoming seasons. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Over the past two seasons, Britton Colquitt has been one of the most effective punters in the NFL. And after signing a contract extension that will keep him in a Broncos uniform through 2016, Colquitt is looking to continue to improve his consistency in giving his team advantageous field position to work from -- the type of shifts in field position that help win games. I want our team to know that when I go out there, our defense is going to be in a good position that there s not going to be a return, Colquitt said. It s not about just booting the ball. I want to put our defense in a good position. And with an offense like we have, and a defense like we have, if you can give them the ball in a good place it just makes a great team. The fifth-year pro who set a franchise record for net punting average in 2011 and subsequently broke his own record last season is unmistakably thrilled about remaining a Bronco for the next few seasons. It s just kind of surreal right now. It s hard to believe an organization like the Broncos put faith in me like that, and say they appreciate what I ve done, Colquitt said. It means a lot. I m humbled. I m grateful. Colquitt s net average of 42.1 yards per punt ranked third in the NFL and he held opponents to a 6.0-yard return average, which was second-best in the league. For Colquitt, effective punting is measured by a combination of those two statistics. But, he noted, it s also the efforts of the coverage players on the punt team that help make both stats possible and help make a punter more effective. Net s the most important, Colquitt said But then last year we had a really good year in terms of return yards against, which goes hand-in-hand with net. But I ve never seen a stat like that. And this says a great deal to our coverage guys, and our gunners like (CB) Omar Bolden and some of the core guys, (S) David Bruton and all these guys out there.

27 And, Colquitt says, replicating that level of excellence in limiting returns could be a key element to the Broncos success in If we can limit returns, especially against the guys out there, that s something that will give your guys a good chance to win, Colquitt said. And with his extension, it s the type of difference-making play on special teams that Colquitt will look to bring to the Broncos for seasons to come something he certainly has no shortage of enthusiasm about doing. It s just great, because this is the top organization in the league, Colquitt said. I want to prove that I m worth an extension and show them that I m going to work harder than anybody out there to be the best. I m just honored, like I said, and humbled to be here. It s very exciting.

28 Britton Colquitt agrees to new Broncos deal, now among NFL's richest punters By Mike Klis The Denver Post August 11, 2013 Take that big brother. The Broncos have agreed to terms on a new four-year, $13 million contract with punter Britton Colquitt. He can make another $1.2 million in incentives. The deal will be signed Monday morning when Colquitt reports to the Broncos' training camp practice. Colquitt was scheduled to draw a $1.323 million salary as a restricted free agent this year. The three-year, $11.7 million extension comes to an annual average of $3.9 million that makes him the NFL's highest paid punter. The previous mostcompensated punter was his older brother Dustin Colquitt, who in March received a five-year, $18.75 million extension $3.75 million a year from the Kansas City Chiefs. "I don't really understand how all that works, but Paul (Sheehy) my agent was saying something about that," Colquitt said. So Britton won't be calling older brother to rub it in? "No," Colquitt said laughing. "I definitely feel like he's deserving of all that he's received for all that he's done. I'm just humbled and thankful and blessed that the Broncos like me that much." There's much to like. At 28, Colquitt is not only one of the league's best young punters. He's one of the best, period. He not only can boom with the best of them, he is exceptional in height and placement of his punts. In 2012, Colquitt was third in the NFL with a 42.1 yard net average. He pinned 27 punts inside the 20 against just 4 touchbacks, and he had the second-stingiest return average of 6.2 yards. He has been the Broncos' punter since the start of the 2010 season and is already the franchise leader in gross average (46.2) and net (40.2). Colquitt's new deal will actually lower his 2013 salary from $1.323 million to $1.275 million but he will receive a $3 million upfront signing bonus, plus a $500,000 roster bonus in March. The new deal brings security to Colquitt, who is married with a 1-year-old.

29 "The family is growing fast," Colquitt said. "It is nice to put down roots down here. It's a great city. Now we just want to focus on helping our team win a championship or more."

30 Denver Broncos punter Britton Colquitt in position for new contract By Mike Klis The Denver Post August 2, 2013 Outside John Elway's office door, the line is lengthening with players hoping for a raise in pay. Offensive tackle Ryan Clady got his. Next in line for a contract extension: Britton Colquitt. As a punter, a new deal for Colquitt won't approach the five-year, $52.5 million contract Clady received last month. But the Broncos have opened negotiations to give Colquitt long-term security beyond the $1.323 million salary he will have this season. Other players whose contracts expire after this season: Eric Decker, Zane Beadles, J.D. Walton and Wesley Woodyard. The contracts for Von Miller, Demaryius Thomas, Chris Harris, Orlando Franklin and Rahim Moore expire after That's not including veterans such as Wes Welker and Dominique Rodgers- Cromartie, who just signed short-teams deals as free agents. Elway, who once collected a nice check as Denver's quarterback, is now the team's front- office boss who apparently will be busy the next two seasons with Pat Bowlen's checkbook. Colquitt may have moved to the front of the line because a case can be made that he is one of the top three in the league at his position. What's indisputable is Colquitt's past two seasons were the best in Broncos history in terms of net punting average. His 42.1-yard net average last season ranked third in the NFL and the 6.2-yard return average on his punts was second-best. He had only four touchbacks, and he placed 27 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Brothers being brothers, Colquitt no doubt would like a contract that approaches the five-year, $18.75 million contract older brother Dustin Colquitt received from the Kansas City Chiefs in March. Secondary situation. For the second consecutive practice, Duke Ihenacho joined Moore with the first-team defense at safety. David Bruton also mixed in, and Quentin Jammer is getting some dime time.