Punter Britton Colquitt Nets Huge Contract to Remain with Broncos

Britton Colquitt against the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Punter Britton Colquitt doesn’t normally have to rush to the podium to speak with the media after practice. That’s why he took his sweet time Monday, and hung out with his family after practice like he normally does.

The only difference between the Colquitt of last week and the Colquitt of today is, oh, about millions of dollars.

The Broncos gave Colquitt a three-year extension on his contract, worth $13 million. Not too shabby for a guy that the team really doesn’t even want to see out on the field.

“It’s just kind of surreal right now,” Colquitt said Monday afternoon. ‘It’s hard to believe an organization like the Broncos put faith in me like that, and say they appreciate what I’ve done. It means a lot. I’m humbled. I’m grateful. I just feel that our family is very blessed to be in the position that we’re in.”

The fifth-year player is part of a strong lineage of guys with strong legs. His brother, Dustin, punts for the Kansas City Chiefs while his father, Craig, won two Super Bowl rings punting for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His uncle, Jimmy, punted at the University of Tennessee. What the Manning’s are to the quarterback position, the Colquitts are to the punting game.

While Britton was waiting for an NFL team to sign him, he lived with his brother for six weeks and worked on his game. There was plenty of motivation in that experience.

“I learned that I didn’t want to be sitting at home taking care of three kids,” Colquitt said. “He had three at the time and so I was helping with all that. So I wanted to be out there on the practice field as much as possible.”

Britton Colquitt is the Broncos’ leader in career gross (46.1) and net (39.5) punting average. Of his 254 punts, he’s placed 79 inside the 20-yard line. Not another bad college free agent signing by the Broncos.

“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. It’s not about just booting the ball. I want to put our defense in a good position.”

Placekicker Matt Prater stood next to the media and snapped pictures with his phone of one of his best buds on the team. It was a historic seven-minute press conference for Colquitt, or for any player for that matter.

It was a moment when all the hard work paid off.

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