Andy Lee life and biography

Andy Lee has established himself as one of the most productive punters in the NFL since being drafted in the 6th-round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He has earned Pro Bowl honors in two out of the past three seasons (‘07, ‘09).

TRANSACTIONS:
Originally the first of two sixth-round (188th pick overall) draft choices by SF in 2004.

GOLDMINE:
•Andy 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. The first pro­fessional game he ever attended was as a player with the 49ers in 2004. In fact, Andy didn’t even set out to play football at all. “I was more of a baseball guy growing up. I actually wanted to be a Major League Baseball player. I played quarterback in 8th grade, and the coach asked, ‘Who wants to try out for the punting position?’ I didn’t know you were supposed to spiral a punt, or turn it over, or any of that.”
•Andy is considered a ‘hometown hero’ by his native Westminster, SC. The town mayor, Rusty Cater, presented Andy with a key to the city and a decla­ration commemorating “Andy Lee Day” on July 12, 2008.

AWARDS & HONORS:
2007: NFC Pro Bowl, AP All-Pro, PFW/PFWA All-NFL Team
2009: NFC Pro Bowl, Second-team AP All-Pro

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

•From 2007-09, Lee’s 47.5 gross avg. and 40.5 net avg. rank 3rd in the NFL.
•Set an NFL record in 2007 with 42 punts downed inside the 20-yd. line, and ranked 2nd in the league with a 47.3 gross average and 41.0 net average. His 41.0-yd. net average ranks 6th all-time for a single season in NFL his­tory.
•Enters the 2010 season ranked 1st in team history with a 44.9-yd. career gross avg., while also ranking 1st with 24,896 punt yds.
•Set a career-high and team record with his 47.8 gross avg., in 2008.
•Was the first 49ers rookie punter since 1957 to lead the league for the lon­gest punt (81 yds.) of the year in 2004.

2009:
•Earned Pro Bowl Honors after ranking 1st in the NFC and 2nd in the NFL with a 47.6 gross avg. His 41.0 net avg. ranked 2nd in the NFC and 3rd in the NFL.
•Grossed over a 48.0 avg. in nine games.
•Punted nine times for 465 yds. (51.7 avg.) at Min. (9/27).
•Grossed a season-high 56.7 avg. and 53.3 net avg. vs. Ten. (11/8).

2008:
•Set a career-high and team single-season record with a 47.8 gross avg., breaking his own previous record of 47.3 avg. in 2007.
•Established a career-long 82-yd. punt vs. NE (10/5), which is tied for 2nd-longest in 49ers history with Tommy Davis (82 yds. vs. Min. (9/30/62) and 4 yds. behind a team-record 86-yarder by Larry Barnes vs. Chicago Cardinals (9/29/57).
•In rainy and windy conditions at Buf. (11/30), punted 6 times for 284 yds. (47.3 avg.) with a long of 58 yds. and 3 punts downed inside 20-yd. line.

2007:
•Earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after setting numerous records on 105 punts (47.3 avg.) with a net average of 41.0 and an NFL record 42 punts downed inside opponents’ 20-yd. line. His yardage, net average and punts downed inside 20-yd. line all set team records.
•His 42 punts downed inside 20-yd. line broke Baltimore’s Kyle Richardson’s NFL mark of 39 in 1999.
•Ranked 2nd in NFL for gross average (47.3) and net punting average (41.0) to Oakland’s P Shane Lechler.
•Led NFL with 49 punts over 50+ yds., which was 16 more than 2nd ranked St. Louis’ Donnie Jones (33).
•Recorded 4 games in which he dropped 4 punts inside 20-yd. line.
•Played key role in 49ers 37-31 overtime victory at Arz. (11/25), booming a 58-yd. punt in OT that wound up pinning Cardinals on their own 3-yd. line. The punt helped set up 49ers winning TD on DT Ronald Fields sack and forced a fumble in the end zone that was recovered by LB Tully Banta-Cain for game-winning score.

2006:
•Finished 7th in NFL with 36.8 net yds., while his 44.8 gross average marked team’s highest since P Tommy Davis averaged 45.6 in 1964.
•Awarded game ball for his efforts in the 20-14 victory vs. Sea. (11/19) when he landed 2 punts inside the 20-yd. line to help the 49ers win the battle of field position.

2005:
•Set a career-high with 107 punts (41.6 avg.).
•His 3 touchbacks in 107 punts was 3rd-best ratio of touchbacks-to-punts among punters with 30-or-more kicks, trailing Houston’s P Chad Stanley (1-70) and Detroit’s P Nick Harris (2-84).
•Ratio of touchbacks-to-punts is best for any 49ers punter since 1970, top­ping P Joe Prokop (1-40) in 1991.

2004:
•Punted 96 times with 25 dropped inside the 20 and an NFL-long of 81 yds.
•Average of 41.6 yds. per punt was first time a 49ers punter averaged over 40 yds. per punt since P Reggie Roby in 1998.
•Posted 7 punts for 338 yds. (48.3 avg.), including career-long of 81 yds. at TB (11/21).

COLLEGE

•Was Pittsburgh’s starting punter for three seasons after seizing starting role late in true freshman season (2000). His 244 punts and 10,353 yds. are tops in school history. Also had 29 fair catches and 61 kicks downed inside the 20-yd. line. Only player to ever win Big East Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors twice in career. Semi-finalist for Ray Guy Award, given to nation’s top punter, and was All-Big East Conference first-team choice and Co-Special Teams Player of the Year.

PERSONAL

•Prepped at West Oak (Westminster, SC) HS, where he was first-team all-state, two-time first-team all-conference and Anderson Independent-Mail all-area selection as four-year starter.
•Averaged 42.8 yds. per punt as senior, while also lining up at tight end and wide receiver.
•Lettered three times in baseball and twice in basketball. Two-time all-conference honoree and received all-state honors in baseball as a senior. Standout pitcher, helping West Oak to district championship and baseball state playoffs with 8-2 record as senior. Went 5-0 with a 1.90 ERA as junior.
•Born Andrew Paul Lee (8/11/82) in Westminster, SC. Married to wife Rachel.

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