Matt Turk life and biography

Matt Turk is an American football punter for the Houston Texans of the National Football League.

Signed as undrafted free agent by Green Bay Packers on July 13, 1993…Released by Packers on August 4, 1993…Signed by Los Angeles Rams in April 1994…Released by Rams on August 22, 1994…Signed by Washington Redskins on April 5, 1005…Traded by Redskins to Miami Dolphins for seventh round pick (traded to San Francisco) in 2001 draft on March 9, 2000…Signed by New York Jets on April 23, 2002…Released by Jets on March 7, 2003…Signed by Miami Dolphins on September 29, 2003…Re-signed by Dolphins on March 23, 2004…Placed on injured reserve with groin injury of September 10, 2005…Released by Dolphins on October 12, 2005…Signed by St. Louis Rams on April 4, 2006…Signed by Houston Texans on July 24, 2007.

HONORS: Played in Pro Bowl (1996-98 seasons), Sporting News NFL All-Pro (1997), 2000 NFL Special Teams Player of the Week (17), 2001 AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (6), 1998 NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (8).

PRO:
Veteran punter with strong leg capable of producing long punts with good hang-time…also possesses exceptional directional punting skills…has played in 218 career games…has averaged 42.4 yards on 1,035 career punts…only 398 of his 1,035 punts (38.4 percent) have been returned…career net punting average is 37.1 yards per punt…only suffered three blocked punts in his career…has averaged 42.3 yards per punt in two-plus seasons in Houston…owns the top two punting seasons in Texans history, averaging 42.3 yards in 2008 and 41.7 in 2007…also holds the team single-season record for net punting with a 37.9-yard average in 2007.

2009 (Houston 16/0): Averaged 44.0 yards on six punts vs. the New York Jets (9/13) and had one punt downed inside the 20-yard line...averaged 51.8 yards on six punts at Tennessee (9/20) and booted a 62-yarder to tie a Texans record....averaged 42.8 yards on 4 punts including one inside the 20 vs. Jacksonville (9/27)...punted seven times for an average of 35.7 yards vs. Oakland (10/4) including two punts downed inside the 20-yard line...averaged 40.0 yards on five punts at Arizona (10/11)...had five punts that averaged 35.0 yards including two inside the 20 at Cincinnati (10/18)...punted five times for an average of 37.2 vs San Francisco (10/25) including four punts that landed incside the 20...had one punt at Buffalo (11/1) for 39 yards...had four punts for an average of 43.5 yards at Indianapolis (11/8), his highest total since Week 2...punted five times for an average of 47.2 yards vs. Tennessee (11/23), including four punts inside the 20-yard line...punted twice for a season-best 53.0-yard average and a 49.5-yard net average vs. Indianapolis (11/29)...had five punts for an average of 45.0 yards including two punts that were downed inside the 20-yard line...punted four times for an average and net of 44.3 yards including a long of 52 and one punt downed inside the 20-yard line...punted twice for an average of 42.5 yards including a long of 50 yards at St. Louis (12/20)...had four punts for an average of 45.5 yards and net of 43.5 yards including two punts inside the 20-yard line at Miami (12/27).

2008 (Houston 16/0): Punted 53 times for 2,240 yards in 16 games…broke his own franchise record with a 42.3-yard punting average and pinned 17 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line…averaged a season-high 48.8 yards on four punts vs. Detroit (10/19) and pinned the Lions inside their own five-yard line three times…averaged 47.5 yards on two punts at Indianapolis (11/16)…punted three times for 108 yards on Monday Night Football vs. Jacksonville (12/1) and pinned Jacksonville inside their 20-yard line on each punt…punted three times for a 42.3-yard average at Green Bay (12/7)…also recorded the second-longest run of his career, an 18-yard gain in the third quarter.

2007 (Houston 16/0): Contributed a solid season punting, finishing with 55 punts for 2,296 yards…registered 24 punts inside the 20 and finished with three touchbacks…recorded his long punt of 59 yards in the opening game against Kansas City…finished with a 41.7-yard gross average and a net average of 37.9, both new Texans punting records…punted five times at Carolina (9/16) finishing with 196 punt yards (39.2 avg.), landing three punts inside the 20…long punt of the day was 47 yards and his net for the day was 35.6 yards…punted four times for 178 yards at Indianapolis (12/23)...landing a season-high four punts inside the Colts’ 10-yard line…recorded his 300th career punt inside the 20.

2006 (St. Louis 16/0): Saw action in all 16 games…averaged 43.5 yards per punt on 72 attempts, and his net average was 38.3 yards per punt…net average ranked seventh in the league, and he had 26 punts downed inside the 20 versus just five touchbacks.

2005 (Miami 0/0): Suffered groin injury during training camp…placed on reserve/injured list 9/10…released 10/11/05.

2004 (Miami 16/0): Played in all 16 games…tied for AFC lead with 29 punts inside 20-yard line…11 games with at least one 50-yard punts finishing with 19 50-yard punts…season-high 10 punts for 40.0-yard average at Cincinnati (9/19), dropping three inside 20-yard line…season-long 67-yard punt at Buffalo (10/17).

2003 (Miami 13/0): Saw action in the final 13 games…also served as holder on placekicks…Dolphins-record 11 punts at New England (12/7)…career-long 23-yard run out of punt formation vs. Philadelphia (12/15).

2002 (New York Jets 16/0): Back-to-back weeks with 60-yard punt; 62-yarder vs. New England (9/15) and 65-yarder at Miami (9/22).

2001 (Miami 16/0): AFC Special Teams Player of the Week vs. New England (10/7) with four punts for 40.8-yard average, long of 60, and three inside 20-yard line, including two landing inside five-yard line…six punts for season-high 46.7-yard average, including career-long 77-yard punt, at Buffalo (11/25)…AFC Special Teams Player of the Week vs. Denver (12/2) with seven punts for 42.9-yard average with four inside 20-yard line and long of 59.

2000 (Miami 16/0): Season-high nine punts for 43.8-yard average at Minnesota (9/10), dropping four inside 20-yard line with a long of 62…NFL Special Teams Player of the Week in AFC Wildcard Game vs. Indianapolis (12/30), punting three times for 46.0-yard average and long of 53.

COLLEGE:
Punted 110 times for 3,991 yards, averaging 36.3 yards for career…played on three straight Wisconsin State University Conference championship teams…elementary education major.

PERSONAL:
Born Matthew Edward Turk in Milwaukee, Wis…attended Greenfield (Wis.) High…youngest of six children, all boys…brother, Dan, who passed away during 2000 football season, was long-snapper in NFL from 1985-99 and Matt’s teammate with Redskins from 1997-99…married to Stephanie with four daughters: Danielle, Matisen, Logan, Jessica, and son, Ben.

Read more