Sam Koch, The Legend You May Never Have Heard Of
On May 19, a legendary, yet perhaps unappreciated, NFL career came to an end.
In an emotional press conference, punter Sam Koch announced his retirement, leaving the NFL after 16 years solely with the Baltimore Ravens.
An innovator in his position, Koch’s retirement may have been more noteworthy to casual fans had he played any other position.
For those die-hard supporters, the announcement draws to a close the career of one of the greatest to play in his the position.
Koch the Raven
Sam was selected by the Ravens in the 6th round (pick 203) of the 2006 NFL Rookie Draft, becoming the starting punter in his rookie season.
After taking on the role of starting punter, Koch never looked back, playing in a Baltimore record 256 games, the most by any Ravens player.
Koch would end his career with almost every Ravens franchise punting record including most games played (256), longest punt (74 yards), highest yards per punt average (45.3 yards), and most punt yards (52,868 yards).
Koch was one-half of the best kicking duos in the NFL for years alongside Justin Tucker. As a Ravens fan, there was always a level of comfort knowing that I never had to worry about a botched punt or missed field goal kick.
This level of consistency came from hard work, dedication, and Koch’s drive for perfection.
Koch the Innovator
“Sam has revolutionized the game of football,” said Special Teams Coach Randy Brown in a press release on Thursday. “He introduced the idea that punters could have different types of punts… As a whole, every punter in the NFL owes Sam Koch a debt of gratitude for being the pioneer of change on how punting is executed in this league.”
Widely considered an innovator in the punting position, Koch would develop new ways to deceive and unsettle the receiving team.
He used his patented “Koch Hook” which dropped in the shape of an “S” and a knuckleballer that was even harder to field.
As Ravens head coach John Harburgh admitted, “Sam changed punting.”
Koch the Legend
Perhaps the biggest highlight of Koch’s career came in Super Bowl XLVII, when he recorded one of the most important safeties ever.
With 12 seconds remaining and Baltimore holding onto a 34-29 lead, Koch took the snap in the end zone and ran off eight seconds before going out of bounds.
The play chewed off enough clock giving the San Francisco 49ers only one play to try to win the game. They failed, and the Ravens brought home the second Lombardi Trophy in their history.
The appreciation for the veteran punter was displayed in full effect after the announcement of Koch’s retirement. Many members of the NFL, both past and present, shared their sentiments of respect and gratitude for the iconic Ravens punter.
From Lamar Jackson to rival coach Mike Tomlin, the NFL family came out in full force on social media to show their respect for Sam Koch.
His future as a Pro Football Hall of Famer remains cloudy (the NFL has only inducted one punter into the Hall of Fame). But his legacy in the sport is unquestioned.
I believe the most powerful quote was delivered by Koch himself: “As Ray Lewis would always put it, leave your legacy.
“I always remembered that, and I always tried to find a way that I could leave a legacy. I’m honored to say I left a legacy.”
