Don Bracken

Donald Craig Bracken (February 16, 1962 – October 29, 2014) was an American professional football punter.

After playing high school football in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Bracken played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1983. As a freshman, he set a Rose Bowl record that is still unbroken with a 73-yard punt in the 1981 Rose Bowl.

Bracken played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers (1985-1990) and Los Angeles Rams (1992-1993). In 1987, he ranked third in the NFL in both number of punts (72) and punting yardage (2,947). In eight NFL seasons, Bracken appeared in 99 NFL games and punted 461 times for 18,375 yards, an average of 39.9 yards per punt.

Early life Don Bracken was born in Coalinga in Fresno County, California, in 1962. He moved with his family to Thermopolis, Wyoming, while in middle school. He attended Thermopolis High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society. He was also the punter for the school's football team, averaging 46.7 yards per punt.

University of Michigan Don Bracken enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1980. He was the punter for Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football team from 1980 to 1983. In his first appearance at Michigan Stadium, before a crowd more than 20 times larger than the population of his home town, Bracken's first punt traveled 47 yards. In four years at Michigan, Bracken averaged 40.8 yards per punt, a school record that was later surpassed by Monte Robbins.

Professional football After graduating from Michigan, Bracken signed with the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL), but he was cut due to an injured knee. In the spring of 1984, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, but he failed a physical due to tendinitis in his knee.

In April 1992, Bracken signed with the Los Angeles Rams. In his NFL comeback, Bracken punted 76 times for the Rams during the 1992 NFL season, averaging a career-high 41.1 yards per punt.

In eight NFL seasons, Bracken appeared in 99 NFL games and punted 461 times for 18,375 yards, an average of 39.9 yards per punt. He was buried at Monument Hill Cemetery, Thermopolis.