John Jett

John Jett (born November 11, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a punter in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions. He played college football for East Carolina University. Jett won two Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII and Super Bowl XXX.

Early life Jett attended Northumberland High School where he played football and baseball, receiving All-State honors as a pitcher and outfielder.

Although Jett came to East Carolina University as an unrecruited walk-on athlete, he became a 4-year starter at Punter. He graduated after recording two of the three best single season averages in school history, setting the records for career punting average (40.0) and yards-per-punt average in a season (42.2).

In 2007, he was inducted into the East Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Minnesota Vikings Jett was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings in 1992 and was released before the start of the season.

Dallas Cowboys On March 10, 1993, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys and replaced Mike Saxon on the defending Super Bowl champion. He finished the year with a 41.8 yards gross average, third in the NFC in net punting average (37.7) and led the league in percentage of punts downed inside the 20-yard line (39.3%).

In 1994, he had a gross average of 41.9 yards (sixth in the NFC), led the league in percentage of punts downed inside the 20-yard line (37.1%) and his 26 punts that landed inside the 20-yard line were the third highest ever in franchise history. In the divisional playoff win against the Green Bay Packers, he registered the third best punting performance in Cowboys playoff history, with a 45.8 yard gross average.

In 1995, he had a gross average of 40.9 yards and a net average of 34.5. After a block, in the NFC Championship Game win against the Green Bay Packers, he went on to average 45.8 yards and tie the mark for the third highest punting average in the franchise postseason history, receiving NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The next year, he was fourth in the NFC in net average (36.8 yards).

During his time with the team, he led the NFL in punts inside the 20 yard-line for four straight seasons.

Detroit Lions Jett was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Lions in 1997, after the salary cap-strapped Cowboys could not afford to re-sign him.

In 2000, he was named as an alternate to the Pro Bowl.

He missed three games with a calf injury in 2001. The next year, he was second in the NFC in net average (38 yards), sixth in gross average (42.2 yards) and third in punts inside the 20-yard line (29).

On October 30, 2003, he was placed on the injured reserve list, with what turned out to be a career-ending calf injury.

NFL career statistics Legend Won the Super Bowl Led the league Bold Career high

Year Team Punting Punts 1993 DAL 16 56 2,342 2,113 59 41.8 37.7 0 22 3 1994 DAL 16 70 2,935 2,477 58 41.9 35.4 0 26 4 1995 DAL 16 53 2,166 1,830 58 40.9 34.5 0 17 6 1996 DAL 16 74 3,150 2,721 60 42.6 36.8 0 22 9 1997 DET 16 84 3,576 3,062 60 42.6 35.6 2 24 4 1998 DET 14 66 2,892 2,374 60 43.8 36.0 0 17 6 1999 DET 16 86 3,637 2,995 62 42.3 34.8 0 27 12 2000 DET 16 93 4,044 3,306 59 43.5 34.8 2 33 12 2001 DET 13 58 2,512 2,060 62 43.3 35.5 0 16 6 2002 DET 16 91 3,838 3,459 57 42.2 38.0 0 29 7 2003 DET 4 25 995 890 58 39.8 35.6 0 8 3 Career 159 756 32,087 27,287 62 42.4 35.9 4 241 72