The New York Jets dumped veteran Thomas Morstead following the 2025 NFL draft.
On Wednesday, May 28, Morstead landed on his feet. The former Pro Bowler took to social media and said, “Grateful is an understatement! #49ers”
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter quote-tweeted Morstead’s post and added, “49ers signed veteran punter Thomas Morstead, who now will be headed into his 17th NFL season.”
Morstead Continues to Quiet the Naysayers
The former SMU product is now on his fifth NFL team in his NFL career. Morstead, 39, entered the league back in 2009 as the No. 164 overall pick in the fifth round.
Morstead was with the Jets for two separate stints. In 2021, he served as an injury replacement for Braden Mann across seven games. After Mann returned to health, the Jets cut bait with Morstead.
Morstead returned for another go-around over the last two seasons. In 2023, Morstead had a career year, registering 99 punts for 4,831 yards, both of which led the league.
The veteran punter joined me on “Boy Green Daily” ahead of the 2023 campaign and told me he expected a lighter workload. With Aaron Rodgers on the offensive side, the Jets weren’t expected to punt as much.
However, Rodgers ended up going down four snaps into that season. So instead of a light workload, Morstead received the heaviest of his career.
Last offseason, Morstead was richly rewarded for it. The Jets made him the highest-paid punter in franchise history.
A Big Ex-Jets Reunion With the 49ers
Morstead is going to see some familiar faces in the bay.
Robert Saleh was the Jets’ head coach in all of Morstead’s stints with the team in both 2021 and across 2023-24. Saleh was hired this offseason as the 49ers’ new defensive coordinator.
However, more importantly, Morstead is reuniting with his special-teams coordinator from his time with the Jets, Brant Boyer.
49ers team insider Matt Maiocco revealed that Boyer “now runs the show” and “has a lot of say in those personnel matters.”
ESPN’s Rich Cimini reacted to the news, saying, “Thomas Morstead wasn’t out of work for long.”
“Thomas Morstead finds a home in Year 17. His amazing career continues,” Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com said on social media.
“Looks like another ex-Jet is landing with 49ers (see: K Greg Joseph, special teams coach Brant Boyer, DC Robert Saleh),” San Francisco reporter Cam Inman said.
Recently Released Jets Veteran, Ex-Pro Bowler Bolts to NFC Squad