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Aformer member of the Philadelphia Eagles is calling it a career.
Punter Brett Kern — who signed with the Eagles during the latter portion of the regular season following an injury to Arryn Siposs — is retiring after 15 seasons. Kern’s former team, the Tennessee Titans, made the announcement on Thursday, June 1.
“I want to congratulate Brett on an amazing NFL career,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. “He was a true professional and one of the important players who helped our organization reach the level of success that we have sustained for a number of years now. After being named to three Pro Bowls, receiving All-Pro honors and setting record after record, he would be on a very short list of the best waiver claims our organization has ever made.”
Brett Kern Played Key Role During Eagles’ Super Bowl Run
The 37-year-old Kern played in four regular-season games and two postseason games with the Eagles prior to the 2023 Super Bowl. As noted by Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia, Kern averaged career lows in his punting averages during his brief stint with the Eagles. However, he bounced back in the playoffs and played better.
“He averaged 40.8 yards and 36.6 net yards per punt in the regular season, which were both career lows,” writes Zangaro. “In the playoffs, he was better, averaging 44.1 and 39.3 net in two games against the Giants and 49ers.”
Despite punting for the Eagles during the first two postseason games, Kern was inactive for the 2023 Super Bowl when Siposs was cleared to return from his ankle injury. Siposs had one bad punt during the big game — a 38-yarder — that resulted in a 65-yard return to set up a touchdown for the Kansas City Chiefs early in the fourth quarter when Philadelphia was trailing by one point.
With Siposs returning for the 2023 season and the Eagles opting to sign undrafted free agent punter Ty Zentner from Kansas State to compete for the job, that left no room for Kern to return for a second season in Philadelphia.
Brett Kern Was 1 of NFL’s Best Punters at Peak
Kern will always be best known for his 13-season stint with the Titans. Following his release from the Denver Broncos, Kern established himself as one of the best punters in the league, notching three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (2017-2019) and a First-Team All-Pro selection during the 2019 season.
Over the course of his 15 seasons in the league, Kern ranked within the top 10 in punting average on eight different occasions.
“When I came to Tennessee, I had just been (released),” Kern said in the retirement announcement from the Titans. “I was confused, angry, kind of all the emotions. But at the same time, I was extremely thankful. I was getting another chance, and to be able to come to the Titans, it was a great opportunity.”
During his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2017, Kern led the league in average yards per punt (49.7), the 12th-best single season mark in NFL history. He ends his career as the franchise record holder for most yards per punt in a single season (49.7), career (45.9) and in a playoff career (46.2).
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