Read more: Found hereA new country, a new delivery, a new position: Athletes finding success in unexpected ways, like a hurdling punter and a soccer star trying out the placekicker role, take center stage. The Times-Union recognizes the top 100 athletes in the sports history of Jacksonville and surrounding counties, continuing with Nos. 61-70.
Accomplishments : Competed 12 seasons in the NFL with Cleveland (1976), Minnesota (1977-87) and Washington (1988), averaging 40.6 yards for his career on 820 punts. … Originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 14th round (No. 398) in 1976. … Enjoyed his best seasons in 1984 and 1985 with 42.4 and 42.8-yard averages, respectively, ranking seventh in the league both years. … Had only three punts blocked in his entire career and set Vikings records with 563 consecutive punts without a block, 154 career punts inside the 20 (since surpassed by Chris Kluwe) and 12 punts in a single game, against Green Bay on Nov. 21, 1982. … After losing starting job to Bucky Scribner in late 1987, signed by Washington on Oct. 12, 1988 and finished his last NFL season with a 38.6-yard average. … At Florida A&M, he pulled double duty in 1975, averaging 41.7 yards per punt and leading the Rattlers in scoring with 66 points. … Kicked four field goals in 12-11 win over Alabama State and until 2014 held the school record for longest field goal, a 52-yarder against Kentucky State. … A track standout, he also ran hurdles for the Rattlers. … In 1972, won the FHSAA Class 4A 180-yard low hurdles state championship in 19.4 seconds, one-tenth of a second off the state record, and also captured 120-yard high hurdles title in 14.4 seconds. ... Elected to Black College Hall of Fame in 2021 and Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
Deserving because: His career clearly shoots down any stereotype about punters not being athletes. Anyone who can stick in the NFL for a dozen years as a starting punter merits a meaningful place on this list.
On growing up at Raines in the early 1970s: "We were surrounded by greatness. Players like Harold Carmichael, Kenny Burrough, Ken Riley [the Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, a Bartow native, moved to Jacksonville and taught at Raines], Al Denson. Lemar Parrish was here sometimes. They would work out here and then we would work out there with them, and they would tell us that we could be successful. Those were lessons we learned and lessons we didn't forget." — Greg Coleman.
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