I don’t want to jinx it, but we might be in a Golden Age of NFL punting.
During the first week of this year’s preseason, Bills rookie Matt Araiza — aka the “Punt God” — kicked a ball into the stratosphere with an incredible 82-yard punt. And now, in the Saints’ Blake Gillikin, it looks like Araiza might have a worthy mega-punting rival.
When New Orleans took on the Packers (-3.5) on Friday night in another exhibition at Lambeau Field, Gillikin took an early second-half punt and completely flipped the field with an 81-yard beauty.
I don’t want to undersell. You have to see this moonshot for yourself:
81-yard PUNT 💣
📺: @FOX8NOLA
📻: @WWLAMFM pic.twitter.com/kLm8PGYqvU— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 20, 2022
Goodness, gracious! Play-by-play commentator Kevin Harlan’s call of “back, back, BACK to the 12 …” says it all.
Folks, rest assured. Even as offenses become more talented and exciting, the field position battle will never die. And if we start seeing more and more punters like Araiza and Gillikin, I, for one, will always be glued to my seat on fourth downs.
Gillikin's 81-yard moonshot of a punt had NFL fans astounded
@blakegillikin puts the foot back into football. Incredible. https://t.co/Siyh6GSDAb
— Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, OP (@FrAquinasOP) August 20, 2022
Carve that man’s bust https://t.co/lLulFyqrta
— Reid (@ReidG75) August 20, 2022
Gillikin saw that Bills punter and was like, watch this. https://t.co/yYXk9i4Sbv
— Buddy Rich (@budrich17) August 20, 2022
— drake🦇 (@itsdrak3) August 20, 2022
— Clarence Lodge III (@clodge3) August 20, 2022
— Ceddylow™️ (@Ced_100) August 20, 2022
— Mackenzie Rizzi (@mackrizz23) August 20, 2022
Jesus christ https://t.co/WrzbkjxVjj
— spence.sol (@Spence_DFS) August 20, 2022
Best in the World https://t.co/2pGEpt1RPB
— Mike🥷🏾 (@SteadyStuntin_) August 20, 2022
MVP candidate Blake Gillikin https://t.co/BZ6dpgf3z1
— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) August 20, 2022
