Latest news with #Wishnowsky
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former New York Jets HC Robert Saleh Brings Three Ex-Jets to 49ers
Former New York Jets HC Robert Saleh Brings Three Ex-Jets to 49ers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Robert Saleh spent four seasons as the head coach of the New York Jets, holding a record of 20-36 as an NFL head coach. Saleh was hired due to his resume as a top-end defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers, a post he has reclaimed this offseason. Advertisement Saleh and special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, who served the Jets in that post from 2016 to 2024, have added three former Jets to their respective units in a weeks time. The first move came after the 49ers released Mitch Wishnowsky earlier this week, a move that was surprising to some after an injury-riddled season that saw him have one of the lowest averages of any punter in the NFL. After Wishnowsky's release, the 49ers scooped up former Jet punter Thomas Morstead. The initial reaction from many was to assume that Wishnowsky was let go due to his recurring back issues, however 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said the decision was not health-related. Advertisement 'He is healthy. So, he's going to go to a team and help a team out a lot. But those are things you've always got to predict." Shanahan said. "You don't know how those things go, and you've got to take the risk-reward and something that to me wasn't a big risk or worth the risk until someone like Morstead becomes available. And that put us on where we needed to make a decision.' Shanahan said that Morstead becoming available and his familiarity with Boyer helped lead to Wishnowsky's release. 'Well, I mean he definitely has the most expertise in the building. So, I always tend to lean towards whoever has the most expertise. But it's got to make sense. We've all got to agree with it. And it was really hard to cut ties with Mitch [Wishnowsky]." Shanahan stated. "I love Mitch. He's one of my favorite guys I've been around, especially from a special team standpoint and punter standpoint. He's such a football player in how he plays. The guys love him. But when you just look into contract situations, how last year went and things, the fact that [P Thomas] Morstead became available, [special teams coordinator] Brant [Boyer] being so familiar with him and having that relationship, it ended up making it a decision that wasn't easy, but we felt all confident it was best for our team.' The second former Jet brought into the Niners fold is linebacker Chase Surratt, who played 32 games with the Jets over the past three seasons, including starting five of the 17 games he played in 2024. Surratt also served on four different special teams units for the Jets. Advertisement The third prong of the former Jet trifecta is Bryce Huff, who the 49ers have a pending trade for. Huff spent the first four years of his career with the Jets, posting a 10 sack campaign in 2023, despite not being a starter in any of his 17 games. Huff spent this past season with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played a key part in their Super Bowl winning season. Related: Jets Desperately Need Fields Four-Word Claim To Come True Related: Jets Coach Reveals Update on Fields' Progress This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
49ers continue bolstering special teams by adding another 39-year-old
In an offseason defined by an injection of youth, the San Francisco 49ers are going the opposite direction on special teams. The San Francisco Chronicle's Eric Branch on Wednesday reported the 49ers signed veteran punter Thomas Morstead. That report came shortly after Morstead posted a photo on social media where he was at the 49ers' facility. Advertisement Morstead has been in the NFL since 2009 when he was a fifth-round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints. He's the second 39-year-old the 49ers have added this offseason, joining veteran longsnapper and former Houston Texan Jon Weeks. There's a distinct difference between Weeks and Morstead, though. Weeks was signed after the club released longsnapper Taybor Pepper. Morstead was brought in with veteran punter Mitch Wishnowsky still on the roster. Wishnowsky has had a lot of success with San Francisco since joining the club as a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, but he missed the final eight games last season because of a back injury that also limited him in training camp and the preseason. If the 49ers aren't sure about Wishnowsky's health, it makes sense that they'd bring in a veteran to compete in training camp in the event Wishnowsky isn't available for camp or the start of the season. Morstead spent his first 12 seasons with the Saints, then split a year between the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets. He was with the Miami Dolphins in 2022 before rejoining the Jets for the last two seasons. Morstead was released by the Jets this offseason. In New York he played for new 49ers special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, who held the same position with the Jets from 2016-24. Advertisement In 16 seasons Morstead has averaged 46.8 yards per punt with 36.7 percent of his kicks being downed inside the 20. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2012 and earned a Second-Team All-Pro spot that same year. He was also part of the Saints Super Bowl championship team as a rookie in 2009. More 49ers: 49ers WR tempts fate by changing jersey number after one season This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Report: 49ers sign P Thomas Morstead to compete with Mitch Wishnowsky
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
49ers roster moves: Former 4th-round pick released, All-Pro signed
49ers roster moves: Former 4th-round pick released, All-Pro signed The San Francisco 49ers' special teams rebuild continues. After a disappointing 2024 campaign with a flurry of special-teams issues, the 49ers moved on from special teams coordinator Brian Schneider and hired former New York Jets special-teams coordinator Brant Boyer. With Boyer at the helm, changes have been coming to San Francisco's special teams unit, including the addition of a new punter. On Wednesday, the 49ers announced the signing of former All-Pro and Pro Bowl punter Thomas Morstead. With Morstead's arrival in Santa Clara, the 49ers waived longtime punter Mitch Wishnowsky. Wishnowsky has served as the 49ers' punter since being drafted with a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. Wishnowsky only played nine games last season after suffering a back injury in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wishnowsky finished the season on the injured reserve. Morstead has spent 16 seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Jets under Boyer. Morstead has also punted for the Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. Morstead won the Super Bowl with the Saints in 2010. In 2012, he was named to the Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro. In 2023 with the Jets, the 39-year-old led the NFL in punting yards with 4,831. Morstead took to X on Wednesday to celebrate his signing with the 49ers. This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
49ers continue bolstering special teams by adding another 39-year-old
49ers continue bolstering special teams by adding another 39-year-old In an offseason defined by an injection of youth, the San Francisco 49ers are going the opposite direction on special teams. The San Francisco Chronicle's Eric Branch on Wednesday reported the 49ers signed veteran punter Thomas Morstead. That report came shortly after Morstead posted a photo on social media where he was at the 49ers' facility. Morstead has been in the NFL since 2009 when he was a fifth-round draft pick of the New Orleans Saints. He's the second 39-year-old the 49ers have added this offseason, joining veteran longsnapper and former Houston Texan Jon Weeks. There's a distinct difference between Weeks and Morstead, though. Weeks was signed after the club released longsnapper Taybor Pepper. Morstead was brought in with veteran punter Mitch Wishnowsky still on the roster. Wishnowsky has had a lot of success with San Francisco since joining the club as a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, but he missed the final eight games last season because of a back injury that also limited him in training camp and the preseason. If the 49ers aren't sure about Wishnowsky's health, it makes sense that they'd bring in a veteran to compete in training camp in the event Wishnowsky isn't available for camp or the start of the season. Morstead spent his first 12 seasons with the Saints, then split a year between the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets. He was with the Miami Dolphins in 2022 before rejoining the Jets for the last two seasons. Morstead was released by the Jets this offseason. In New York he played for new 49ers special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, who held the same position with the Jets from 2016-24. In 16 seasons Morstead has averaged 46.8 yards per punt with 36.7 percent of his kicks being downed inside the 20. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2012 and earned a Second-Team All-Pro spot that same year. He was also part of the Saints Super Bowl championship team as a rookie in 2009. More 49ers: 49ers WR tempts fate by changing jersey number after one season
San Francisco Chronicle
28-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
49ers sign 'grateful' punter Thomas Morstead to compete with Mitch Wishnowsky
After dealing with injuries and ineffectiveness last year, San Francisco 49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky could be facing unemployment. The 49ers will make Wishnowsky compete for the job he's had since 2019 by battling Thomas Morstead, 39, who ranks 11th in NFL history in gross punting average (46.8) and has strong ties to new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer. Morstead wrote 'Grateful is an understatement! #49ers' on social media Wednesday morning along with a selfie at Levi's Stadium. A league source confirmed the signing. Wishnowsky, 33, has not had offseason competition since the 49ers selected him in the fifth round in 2019. He signed a four-year, $13 million extension in 2022, but he ranked 30th in the NFL in gross average (45.2) and 34th in net average (36.3) last year while plagued by multiple injuries. Wishnowsky was sidelined for all three preseason games with what head coach Kyle Shanahan termed 'knee irritation' before he missed the final eight regular-season games with a back injury. Shanahan said last month that Wishnowsky had recovered from his back issue. Last year, Morstead ranked 16th in gross average (47.2) and 23rd in net average (40.2) with the Jets. Morstead spent the past two seasons in New York with Boyer, the Jets special teams coach from 2016-2024. Morstead spent his first 12 seasons with the Saints, was a Pro Bowl selection in 2012 and has ranked among the NFL's top 10 in gross average in 10 of his 16 seasons, the last time in 2021. Morstead was released by the Jets on May 13 when he was scheduled to count $3.05 million against the salary cap. The Jets signed undrafted rookie punter Kai Kroeger on the same day they released Morstead.
