The 5 best punters in the history of the New England Patriots

Looking back at the Patriots' history of punters is a bit bleak compared to several other positions where they've seen more success. Most of the best players were on the roster during the two-decade dominance over the rest of the league under Bill Belichick, which isn't surprising considering how much he emphasized the need for a strong special teams unit.

It was a bonus that the best of the best remained with the team for several years; maintaining consistency and production was key to their continued success.

Although their history at the position hasn't always been the best, they're fortunate to have found a star in the making with Bryce Baringer. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 Draft and has already climbed the ranks of the best in team history after just one season.

But before they added Baringer, a handful of talented punters made sure the special teams were in good hands, especially when the team needed them most.

Criteria for selection:

Members of the special teams are often overlooked and undervalued for what they bring to the field each and every week. The Patriots, however, recognized the importance of having a solid third unit, especially under Bill Belichick, resulting in some of the most successful special teams units in NFL history.

Because of that, we saw several talented additions to the roster who had successful careers in New England, some of which played significant roles in winning a few Championships.

In ranking the five best punters in Patriots history, their overall contributions are weighted heavily, along with their stats and the longevity of those remaining near the top. It's tricky to gauge how good a punter was without thoughtfully integrating their statistical accomplishments, so that plays a bigger role in this ranking than most other positions.

The top 5 punters in Patriots history

5. Ken Walter

After spending the first four years of his career with the Panthers, Ken Walter signed with the Patriots just in the nick of time in 2001. He didn't punt much that first season, but he served as Adam Vinatieri's holder that season including during their Super Bowl XXXVI over the Rams.

His workload increased a bit the following season, but the most memorable moment of that year was, once again, holding the football for Vinatieri in the Patriots' Super Bowl XXXVIII win over Walter's former team, the Panthers.

By the time he left the team for the first time in 2003, Walter recorded 195 punts for 7,552 yards with a 6.9% touchback average. He re-signed with the team in 2006, but an injury sustained late in the season seemingly ended his career.

4. Zoltán Meskó

As one of the very few punters actually drafted by the Patriots, Zoltán Meskó joined the Patriots at a weird point in the dynasty years. It was the era in which the team was still winning and attending AFC Championships but was unable to add more Super Bowl wins to the history books.

Despite that, Meskó played an integral role in the special teams' success during the three years he spent in New England. Throughout his tenure, he recorded 175 punts for 7,738 yards and an average of 39.2 yards, which remains the fourth-best in team history.

By the time rookie Ryan Allen beat him for the starting job in 2013, Meskó had already solidified himself among the greatest punters for the Patriots, and he is still in the top 10 for punt yards over ten years later.

His time in New England might not have been the most memorable, but his contributions during a downtime for the team cannot be overlooked.

3. Jake Bailey

The Patriots have had some stout punters throughout their history, but not so good that a short stint like Jake Bailey's from 2019 to 2022 doesn't make the list of the best ever.

After booting Ryan Allen from his starting spot as a rookie, Bailey impressed with his big leg and limited return yards by opposing teams. In just his second season, he earned his first and only Pro Bowl selection and First-Team All-Pro honors after recording a 9.1% touchback for the year and only 71 yards returned.

His production remained impressive the following year, only to fall from grace during what would be his final season in New England reportedly due to an injury.

Regardless, Bailey remains in the top 5 all-time for total punt yards with 10,189 and the top 3 for most punts inside the 20-yard line. His time in Foxboro may have been brief comparatively, and it would have been great to see him remain on the team, but Bailey will be remembered for his short yet sweet punting career with the Patriots.

2. Ryan Allen

Although he's slightly beaten in the punter rankings for most punt yards in Patriots history, it's hard to argue against Ryan Allen being the best at the position for the team. From his impressive yards per punt average (45.3) to his low touchback percentage and blocks, Allen was the real deal during a competitive era in New England.

He joined the team in 2013 as an undrafted free agent and easily beat out Zoltán Meskó for the starting job in training camp. His rookie year ended historically by setting a Super Bowl record with a 64-yard punt against the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, a game the Patriots also won in historic fashion.

Over the next five seasons, Allen was as consistent as they come, remaining steady with just an 8.3% touchback average, and was named AFC Special Team Player of the Week numerous times.

During his time in New England, he won three Super Bowls, all of which he was a big part of, and even five years after leaving the team, he remains at the top in several stats all time for punters in team history.

1. Rich Camarillo

Before Bill Belichick emphasized the importance of a dominant special teams roster, Rich Camarillo was wreaking havoc on opposing teams as a punter, setting records and reminding the rest of the league of the importance of a solid third unit.

He joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1981 and led the league in the longest punt of the season with 75 yards. Two years later, Camarillo earned his first Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors due to his impressive performance of his (then) career high of 44.6 yards per punt, leading the league with a long punt of 70 yards and allowing just 11 touchbacks through nine games.

In 1985, he led the league again, but this time in punting yards with 3,953. That same year, Camarillo was a big part of the Patriots losing effort in Super Bowl XX against the Bears, a game in which New England was blown out 46-10.

By the time he signed with the Rams in 1988, Camarillo had recorded 468 punts for 19,922 yards, averaging 42.6 yards per punt and allowing just 12.8% touchbacks.

His tenure earned him spots on the Patriots All-1980s Team and their 35th and 50th Anniversary Teams, as well as the moniker of the best punter in team history.

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