Ryan Stonehouse has been the most impactful rookie in the NFL this season. 

At 53.02 yards per punt, the first-year starter out of Colorado State is on pace to break the single-season record for punting average (51.4) — a high mark that has stood since 1940. 

While many great punters over the years have come close to Sammy Baugh’s historic season, like Shane Lechler, who twice finished in the top 5 all-time with Oakland, it will very likely be Stonehouse that finally resets the record that has stood for 82 years. 

Player | Season | Punts | Yards | Average

• Sammy Baugh | 1940 | 35 | 1,799 | 51.40 
• Shane Lechler | 2009 | 96 | 4,909 | 51.14 
• Andy Lee | 2011 | 78 | 3,970 | 50.90 
• Corey Bojorquez | 2020 | 41 | 2,082 | 50.78 
• Shane Lechler | 2011 | 78 | 3,960 | 50.77 

Through 16 games in 2022, Stonehouse has punted 87 times for 4,613 yards which comes out to an average of 53.02 yards per attempt. He’s been the definition of consistency for a Titans team that has relied on him all season.

Considering how impressive the three-time All-American has already been for Tennessee, it’s absurd that he was not voted a starter for the AFC in the Pro Bowl. There’s really no defending it when you look at the numbers. 

After repeatedly seeing Stonehouse get overshadowed by less talented players during his time at CSU though — somehow the NCAA’s all-time leader in punting average never won a Ray Guy award — I want to know why Stonehouse is not even in the conversation for the offensive rookie of the year award?

Punting may not be not the sexiest aspect of the game, but it’s clearly one of the most valuable. And whether he breaks the record or not, as a rookie, Stonehouse has already put together one of the top 2 seasons ever by a punter. And he’s done so in the modern era.

With all due respect to Baugh and the record that he’s held for close to a century, when you look at the volume of punts from the individuals in the top 5, even though it didn’t break the record, the most impressive season by a punter was arguably Lechler’s 2009 campaign.

In order to qualify for the record, punters are required to average 2.5 punts per team game, so it’s not Baugh’s fault that they played less games back then. But factoring in that punters in the modern era are out there for about three times as many attempts, it’s fair to point out that it’s more challenging to keep the average up. Like anything, the bigger the sample size, the greater the opportunity for something to occur that skews the data and impacts the average. Ie. a rare shank from these great punters. 

Stonehouse to this point has been more consistent than any punter in any single season ever. He’s been a weapon that has kept Tennessee in the playoff conversation despite how flawed their roster is. Week after week he goes out there and flips the field, and at least gives the team an opportunity to be competitive.

What Stonehouse brings to the table is not going to get shown on SportsCenter like a touchdown from Garrett Wilson. The Jets receiver is currently the betting favorite to win the offensive rookie of the year award (-200). And to his credit, Wilson has been really consistent for New York in year one. 

As talented as Wilson is though, and as high as his ceiling in the NFL may be, is 71 catches for 996 yards and four touchdowns really more impressive than breaking a record that has stood for close to a century? 

Rookie of the Year is not voted on by the fans, it’s determined by voters from the AP. I would think that folks that make a living covering this game would be able to recognize something special and historic when it comes along. Alas, we all know it will just be another glamor contest.

Stonehouse may not ever get the hardware that he clearly deserves. For some reason specialists just don’t get acknowledged for the impact that they make in the game. But after watching him get passed over in the NFL Draft for some insane reason, and then landing on a team that had one of the NFL’s most established punters in Brett Kern, it’s really cool to see him flourishing at the next level immediately.

The process is different for everyone, but there is no denying that Stonehouse has established himself amongst the NFL’s elite. Trophy or not, he’s been the best rookie in the league this season.