Highlighted Year: John Kidd, 1996

Punter, Miami Dolphins

Age: 35

13^th season in pro football, 3^rd with Dolphins (2^nd complete)

College: Northwestern

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 214

Prelude:

Kidd averaged 41.8 yards on 262 punts in college with a high average of 45.3 as a junior in 1982. He was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 1984 NFL draft. As a rookie, Kidd averaged 42.0 yards on 88 punts. While averaging 41.5 yards on 92 punts  in 1985, his net average of 35.9 yards ranked second in the AFC and his 33 punts inside the 20 topped the NFL. Kidd’s performance dropped off in 1985 to a 40.4 average on 75 punts with a net average of 34.5. He ended up spending six years with the Bills in which he performed particularly well in bad weather. He left Buffalo after having averaged 40.5 yards on 446 punts. Kidd signed with San Diego in 1990. Following a solid first year with the Chargers in which he averaged 40.3 yards on 76 punts he struggled through an inconsistent 1991 season. Kidd missed two games with a back injury in ’92 and split 1994 with the Chargers and Dolphins. He had a fine season in 1995, averaging 42.7 yards on 57 punts.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 78 [9, tied with Sean Landeta & Todd Sauerbrun]

Most punts, game – 8 at Buffalo 10/13

Yards – 3611 [8]

Average – 46.3 [1]

Best average, game – 54.4 (on 5 punts) vs. Dallas 10/27

Punts blocked – 0

Longest punt – 63 yards

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – 3

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-AFC: UPI

Dolphins went 8-8 to finish fourth in the AFC East.

Aftermath:

Kidd spent an injury-plagued year with the Dolphins in 1997 and was cut during the 1998 preseason. He joined the Detroit Lions for two games and finished the year with the New York Jets. Overall, Kidd punted 957 times for an average of 41.5 yards with 201 punts for a 44.2-yard average occurring with Miami.1996 remained the only season in which he received honors for his performance.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970