June 29, 2015

Highlighted Year: Jim Arnold, 1984

Punter, Kansas City Chiefs


Age: 23
2nd season in pro football & with Chiefs
College: Vanderbilt
Height: 6’2”   Weight: 212

Prelude:
Arnold was a four-time All-Southeastern Conference choice in college as well as consensus All-American as a senior in 1982. He was chosen by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the ‘83 NFL draft and averaged 39.9 yards on 93 punts as a rookie.

1984 Season Summary
Appeared in all 16 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting
Punts – 98 [1, tied with Rohn Stark]
Most punts, game – 9 at Denver 9/23, vs. Houston 11/11
Yards – 4397 [1]
Average – 44.9 [1]
Best average, game – 50.9 (on 8 punts) at LA Raiders 11/18
Punts blocked – 0
Longest punt – 63 yards

Rushing
Attempts – 1
Yards – 0
TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:
2nd team All-NFL: AP

Chiefs went 8-8 to finish fourth in the AFC West.

Aftermath:
A lesser performance in 1985 set the stage for Arnold’s release prior to the ‘86 season and he was picked up by Detroit for the last seven games, averaging 42.6 yards on 36 punts. He followed up with a 1987 season in which he was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection after averaging 43.6 yards on 46 punts during the strike-interrupted campaign. He had another Pro Bowl year in ‘88 after punting a team-record 97 times for a 42.4-yard average, which topped the NFC. Arnold ended up playing a total of eight years for the Lions and set a franchise career records with 536 punts, averaging 42.7 yards per kick. He played for the Miami Dolphins in 1994 before retiring. Overall, Arnold punted 866 times over 12 seasons for a 42.3-yard average (284 for a 42.0 average with the Chiefs). He was named to the Pro Bowl twice and received first- or second-team All-NFL honors on three occasions.

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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