Jeremy Kapinos
Encyclopedia
Jeremy D. Kapinos is an American football
punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the National Football League
. He was first signed by the New York Jets
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
at Penn State
.
Kapinos has also played for the Green Bay Packers
and Indianapolis Colts
.
. He was named All-Met while at West Springfield High School (Virginia), in Springfield, Virginia
, where his coach was former Green Bay Packers
punter Bill Renner
.
finalist and a third-team All-America
selection by the Associated Press
while playing college football
at Penn State University. He is the Nittany Lions
' all-time leader in punting yardage.
following the 2007 NFL draft
on July 2 but was released during the preseason on August 2. On November 27, Kapinos was re-signed to the Jets' practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on December 22 when wide receiver Laveranues Coles
was placed on injured reserve. He saw his first regular season action that week against the Titans, punting five times for 208 yards, including two punts inside the 20. Kapinos was then placed on the inactive list for the last game of the season.
After a well-publicized 2008 offseason competition with Ben Graham, the Jets released him on June 10, 2008.
on December 3, 2008 to replace released punter Derrick Frost
. He averaged 34.5 yards on 8 punts, with 3 inside the 20, in the Packers' week 14 loss to Houston
.
Kapinos won the preseason competition with Durant Brooks
to become the Packers' regular season punter for the 2009 NFL season
after leading the NFL in preseason in net punting yardage. Kapinos was also pressed into service Week 17 as the Packers' holder
following a string of bad kicks by placekicker
Mason Crosby
in previous games.
According to the Green Bay Packers website, Kapinos did not receive a qualifying offer to retain his position as their starting punter for the 2010 NFL season.
In late September 2010, the Carolina Panthers
brought Kapinos in to mimic the left-footed punters they would face in the coming weeks: Tampa Bay's
Chris Bryan
, Cincinnati's
Kevin Huber
, and Arizona's
Ben Graham.
signed Kapinos to replace the team's regular punter, Pat McAfee
, who was serving a one-game suspension for his October 20 arrest for public intoxication. Kapinos was waived on November 3 after McAfee was reinstated.
, who tore the ACL
in his non-kicking leg. Kapinos was going to wear the number 3, which had been worn earlier in the season by longtime kicker Jeff Reed prior to his release, but eventually decided to wear number 13 instead. Kapinos punted in Super Bowl XLV
as a Steeler, setting a Super Bowl
record for average punting yardage (3 for 51 avg). He was released at the end of the 2011 preseason
after a position battle with a once-again healthy Sepulveda.
Kapinos re-joined the Steelers prior to Week 9 of the 2011 NFL season
after Sepulveda was placed on injured reserve for the season.
addition for teams preparing for left-footed punters. He spent Week 1 of the 2011 NFL season
with the Baltimore Ravens
as they prepared for fellow left-footed punter Sepulveda.
in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management from Penn State in 2006. He is an Eagle Scout
. Kapinos' father David, a retired United States Army Colonel
, played football at Army
.
Kapinos joined Packers placekicker
Mason Crosby
and long snapper
Brett Goode
to kick footballs into the stands during the pre-race "kick off" of the 2009 A.J. Foyt 225
IRL race at the Milwaukee Mile
on May 31, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was first signed by the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
.
Kapinos has also played for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
.
Early years
Born an Army brat, Kapinos moved from city to city before his family settled in Springfield, VirginiaSpringfield, Virginia
Springfield is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and a suburb of Washington, D.C. The Springfield CDP is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 30,484 as of the 2010 census. Homes and businesses in bordering CDPs including North Springfield,...
. He was named All-Met while at West Springfield High School (Virginia), in Springfield, Virginia
Springfield, Virginia
Springfield is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and a suburb of Washington, D.C. The Springfield CDP is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 30,484 as of the 2010 census. Homes and businesses in bordering CDPs including North Springfield,...
, where his coach was former Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
punter Bill Renner
Bill Renner
William Arthur Renner, Jr. is a former punter in the National Football League who played for the Green Bay Packers. Renner played collegiate ball for Virginia Tech and played professionally for 2 seasons. He retired in 1987. Father of UNC quarterback Bryn Renner and Radio City Rockette Summer...
.
College career
Kapinos was a Ray Guy AwardRay Guy Award
The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to college football's top punter by the Greater Augusta Sports Council. The award is named after punter Ray Guy, a former All-American at Southern Mississippi and an all-pro player for the Oakland Raiders.-Criteria:...
finalist and a third-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
while playing college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Penn State University. He is the Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
' all-time leader in punting yardage.
New York Jets
Kapinos signed as a undrafted free agent with the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
following the 2007 NFL draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
on July 2 but was released during the preseason on August 2. On November 27, Kapinos was re-signed to the Jets' practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on December 22 when wide receiver Laveranues Coles
Laveranues Coles
Laveranues Leon Coles is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State University....
was placed on injured reserve. He saw his first regular season action that week against the Titans, punting five times for 208 yards, including two punts inside the 20. Kapinos was then placed on the inactive list for the last game of the season.
After a well-publicized 2008 offseason competition with Ben Graham, the Jets released him on June 10, 2008.
Green Bay Packers
Kapinos signed a two-year deal with the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
on December 3, 2008 to replace released punter Derrick Frost
Derrick Frost
Derrick E. Frost is an American football punter who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
. He averaged 34.5 yards on 8 punts, with 3 inside the 20, in the Packers' week 14 loss to Houston
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Kapinos won the preseason competition with Durant Brooks
Durant Brooks
Durant Stiles Brooks is an American football punter who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
to become the Packers' regular season punter for the 2009 NFL season
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
after leading the NFL in preseason in net punting yardage. Kapinos was also pressed into service Week 17 as the Packers' holder
Holder (American football)
In American football the holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts made by place kick. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand farthest from the line of...
following a string of bad kicks by placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Mason Crosby
Mason Crosby
Mason Walker Crosby , is a professional American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League. During his playing days at the University of Colorado, Crosby was widely considered the best kicker in college football, as evidenced by ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.'s...
in previous games.
According to the Green Bay Packers website, Kapinos did not receive a qualifying offer to retain his position as their starting punter for the 2010 NFL season.
In late September 2010, the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
brought Kapinos in to mimic the left-footed punters they would face in the coming weeks: Tampa Bay's
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
Chris Bryan
Chris Bryan
-Carlton Blues:As a mature-aged recruit, Bryan was drafted in the sixth round by Carlton in the 2004 AFL Draft. Drafted as a 22 years old, Bryan was given a chance after showing enough at VFL level for both Sandringham and Frankston...
, Cincinnati's
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
Kevin Huber
Kevin Huber
Kevin Huber is an American football punter for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at Cincinnati and attended Archbishop McNicholas High School in Cincinnati. He was considered one of the top punter prospects in the 2009 NFL Draft...
, and Arizona's
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
Ben Graham.
Indianapolis Colts
On October 25, 2010, the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
signed Kapinos to replace the team's regular punter, Pat McAfee
Pat McAfee
Patrick "Pat" McAfee is an American football punter for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was a placekicker, punter, and soccer player at West Virginia.-Freshman season:...
, who was serving a one-game suspension for his October 20 arrest for public intoxication. Kapinos was waived on November 3 after McAfee was reinstated.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On December 7, 2010, he was signed by the Steelers to replace the injured Daniel SepulvedaDaniel Sepulveda
Daniel Wade Sepulveda is an American football punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Baylor. He is the only two-time Ray Guy Award winner.-College career:He was an All-American at Baylor...
, who tore the ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in his non-kicking leg. Kapinos was going to wear the number 3, which had been worn earlier in the season by longtime kicker Jeff Reed prior to his release, but eventually decided to wear number 13 instead. Kapinos punted in Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
as a Steeler, setting a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
record for average punting yardage (3 for 51 avg). He was released at the end of the 2011 preseason
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
after a position battle with a once-again healthy Sepulveda.
Kapinos re-joined the Steelers prior to Week 9 of the 2011 NFL season
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
after Sepulveda was placed on injured reserve for the season.
Free Agency
Kapinos is also a frequent one-week practice squadScout team
In sports, the scout team, also referred to as a practice team, taxi squad, practice squad or practice roster, is a group of players on a team whose task is to emulate future opponents for the featured players. Frequently used in American or Canadian Football, these teams consist of less...
addition for teams preparing for left-footed punters. He spent Week 1 of the 2011 NFL season
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
with the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
as they prepared for fellow left-footed punter Sepulveda.
Personal
Kapinos earned a Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management from Penn State in 2006. He is an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
. Kapinos' father David, a retired United States Army Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, played football at Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
.
Kapinos joined Packers placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Mason Crosby
Mason Crosby
Mason Walker Crosby , is a professional American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League. During his playing days at the University of Colorado, Crosby was widely considered the best kicker in college football, as evidenced by ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.'s...
and long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
Brett Goode
Brett Goode
Brett Goode is an American football long snapper for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Arkansas....
to kick footballs into the stands during the pre-race "kick off" of the 2009 A.J. Foyt 225
ABC Supply Company A.J. Foyt 225
The Milwaukee 225 is an IndyCar Series race held at The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin. It is the only IndyCar race to be sanctioned by all four of the sport's various governing bodies: AAA, USAC, CART , and IndyCar....
IRL race at the Milwaukee Mile
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
on May 31, 2009.
External links
- Green Bay Packers bio
- http://www.packers.com/team/players/kapinos_jeremy/
- New York Jets bio
- "Packers' dynamic duel: Punters find themselves in heated competition", Lori Nickel, Milwaukee Journal SentinelMilwaukee Journal SentinelThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. It is the primary newspaper in Milwaukee, the largest newspaper in Wisconsin and is distributed widely throughout the state...
, July 10, 2009.