Ken Walter
Encyclopedia
Ken Walter is a former American football
punter
for the New England Patriots
in the National Football League
. From 1997
– 2000
, he played for the Carolina Panthers
, from 2001
– 2003
he played for the Patriots, and in 2004
played for the Seattle Seahawks
. Previously, he played collegiately
for Kent State University
.
On the Patriots, Ken served as the holder for placekicker
Adam Vinatieri
. He successfully held for both of Vinatieri's Super Bowl winning kicks in Super Bowl XXXVI
and Super Bowl XXXVIII
. He also held for Vinatieri's famous kicks in the Tuck Rule Game against the Oakland Raiders
.
At the end of the 2003 season
, Walter wasn't re-signed by the Patriots. Walter struggled at the tail end of that season, was cut for a week as he lost his job to Brooks Barnard
, then re-signed for the Patriots' final surge to their Super Bowl XXXVIII
championship.
Walter's career appeared over, but he was signed by Seattle in November 2004 and punted in six regular season games and one playoff contest. Yet no team called in 2005
and Walter, who underwent surgery on his left shoulder in October, filed his retirement papers with the league.
As Walter rehabilitated his shoulder injury, he was motivated by his physical therapist to make a comeback. He told the Boston Globe that he had been striking the ball as well as he ever has, and both the Texans
and Jaguars
had him in for tryouts.
Walter was re-signed by the Patriots on November 22, 2006, after current punter Josh Miller
was placed on injured reserve
. However, Walter himself suffered a season ending injury December 17 against the Houston Texans, and was placed on injured reserve two days later.
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
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in 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...
. From 1997
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
– 2000
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, he played for 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...
, from 2001
2001 New England Patriots season
The 2001 New England Patriots season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. They finished with an 11–5 record and a division title before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVI....
– 2003
2003 New England Patriots season
The 2003 New England Patriots season was the 34th season for the team in the National Football League and 44th season overall. They finished with a league-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII....
he played for the Patriots, and in 2004
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
played for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. Previously, he played collegiately
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...
for Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
.
On the Patriots, Ken served as the holder for 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...
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
. He successfully held for both of Vinatieri's Super Bowl winning kicks in Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
and Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
. He also held for Vinatieri's famous kicks in the Tuck Rule Game against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
At the end of the 2003 season
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
, Walter wasn't re-signed by the Patriots. Walter struggled at the tail end of that season, was cut for a week as he lost his job to Brooks Barnard
Brooks Barnard
Brooks Alexander Barnard is an American football punter. He played professional football for the New England Patriots in the National Football League and for the Rhein Fire in the NFL Europe...
, then re-signed for the Patriots' final surge to their Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
championship.
Walter's career appeared over, but he was signed by Seattle in November 2004 and punted in six regular season games and one playoff contest. Yet no team called in 2005
2005 in sports
2005 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Bode Miller ** Women's overall season champion: Anja Pärson -American football:...
and Walter, who underwent surgery on his left shoulder in October, filed his retirement papers with the league.
As Walter rehabilitated his shoulder injury, he was motivated by his physical therapist to make a comeback. He told the Boston Globe that he had been striking the ball as well as he ever has, and both the Texans
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...
and Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
had him in for tryouts.
Walter was re-signed by the Patriots on November 22, 2006, after current punter Josh Miller
Josh Miller
Josh Miller is a former American football punter and current football analyst.He was signed by the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League as an undrafted free agent in 1994...
was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. However, Walter himself suffered a season ending injury December 17 against the Houston Texans, and was placed on injured reserve two days later.