Sean Landeta
Encyclopedia
Sean Edward Landeta is a former American football
punter who played in both the United States Football League
and the National Football League
. Landeta was named to the 1980s All-Decade Team as the first punter and the 1990s All-Decade Team as the second punter, as chosen by the Hall of Fame
Selection Committee members.
Landeta played almost half of his career for the New York Giants
, where he won two championship rings
in Super Bowl XXI
and Super Bowl XXV
. Landeta led the NFL with a 37.8 net average in 1989, and led the league with 24 punts inside the 20 in 1990. Before his pro career, he played college football
at Towson University
.
His wife, Pamela Schmidt, is a former paralegal from Long Island, New York.
Landeta was the last active NFL player who played in the United States Football League
of the 1980s, punting for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars in all three USFL seasons. Landeta was also the last active player of the New York Giants 1986 and 1990 Super Bowl teams.
By the end of the 2005 season, Landeta had amassed 1,401 punts for 60,707 yards (43.3 yards per punt average), with 381 punts in the 20 and 166 touchbacks and a 35.3 net yard average. His punts, punting yards, and punts landing inside the 20 are all among the NFL's top five leaders in each category.
On December 2, 2006, the New York Giants signed Landeta as an insurance policy when punter Jeff Feagles
developed a sore right knee. Landeta was assigned jersey number 5—the same number he wore during his first tenure with the Giants. He appeared on the sidelines against the Dallas Cowboys
on December 3, as Feagles appeared in his 300th NFL game, but Landeta remained inactive, and was released on December 6.
On March 6, 2008, the 25th anniversary of the first USFL game, Landeta officially announced his retirement from football. He became the last USFL player to retire from professional football.
Landeta still does a lot of work with the Eagles and Giants organization's appearing at many pre-season and regular season functions as an alumnus of both NFL teams. He made his debut as a sideline reporter for Westwood One
/CBS Radio
during the December 21, 2009, Monday Night Football
game between his former team, the New York Giants
, and the Washington Redskins
.
. At Loch Raven High School
in Towson, Maryland
, Landeta was an All-City and All-Metro punter in his only season (1978). He first began playing organized football as a high school senior.
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 who played in both the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
and 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...
. Landeta was named to the 1980s All-Decade Team as the first punter and the 1990s All-Decade Team as the second punter, as chosen by the Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Selection Committee members.
Landeta played almost half of his career for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he won two championship rings
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
in Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
and Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
. Landeta led the NFL with a 37.8 net average in 1989, and led the league with 24 punts inside the 20 in 1990. Before his pro career, 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 Towson University
Towson University
Towson University, often referred to as TU or simply Towson for short, is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S...
.
His wife, Pamela Schmidt, is a former paralegal from Long Island, New York.
Landeta was the last active NFL player who played in the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
of the 1980s, punting for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars in all three USFL seasons. Landeta was also the last active player of the New York Giants 1986 and 1990 Super Bowl teams.
By the end of the 2005 season, Landeta had amassed 1,401 punts for 60,707 yards (43.3 yards per punt average), with 381 punts in the 20 and 166 touchbacks and a 35.3 net yard average. His punts, punting yards, and punts landing inside the 20 are all among the NFL's top five leaders in each category.
On December 2, 2006, the New York Giants signed Landeta as an insurance policy when punter Jeff Feagles
Jeff Feagles
Jeffrey Allan Feagles is a retired American football punter. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1988. He played college football at the University of Miami, and most recently played for the New York Giants of the National Football League.Feagles is...
developed a sore right knee. Landeta was assigned jersey number 5—the same number he wore during his first tenure with the Giants. He appeared on the sidelines against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on December 3, as Feagles appeared in his 300th NFL game, but Landeta remained inactive, and was released on December 6.
On March 6, 2008, the 25th anniversary of the first USFL game, Landeta officially announced his retirement from football. He became the last USFL player to retire from professional football.
Landeta still does a lot of work with the Eagles and Giants organization's appearing at many pre-season and regular season functions as an alumnus of both NFL teams. He made his debut as a sideline reporter for Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
/CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
during the December 21, 2009, Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game between his former team, the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
High school career
Landeta grew up in MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. At Loch Raven High School
Loch Raven High School
Loch Raven High School is a high school in Baltimore County, Maryland. Its name is derived from its proximity to the Loch Raven Reservoir.-History:The school was founded in 1972 and is part of the system...
in Towson, Maryland
Towson, Maryland
Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 at the 2010 census...
, Landeta was an All-City and All-Metro punter in his only season (1978). He first began playing organized football as a high school senior.
See also
- History of the New York Giants (1979–1993)History of the New York Giants (1979–1993)The period of 1979 to 1993 was one of the most succesful in New York Giants franchise history. Members of the NFL's National Football Conference, the Giants struggled after reaching the NFL Championship Game in 1963. The 1964 season began a 15-year stretch in which the Giants were unable to make...
- Sean Landeta on Big Apple Channel