Tom Blanchard

Punts:	819
Punt yards:	33,794
Longest punt:	71
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Tom Blanchard
No. 15, 16
Position:	Punter
Personal information
Born:	May 28, 1948 (age 76); Grants Pass, Oregon, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:	Grants Pass (OR)
College:	Oregon
NFL draft:	1971 / round: 12 / pick: 304
Career history
	New York Giants (1971–1973); New Orleans Saints (1974–1978); Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1979–1981);
Career NFL statistics
Punts:
Punts:	819
Punt yards:	33,794
Longest punt:	71
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Thomas Richard Blanchard (born May 28, 1948) is an American former professional football punter with an 11-year career in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Biography

Blanchard played college football at the University of Oregon, where he was quarterback as well as punter.^[1] He led Grants Pass High School to the 1964 state high school football championship as a junior.^[2]

Blanchard was selected by the Giants in 12th round of the 1971 NFL draft.^[3] After 3 years with the Giants he was beaten out for the punting position during the preseason by rookie Dave Jennings and waived.^[4]^[5]

He was signed by the Saints one game into the 1974 season after the Saints waived their opening day punter Donnie Gibbs after Gibbs had fumbled a snap leading to the Saints to lose their first game of the season.^[6] With the Saints in 1974 he kicked a 71 yard punt, which was the longest punt in the NFL that season.^[3] In 1975 he led the NFL with 3776 punting yards and in 1976 he led the NFL with 101 punts.^[3]

He was traded by the Saints to the Buccaneers for a draft pick before the 1979 season after the Saints drafted placekicker Russell Erxleben, who was also able to punt, in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft.^[7] Blanchard injured his hamstring in the Bucs' third game of the 1981 season and was waived after recovering, with Larry Swider taking his job in the interim.^[8]

His two sons, Tommy (the eldest) and Jimmy (five years the junior) both were starting quarterbacks at Grants Pass High School, leading their respective teams to the playoffs.^[9] Tommy's son Jace also played quarterback at Grants Pass High School.^[9] After retiring as a player, spent time as the football coach, softball coach and athletic director at Grants Pass High School.^[10]^[11] He retired from these positions in 2013.^[11]

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Punting
Year	Team	GP	Punts	Yds	Net Yds	Lng	Avg	Net Avg	Blk	Ins20	TB
1971	NYG	14	66	2,681	2,302	57	40.6	34.9	0	-	3
1972	NYG	14	47	2,006	1,655	58	42.7	34.5	1	-	9
1973	NYG	14	56	2,347	1,837	62	41.9	32.2	1	-	7
1974	NOR	13	88	3,704	2,652	71	42.1	30.1	0	-	8
1975	NOR	14	92	3,776	2,781	61	41.0	29.3	3	-	16
1976	NOR	14	101	3,974	3,132	63	39.3	31.0	0	14	5
1977	NOR	14	82	3,474	2,650	66	42.4	31.5	2	11	11
1978	NOR	16	84	3,532	2,793	61	42.0	32.5	2	15	10
1979	TAM	16	93	3,679	2,909	58	39.6	30.6	2	14	25
1980	TAM	16	88	3,722	2,953	62	42.3	33.2	1	18	12
1981	TAM	3	22	899	600	58	40.9	27.3	0	4	2
Career		148	819	33,794	26,264	71	41.3	31.6	12	76	108

Playoffs

Year	Team	Punting
Year	Team	GP	Punts	Yds	Net Yds	Lng	Avg	Net Avg	Blk	Ins20	TB
1979	TAM	2	13	510	375	53	39.2	28.8	0	2	1
Career		2	13	510	375	53	39.2	28.8	0	2	1

References

^ "UO's Moore point leader". Albany Democrat-Herald. October 14, 1970. p. 18. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Grant's Pass, Medford High in Football". Dunsmuir News. December 3, 1964. p. 11. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Tom Blanchard". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
^ Castellano, Tom (October 3, 1974). "Punter has leg up on stardom in NFL". Daily Record. p. 25. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ Markus, Don (September 11, 1974). "Giants Cut QB Randy Johnson". The Journal News. p. 2D. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Saints replace Donnie Gibbs". South Idaho Press. September 20, 1974. p. 6. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ Selman, Jim (August 17, 1979). "Bucs Net 'Fair' Catch in Punter Tom Blanchard". Tampa Tribune. p. 1-C. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ "Bucs Waive Blanchard". Tampa Tribune. October 20, 1981. p. 4-C. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b Henry, Kris (September 3, 2021). "Another Blanchard takes over at Grants Pass". Mail Tribune.
^ "Student dies in workout". Daily News-Journal. April 23, 1998. p. 2B. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b Ulmer, Jerry (2013). "Longtime Grants Pass coach Tom Blanchard to retire". Oregon Live. Retrieved August 19, 2022.

[1] "UO's Moore point leader". Albany Democrat-Herald. October 14, 1970. p. 18. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

[2] "Grant's Pass, Medford High in Football". Dunsmuir News. December 3, 1964. p. 11. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

[pfr-3] "Tom Blanchard". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 19, 2022.

[4] Castellano, Tom (October 3, 1974). "Punter has leg up on stardom in NFL". Daily Record. p. 25. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

[5] Markus, Don (September 11, 1974). "Giants Cut QB Randy Johnson". The Journal News. p. 2D. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

[6] "Saints replace Donnie Gibbs". South Idaho Press. September 20, 1974. p. 6. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

[7] Selman, Jim (August 17, 1979). "Bucs Net 'Fair' Catch in Punter Tom Blanchard". Tampa Tribune. p. 1-C. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

[8] "Bucs Waive Blanchard". Tampa Tribune. October 20, 1981. p. 4-C. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

[jace-9] Henry, Kris (September 3, 2021). "Another Blanchard takes over at Grants Pass". Mail Tribune.

[10] "Student dies in workout". Daily News-Journal. April 23, 1998. p. 2B. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

[retirement-11] Ulmer, Jerry (2013). "Longtime Grants Pass coach Tom Blanchard to retire". Oregon Live. Retrieved August 19, 2022.

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