Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Is Michael Dickson Best Punter In Franchise History?

The Seahawks have some solid veterans on the roster heading into 2024. Michael Dickson is as solid as they come as he enters year seven in a Seahawks uniform. Is he the greatest punter in Seattle history?

Oct 29, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) punts the ball against the Cleveland Browns at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

In Michael Dickson's case, the breakdown is more of, where does he rank among franchise punters? Is he the best punter in Seahawks history? Let's break it down.

Background

Many remember how Seattle acquired the New South Wales native. John Schneider and Pete Carroll traded up in the fifth round of the 2018 draft to select Dickson. The Broncos were the willing trade partners and reportedly found it humorous that Seattle used the pick to pick a punter.

Dickson wasn't just any punter. In 2017 at Texas, Dickson won the Ray Guy Award and was a unanimous All-American. He was also named MVP of the 2017 Texas Bowl, a rare award for a punter to win. After being drafted by Seattle ahead of the 2018 season, he immediately won the punter job over veteran Jon Ryan. He has been Seattle's punter ever since.

Now, the Seahawks enter a new era under Mike Macdonald with new special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh.

Dec 24, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Seattle Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) punts the ball from his end zone during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Where Dickson Stands in Franchise History

When you ask the diehard Seahawks fans which punters they remember most, you usually will get two names- Rick Tuten and Jon Ryan. "Bootin' Tuten" punted in 101 games for the Seahawks, averaging 43.8 yards per punt. Dickson is about to surpass him in games played, with him being at 99. He has already equaled Tuten's one Pro Bowl nod.

Jon Ryan is something of a cult hero in Seattle. During the 2014 NFC Championship Game, he became the first punter to throw a touchdown pass in an NFL playoff game, as he did on a fake field goal against the Packers.

His heroic exploits aside, Ryan was a solid punter. He edges Tuten in average yards per punt at 44.8. He comfortably holds the franchise record for most games played for punters with 159. Ryan's rate of punting inside the 20 yard line 35.8 percent of the time is second best in franchise history.

Number one on that list? Michael Dickson, at 42.3 percent. Dickson also leads the franchise in yards per punt, at 48.0. That's a full three yards clear of the second place Ryan. He is also the only punter in franchise history to be named First Team All-Pro.

It's difficult to look at Dickson being the franchise's leader in yards per punt, inside 20 yard line percentage, net yards per punt, and being the only franchise punter to be named All-Pro and not call him the best punter in franchise history.

If he isn't that already, it's only a matter of time. His next regular season game will be his 100th as a Seahawk. Given his consistency over six years, with still a bright future ahead, Dickson is the best punter in Seattle Seahawks history.

Future Outlook

There's no reason to think Dickson stops anytime soon. He still has two full seasons under his current contract. It's been a luxury for the Seahawks to have Dickson as the steady presence at punter. The last thing a head coach wants to worry about is who is punting for his team. He prefers to have someone reliable there, as Dickson has been.

He has consistently been a top five punter in the NFL in most categories during his career. There's no reason to expect that to change anytime soon.

Let's just hope the Seahawks need him a little less often in 2024.