Jerrel Wilson

Did You Know?

• Wilson's son Sean Wilson was the punter for Texas A&M University from 1987 to 1990.
• During off-seasons, Wilson worked for the Kansas City Life Insurance Company in its management and training division.
• Wilson also had a ranch in Huntsville, Texas, and after retiring worked in water-related fields including fishing, selling boats, and operating a marina.

Early life

Jerrel Wilson came into the world on October 4, 1941, in New Orleans. He was adopted by Nan and Douglas Wilson before his first birthday, though some accounts place his adoption at age six. Wilson did not discover he was adopted until he turned ten, and the news deeply troubled him. His adoptive parents reassured him that they had specifically chosen him from all other children, and he was their only child.

Wilson remained devoted to them and valued the life they provided. Douglas Wilson worked in Gulf Oil’s land-leasing division, so the family moved often, living briefly in New Orleans before relocating to East Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and then back to Alabama. Wilson learned to punt a football in fifth grade while living in Aberdeen, Mississippi, taught by Mississippi State punter L. M. "Molly" Halbert. He attended Brookhaven High School in Mississippi and later spent three years at Murphy High School in Mobile, Alabama.

As a Murphy sophomore, he stood just 5 feet 1 inch and weighed 110 pounds, but by his senior year he had grown to 6 feet 1 inch and 165 pounds. He played only one season of high school football, his senior year, serving as punter, offensive tackle, and linebacker.

College career

After high school, Wilson's family moved back to Mississippi. He earned a scholarship to Pearl River Junior College, where he tried out for football and played center as a freshman, then became the team's punter in his second season. During his two years at Pearl River, the team lost only one game, won state junior college championships twice, was ranked first nationally among junior colleges in 1961 with a 10–0 record, and won the Hospitality Bowl both years.

He was named an All-American at Pearl River. In 1961, Wilson transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi, where he served as both placekicker and punter. He played center his first year and, as a senior weighing 220 lb, moved to fullback, averaging 5.2 yards per carry for 229 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also played linebacker.

His longest credited punt at Southern Mississippi was 69 yards, though he reportedly punted 89 yards in one game. He was timed at 10.1 seconds in the 100-yard dash. In 1961, he averaged 38 yards per punt on 24 punts, with only 10 returned for 66 total yards. As a senior in 1962, he punted 33 times for a 37.6-yard average, with less than half returned.

Over his two-year college career, fewer than 37 percent of his punts were returned, and the return average was eight yards. He was skilled at placing punts inside the opponent's ten-yard line. Southern Mississippi went 8–2 in 1961 and 9–1 in 1962, with United Press International naming them NCAA College Division National Champions in 1962.

Professional career

The Los Angeles Rams selected Wilson in the 17th round of the 1963 NFL draft (225th overall), and the Dallas Texans chose him in the 11th round of the 1963 AFL draft (88th overall). He signed with the Texans in December 1962 to be near his parents in Texas, but the team moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in March 1963, becoming the Kansas City Chiefs. As a rookie in 1963, Wilson was the starting punter, averaging 43.1 yards on 61 punts, with a 72-yard punt that was the longest in the AFL that year.

He also had nine rushing attempts for 41 yards and two receptions. Head coach Hank Stram considered Wilson athletic enough for running back or linebacker but kept him at punter, though Wilson played on special teams and recovered five fumbles over his career. In 1964, he led the AFL with 3,326 punting yards. He led the AFL in punting average in 1965 (45.4) and 1968 (45.1).

In 1966, he was named second-team All-AFL; in 1968, The Sporting News selected him first-team All-AFL and the Pro Football Writers of America named him second-team All-NFL/AFL. After the merger, in 1970 he was third in yards per punt (44.9). In 1971, he averaged 44.8 yards per punt, just behind the NFL leader. He led the NFL in punting average in 1972 (44.8) and 1973 (career-high 45.5), also leading in total punting yards in 1973.

Legacy and honors

Wilson earned the nickname "Thunderfoot" for his booming punts. He modeled his kicking style on a golf swing, putting his hips, knees, and everything into each punt, except near the 50-yard line, where he aimed to hang the ball high. He averaged 42.4 yards per punt in the 1970s, third among punters with at least 100 punts. Hall of Fame teammate Willie Lanier noted that Wilson's talent was evident and that he gave the defense a field-position boost.

Coach Hank Stram called Wilson the best punter he ever saw and credited him with raising awareness of the kicking game. Wilson credited Stram's emphasis on special teams and long snapper Bobby Bell. He is tied with Sammy Baugh for most seasons leading the league in punting average (four: 1965, 1968, 1972, 1973). Wilson was the first AFL/NFL player with 1,000 punts and ranks 19th all-time in punts through 2025.

At retirement in 1978, he held the record for most punting yards and was tied for eighth in yards per punt. He is tied with Dustin Colquitt for longest tenure in Chiefs history (15 seasons). Only three of his punts were returned for touchdowns in 15 years with the Chiefs, none between 1967 and 1976. He holds franchise records for punts (1,014), career average (43.6), season average (46.1), and game average (56.5).