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5 fun facts about the Cowboys All-Pro punter Bryan Anger

July 02, 2024
NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Bryan Anger is one of the more under-appreciated players on the Dallas Cowboys.

The Dallas Cowboys have one of the more balanced football teams in the league. They finished in the top five in points scored/allowed and yards gained/allowed for the first time since 1992, the year they won their first Super Bowl under Jimmy Johnson. But they are more than just offense and defense. Their special teams also plays well. Their kicker, punter, and returner have all made the Pro Bowl within the past two seasons. That’s pretty good.

The emergence of USFL star KaVontae Turpin and pro soccer player Brandon Aubrey were both surprises, but the addition of veteran Bryan Anger was a good thing we should’ve seen coming. Anger initially signed a one-year deal with Dallas in 2021 for $1 million and then re-upped on a three-year deal worth $3 million annually. During his time in Dallas, he’s earned every penny as he’s quietly one of the most reliable players on the team. Anger earned All-Pro honors his first season with the Cowboys and then again last year. Here are five fun facts about the team’s stud punter.

1. He was the highest-drafted punter since the turn of the century

Anger’s introduction into the league came with a little controversy as many people criticized the Jacksonville Jaguars for using a third-round pick to select him. He was taken 70th overall, five spots ahead of Russell Wilson. Whether it was a reach or not, he was the best punter coming out of college that year as he set records for the University of California. Now, 12 years later, he’s still as sharp as ever.

2. He has the longest punt of any active punter in the league

In his second season with the team, Anger booted a monster punt that almost went the entire length of the field. Late in the game against the Chicago Bears, Anger connected on an 83-yard punt. It was so long that he outkicked the returner causing him to let it bounce and roll another 30 yards. It had so much leg on it that he could have kicked from inside the 10 and still made it to the other endzone. It was quite impressive.

3. He’s the most efficient punter the Cowboys have ever had

If you look back 50 years, the Cowboys have had some really good punters on their team. They’ve had some booming legs even as recently as their last two punters, Mat McBriar and Chris Jones, who when combined with Anger have held down the Cowboys' punting duties for the last 20 seasons. Even with all the good punters the team has had over the years, Anger has the highest net yards per punt of any punter in Cowboys history.

4. So nice, he broke it twice

Anger wasted no time showing everyone why he was so highly coveted by special teams’ coach John Fassel. When he arrived in 2021, he immediately set a new high in net yards per punt with 44.6 yards. It was also his personal career-high. Then, last season, Anger again broke the record with a 45.3 net yards per punt average. In fact, his three seasons with the Cowboys just so happen to be the top three seasons in team history in terms of net yard average.

#1 45.3 yards/punt (2023)

#2 44.6 yards/punt (2021)

#3 42.5 yards/punt (2022), tied with Chris Jones (2015)

5. He can sling it

There was a time not so long ago when John Fassel’s fake punt strategy was terrible. They ran reverses. They ran up the gut against an overloaded box that was just sitting there waiting for it. And they even had former punter Chris Jones throw the ball only to watch the pass fall short. All that happened during the 2020 season, and it was not looking so good for the new special team’s coach.

But things have improved since. Fassel has gotten a lot better at picking his moments, and when he doesn’t overthink it, they do well. It also helps to have an athletic punter who has a multitude of skills other than just a big leg, including a pretty decent arm.


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