Former Chiefs All-Pro Sends Message to KC After Signing With Texans
The Kansas City Chiefs are diligently preparing for a potential Super Bowl three-peat, retaining many key starters. However, punter Tommy Townsend left in free agency. The Chiefs hinted at this move by signing Matt Araiza shortly after their back-to-back championship victory. Townsend, a 2022 First-Team All-Pro, quickly found a new team.
The 27-year-old, undrafted in 2020, signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Houston Texans in March. Townsend returned to Kansas City for Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s second annual music festival on May 18. He told Fox 4 KC’s Harold R. Kuntz that returning to Kansas City felt “incredible.” Standing outside the Azura Amphitheater, he said, “It’s become a second home to me. Coming back here the past couple of weeks, I’m really going to miss it. KC was great. Chiefs Kingdom is amazing. I’m just going to miss my teammates and friends in KC. But it’s part of the business, so I’m excited for everything moving forward.”
Despite the Chiefs re-signing defensive tackle Chris Jones and restructuring Kelce’s contract this offseason, Townsend noted that only a few players remain with the Chiefs long-term. However, he didn’t rule out a possible return, saying, “It’s really hard to be with the same team your whole career. So, I’m grateful for my time in Kansas City and I never want to rule out not coming back. That’s something I would love to do eventually.”
Last season, Townsend punted 59 times for 2,776 yards, averaging 47.1 yards per punt. During his four-year stint with the Chiefs, 40.8% of his punts were downed or fair caught inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, and on fake punts, he completed 3 passes for 40 yards.
Texans Punter Tommy Townsend Eager to Face the Chiefs in 2024
Townsend expressed excitement about his future with the Texans and facing his former team. He marked Week 16 on his calendar when the Texans will play the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on December 21. “I am excited to come back to KC in December and play here and get a typical cold weather Kansas City game. So, I’m excited for that, see everybody and play against all the boys.”
Chiefs fans were moved by Townsend’s sentiments about Kansas City. One fan posted, “Love Tommy and was so sorry to see him leave, but man, he went to a great team. Texans going to be really tough.” Another wrote, “Tommy will always be one of my favorite players and people no matter who he plays for!”
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