Glenn Pakulak

Glenn Adam Pakulak, Jr. (born April 9, 1980) is a former American football punter. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Kentucky.

Glenn Pakulak
No. 4, 0
Position:Punter
Personal information
Born: (1980-04-09) April 9, 1980
Pontiac, Michigan
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College:Kentucky
Undrafted:2003
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Punts:37
Punting yards:1,642
Punting average:44.4
Player stats at NFL.com

Pakulak has also been a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets.

Early years

Pakulak attended Lapeer East High School in Lapeer, Michigan where he was a two-year starter as a placekicker, punter, linebacker and wide receiver for the Lapeer East Eagles football team.[1]

Pakulak made first team all league and all area punter as a junior and senior, averaging 39.5 yards per punt as a junior and 40.1 as a senior. Also all league and all area receiver and second team all league linebacker as a senior.

Pakulak played basketball as well, making first team all-League and second team all-area as a junior. He took home first team all-league and all-area and honorable mention all-state in his senior year. On top of this he also played baseball with which he earned second team all-area and all-league. He was granted the school’s scholar athlete award.[2][3][4]

College career

Pakulak spent his freshman year at Rochester College where he played basketball and baseball.[5]

Pakulak transferred to Kentucky where he had to redo his freshman year, was redshirted and punted for the Wildcats' junior varsity team.[6]

As a sophomore, Pakulak was allowed to punt the final three games of the season and averaged 37.8 per punt.[7]

As a junior, Pakulak posted an average of 44.5 per punt with opponents having zero return yards in three games.[8] He was selected third team All America by Football News, an honorable mention All America CollegeFootballNews.com, first team all Southeastern Conference by the Associated Press, and Football News (2001) and second team all Southeastern Conference by SEC coaches.

As a senior, Pakulak led the conference and ranked third in the nation with an average of 45.6 per punt.[9][10] He was selected All American first team by The NFL Draft Report and CBSSports.com, second team by College Football News and third team by the Associated press. he was selected as a first team all Southeastern Conference by Associated Press and second team by the leagues coaches. He was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s top punter. Was awarded the Mosi Tatupu Award, given to the nation’s Special Teams Player of the Year. While at Kentucky, he majored in Kinesiology.[2][4][11]

Collegiate statistics
Year School Class Pos G Punts Yds Avg
2000 Kentucky Sophomore P 11 12 454 37.8
2001 Kentucky Junior P 11 56 2,492 44.5
2002 Kentucky Senior P 12 66 3,008 45.6
Career 134 5,954 44.4

Professional career

Seattle Seahawks

Pakulak signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in May 2003 but was released on July 27.[12]

Pittsburgh Steelers

Pakulak was claimed of waivers by the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 4 but was released two weeks later.[13]

Atlanta Falcons

Pakulak joined the Atlanta Falcons on February 5, 2004, but was cut during training camp on August 15.[13]

He did not play the entire year but did attend a kicking camp in the winter of 2005.[14]

Amsterdam Admirals (NFL Europe)

Pakulak signed with the Oakland Raiders on January 19, 2006. The Raiders allocated Glenn Pakulak to the Amsterdam Admirals of the NFL Europe.

Pakulak appeared in all 10 regular season games and helped the Amsterdam Admirals to a 7-3 record, finishing the season in first place and gaining them a World Bowl berth. Also appeared in World Bowl XIV in which he punted a 69 yarder. He had not been exactly shy of getting in the thick of the action before but became an instant fan favorite for preventing a touchdown by making a solo tackle when one of his punts looked to be returned all the way in front of his home crowd. He earned Special Teams Player of NFL Europe Week 9 honors, in which he punted for a total of 317 yards for 7 attempts, with his furthest punt 59 yards, one touchback and 3 inside the 20, averaging 45.3 per punt. Led NFL Europe with an average of 42.2.[15][16][17][18]

Oakland Raiders

Pakulak was released by the Oakland Raiders on August 28.[13]

Tennessee Titans

Pakulak signed with the Tennessee Titans on January 13 but was re-allocated to the Amsterdam Admirals for a second year of NFL Europe.

Chicago Bears

Pakulak signed with the Chicago Bears on January 29, 2008. One of three punters on the Bears' roster, he was waived on June 1.

Oakland Raiders (second stint)

On August 13, 2008, the Raiders re-signed Pakulak after releasing linebacker Edgerton Hartwell[19][20] He was waived on August 30 but re-signed to the team's practice squad a day later. However, on September 3, he was released from the practice squad.

New Orleans Saints

Pakulak was signed by the New Orleans Saints on October 29, 2008 to replace the recently released Ben Graham. On November 9, he made his NFL debut with three punts for 145 net yards for a 48.33 average against the Atlanta Falcons.[21] Overall, he finished the 2008 season with 24 punts for 1,144 net yards for a 47.67 average.[22] He was waived on August 27, 2009.

New York Jets

Pakulak was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets on August 28, 2009.[23] He was waived on September 2 after the Jets signed tight end Ben Hartsock.

Washington Redskins

Pakulak was signed to the Washington Redskins' practice squad on October 6, 2009. He was signed from the practice squad on October 10 after starting punter, Hunter Smith suffered a groin injury. He made his Redskins debut with five punts for 212 net yards for a 42.40 average against the Carolina Panthers.[24] He was waived on October 12 and re-signed to the practice squad on October 15. For the second straight week, Pakulak was signed from the practice squad on October 17. In the next game, against the Kansas City Chiefs, he had eight punts for 286 net yards for a 35.75 average.[25][26]

San Diego Chargers

Pakulak was signed to the San Diego Chargers on August 31, 2010.[27]

Oakland Raiders (third stint)

On January 5, 2011, the Raiders re-signed Pakulak. On September 3, 2011 the Raiders waived Pakulak.[28]

Professional statistics
YearTeamGSPuntsYardsLngBlkAvg
2008 NO 8241,14470047.7
2009 WAS 21349857038.3
Career10371,64270044.4

Personal life

Pakulak is the son of Gail and Glenn Pakulak Sr. He is related to Al Iafrate a former NHL player. His grandfather, Roger Susin, was awarded a Purple Heart during World War II, after losing an arm, and surviving an incident where all of his comrades perished. He was teammate and roommate of, Arena Football League star receiver and former NFL Europe Berlin Thunder star, Aaron R. Boone, for whom he ended up doing the laundry for a semester over the sale of a coffeetable in college. Pakulak enjoys listening to 80s music. His all-time favorite football player is Barry Sanders.[2][3][29]

In 2005, Pakulak did not play for any NFL or NFL Europa team, but instead spent the year working at a steel factory and training in New Orleans with his college friend Shane Boyd (who also played in NFL Europa in 2006, but as quarterback for the Cologne Centurions).[30] Pakulak also returned to Lexington to follow some classes there.

Pakulak appeared on the Bravo television series Most Eligible Dallas in 2011.[31]

Pakulak also appeared on the GSN television gameshow America Says in 2019.

References
  1. Peneguy, Keith. "Long hang time worth wait for New Orleans Saints punter Glenn Pakulak". NOLA.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  2. "Seattle Seahawks". Seattle Seahawks.
  3. "NFL Europa closes".
  4. Lapeer East High School Graduate message from Glenn. Archived July 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "ESPN.com - Draft Tracker". www.espn.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  6. Kluck, Ted (December 8, 2016). Upside Down Football: An Inside Look at Long Snapping in the NFL. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781442257122.
  7. "Glenn Pakulak 2000 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  8. "Glenn Pakulak 2001 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  9. "Glenn Pakulak 2002 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  10. "2002 Southeastern Conference Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  11. "University of Kentucky". www.ukathletics.com.
  12. "Seattle Seahawks". Seattle Seahawks.
  13. "Glenn Pakulak latest news and rumors".
  14. "Doug Blevins Winter Kicking camp". Archived from the original on May 7, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  15. "Solo tackle in week 3" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  16. "Week 9 Amsterdam at Frankfurt stats" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 16, 2006. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  17. "NFL Europa closes".
  18. "World Bowl 69 yard punt" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2007. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
  19. "Oakland Raiders training camp notes august 13th". Archived from the original on August 15, 2008. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
  20. "Scout.com article on signing of Pakulak and release of Hartwell". Archived from the original on August 18, 2008. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
  21. "New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons - November 9th, 2008". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  22. "Glenn Pakulak 2008 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  23. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. "Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers - October 11th, 2009". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  25. "Kansas City Chiefs at Washington Redskins - October 18th, 2009". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  26. "Glenn Pakulak 2009 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  27. "Chargers release, add players". August 31, 2010. Archived from the original on September 3, 2010. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  28. "Raiders cut QB Edwards, CB Sheppard". Sacramento Bee. September 3, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  29. "CatsIllustrated.com - Off The Wall With... Glenn Pakulak". August 27, 2002.
  30. "Local kicker makes national appearance". The Lapeer Area View. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  31. "Glenn Pakulak". Bravo TV Official Site. June 25, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
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