Brian Billick says Sam Koch had a hall of fame-worthy career; Full response to Punter’s retirement
When Sam Koch made his NFL debut in 2006, the Ravens had Steve McNair as quarterback and Brian Billick as head coach. Kyle Hamilton, the Ravens’ first pick in this year’s draft, was 5 years old.
That throws perspective on how long Koch, who announced his retirement yesterday after 16 seasons in Baltimore, played. However, the gambler’s legacy extends beyond the franchise’s all-time leader in games (256).
“If you look at the career he’s had, I’d definitely say this is Hall of Fame level,” Billick said on Glenn Clark Radio yesterday. “He did change the game in that position. To me, that’s the ultimate definition of a Hall of Fame player.”
Koch has big chances when it comes to being placed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as Ray Guy is the only gambler with a bust in Canton, but the impact Koch has had on the sport is undeniable.
“A sixth round out of Nebraska in 2006, Koch’s innovative ways helped develop the art of punting in the NFL,” wrote Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. As a proprietor, he was so determined and precise that Jerry Rosburg, former Ravens special teams coordinator, claims that no one in league history has been better at that role. In a league where specialists are often treated as separate entities from the team, Koch’s teammates long regarded the gambler as one of the best athletes on the Ravens, he was certainly one of their fiercest competitors, his wry smile and his working-class approach obscuring a fiery demeanor, maniacal attention to detail and an urge to special teams teammates to the highest standards.
“Koch was always the hardest on himself, though. He was constantly tinkering, looking for ways to improve. When he got into the league, he was a focused punter, aiming to pin returners to the sidelines or just the ball so high and deep But about halfway through his career, looking for ways to nullify opposing returnees in a division that included Antonio Brown, Josh Cribbs and Adam “Pacman” Jones, Koch added to his repertoire.It started with a cross -body punter, where he bent to the right sideline, but swung his foot over his body and sent the ball to the left sideline.If done correctly, the punter gives the returnees little time to get on the spot and return the ball As the years passed, Koch introduced more kicks, diversifying spins, trajectories and launch angles.”
Koch played a key role in the Ravens’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. With the Ravens leading by five and backing up to their own 8 with 12 seconds to go, Koch took an intentional safety by taking the snap in the end zone and making a run for eight seconds before going out of bounds. . He then started the ensuing free kick at 61 yards, giving his teammates time to get on the field and cover the kick to win the game.
“Looking back nine years later, the game-ending two-play sequence is a fitting summary of Koch’s career,” Zrebiec wrote. “Whether it was getting the ball down for a winning field goal or late shifting positions with a long punt or even bringing down an important fourth with his arm, the Ravens implicitly trusted Koch when he put the ball in his pocket. had hands…
“You can’t say that about many gamblers, but Koch was more than that for the Ravens for 16 years.”
Here’s an example of what others in the competition said about Koch yesterday:
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