Chiefs release punter Dustin Colquitt after 15 years

Punter Dustin Colquitt, the longest-tenured member of the Kansas City Chiefs, has been released, the team announced Tuesday.

Colquitt posted a note to his Instagram account that said in part, "I have enjoyed my time in Chiefs Kingdom, all things come to an end, sometimes sooner than you hoped ... Holding this post for 15 years has been an honor that I never took for granted. Thank you KC."

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I have enjoyed my time in Chiefs Kingdom, all things come to an end, sometimes sooner than you hoped, prayed & pleaded for them to. I'll miss walking into the building & smelling the coffee, talking to everyone...it took me forever to weave through some of the most loving people you'd ever hope to work with. I was a young kid when I first walked into Arrowhead...hell, the indoor facility used to be 70 yards. Holding this post for 15 years has been an honor that I never took for granted. Thank you KC

A post shared by Dustin Colquitt (@dqp47) on Apr 27, 2020 at 9:44pm PDT

"My family and I are immensely grateful for the contributions Dustin and his family have made to the Chiefs over the last 15 years," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "Dustin has cemented his place as one of the greatest punters in the history of the NFL. In addition to his exceptional play on the field, Dustin has been an invaluable member of the Kansas City community, and his dedication and generosity improved the lives of countless families throughout Chiefs Kingdom. Dustin consistently represented himself, the Chiefs and the Kansas City community with integrity and class, and he will always be a member of the Chiefs family."

The Chiefs recently signed two punters, Tyler Newsome and undrafted rookie Tommy Townsend.

The Chiefs saved $2 million against their salary cap by releasing Colquitt.

Colquitt, 37, joined the Chiefs as a third-round draft pick from Tennessee in 2005. He punted in Kansas City for 15 seasons and made the Pro Bowl twice, in 2012 and 2016. He was the only Chief last season who played for the team before Andy Reid was hired as coach in 2013.

"Dustin is one of the greatest Chiefs of all-time and I'm grateful I had the opportunity to coach him these past seven years," Reid said via statement. "The longevity of his career here in Kansas City shows you just how consistently he has performed at a high level. Beyond his impact on the field, he was a great teammate and leader. I will always be a huge Dustin Colquitt fan."

Colquitt's final game for the Chiefs was the Super Bowl LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers. His father Craig (Pittsburgh Steelers) and brother Britton (Denver Broncos) also punted for Super Bowl-winning teams.