A day after releasing their 53-man roster, the Steelers made a significant change to their team in preparation for the start of the 2020 season. Pittsburgh released Jordan Berry, its starting punter since 2015, and signed Dustin Colquitt, a two-time Pro Bowler during his 15 seasons with the Chiefs. Colquitt, who was released by the Chiefs in April, came to Pittsburgh for a tryout on Sunday, and apparently did enough to convince the Steelers to sign him.
Colquitt's success at Tennessee made him a third-round pick in the 2005 NFL draft. A Pro Bowler in 2012 and in 2016, Colquitt averaged 44.8 yards per punt during his time in Kansas City. On three different occasions, Colquitt posted the NFL's longest punt during the regular season. Colquitt, who won a ring with the Chiefs in 2019, is the son of former NFL punter Craig Colquitt, who won two Super Bowls as the Steelers' punter in the late '70s.
The only member of the 2019 Chiefs who had been with the team before Kansas City hired Andy Reid to be its new coach in 2013, Colquitt has been replaced in Kansas City by rookie Tommy Townsend.
"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 of Colquitt following his release, via ESPN's Adam Teicher. "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."
Berry, who replaced Brad Wing as the Steelers' punter five years ago, averaged 44.2 yards per punt during his time in Pittsburgh. As a rookie, Berry posted the NFL's longest punt of the season, a 79-yarder. He averaged 45.5 yards per punt in 2019, the second-highest mark of his career.
