Santa Clara, CA – May 27, 2025
The San Francisco 49ers have officially turned the page at punter, signing 16-year NFL veteran Thomas Morstead and parting ways with Mitch Wishnowsky — a move that signals not only a shift in personnel, but a broader overhaul of the team’s special teams philosophy.
Morstead announced his arrival in quintessential veteran fashion, posting a photo of himself outside Levi’s Stadium with the caption: “Grateful is an understatement! #49ers.” That quiet confidence may be exactly what San Francisco needs at a position that has struggled with inconsistency and injuries in recent seasons.
Wishnowsky, who spent six years as the 49ers’ punter, was released after an injury-riddled 2024 campaign that saw him post a career-low net average of 36.3 yards before heading to injured reserve in November. While he departs as the franchise’s all-time leader in net punting average (40.7), the dip in performance and ongoing back issues made the decision inevitable.
Enter Morstead.
A Super Bowl champion with the Saints and one of the league’s most respected specialists, Morstead led the NFL with 99 punts for 4,831 yards in 2023 with the Jets. Though his net average dipped slightly to 40.7 — just below his career average of 41.5 — his consistency, placement, and experience remain assets few punters can match. Across 960 career punts, he’s pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 352 times.
"We wanted a steady presence, someone who’s been in every kind of game and pressure situation," said a 49ers team source. "Thomas brings that to the table — and then some."
Morstead isn’t the only new face on special teams. This offseason, San Francisco brought in Brant Boyer as special teams coordinator, kicker Greg Joseph to compete with Jake Moody, and long snapper Jon Weeks to replace Taybor Pepper. The moves reflect a calculated effort to address the lapses that plagued the unit in 2024.
The hiring of Boyer — who worked with Morstead and Joseph in New York last season — may have accelerated the punter transition. So did the team’s broader recognition that it can no longer afford breakdowns in field position in a conference race as tight as the NFC’s.
"We’re in a championship window," another team source added. "And special teams can’t be the weak link anymore."
Morstead, now 38, understands what’s being asked of him — and he embraces it. With the 49ers locked in on a Super Bowl mission, every snap, every yard, and every punt could carry playoff weight.
A new era begins. Quietly. Precisely. The way Thomas Morstead always kicks.
