NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have told three-time Pro Bowl punter Brett Kern that he will be released, a person with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Monday.
Kern had been the Titans’ longest-tenured player, having been picked up off waivers during the 2009 season. The person who confirmed the decision, which was first reported by ESPN, spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Titans are not commenting on roster moves until Wednesday, a day after the NFL’s Tuesday deadline to trim rosters to 53.
The one-time All-Pro is just four punts shy of becoming the NFL’s 25th player with at least 1,000 career punts. Kern will leave the Titans third in franchise history with 197 games played, trailing only Hall of Famers Bruce Matthews and Elvin Bethea.
The 36-year-old lost the punting job to undrafted rookie Ryan Stonehouse out of Colorado State. Kern said he knew in April that there would be a competition, with the rookie hitting the ball like he had seen only three or four other players do in his lifetime.
Kern had been in the final year of his contract and has only a $550,000 “dead cap” hit. He is from Grand Island, New York, and could be headed back to his home state with the Buffalo Bills needing a punter. The Titans visit Buffalo on Sept. 19.
Last season, Kern ranked third in the NFL of punts downed inside the 20 compared with touchbacks. He placed 59.5% of his punts, 22 of 37, inside the 20 for the best results by any punter with at least 30 punts since 1991. Kern earned his third straight Pro Bowl nod in 2019.
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