ALAMEDA — Giorgio Tavecchio refers to Johnny Townsend as “Captain America.”
“Nice kid, good-looking dude, can do a little bit of everything,” the Raiders’ kicker said Wednesday.
“I don’t know if I can identify with Captain America, but I’ll take the compliment from Giorgio,” Townsend later said with a smile.
Townsend has been thrust into what some might view as an awkward situation. He’s not only the Raiders’ new punter, but the holder for a kicking competition between Tavecchio and Eddy Piñeiro, Townsend’s close friend and teammate at Florida. On top of trying to stay neutral while the kickers battle, Townsend has been tasked with holding for both a right-footer and a lefty, which may be more difficult than it sounds.