Back to the New York Jets Newsfeed

Who is more important to NFL teams: kickers or punters?

Kicker or punter: Which position is more important in the NFL?

Most people would not hesitate to answer with the former. In fact, nearly 87% of voters sided with kickers in this poll I published on X.

Which do you think is more important/valuable?

— Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) June 14, 2025

It seems like an obvious choice, right? So many NFL games are decided at the final buzzer by a kicker’s right leg. Meanwhile, punters are typically an afterthought in the outcome of a game. They rarely partake in game-deciding plays.