Jerrel Wilson

Who was Jerrel Wilson?

Jerrel "Thunderfoot" Wilson was an American football player. He was a punter who spent sixteen professional seasons, fifteen of them with the Kansas City Chiefs, in the American Football League and then the National Football League. He was selected to three AFL All-Star Teams and three AFC-NFC Pro Bowls. Wilson was elected to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1988. He died of cancer on April 9, 2005.

His punts were high, booming shots that arched far down the field, potent weapons in the war for field position. Jerrel Wilson seemed to have the explosiveness of dynamite in his foot, hence the more-than-appropriate nickname of "Thunderfoot." The Southern Mississippi alum was the Chiefs' punter for a team record 15 seasons and is considered one of the best ever to play in the game.

Selected in the 11th round of Kansas City's much heralded 1963 AFL Draft that brought in Hall of Fame members Buck Buchanan and Bobby Bell and fellow Chiefs Hall of Famer Ed Budde, Wilson played more seasons than any player in team history, and his 203 games played are the third most for any player in franchise history behind only guard Will Shields and kicker Nick Lowery.