Michael Koenen Michael J . Koenen ( born July 13 , 1982 ) is an American football punter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2005 . He played college football at Western Washington . Early years . Koenen attended Ferndale High School in Ferndale , Washington , and was a letterman in football , basketball , and soccer . In football , he won All - Northwest League honors as a senior . College career . Koenen played college football for Western Washington University in Bellingham , Washington , and is one of only three NFL players in history to have played football for that school . While there , he received numerous Division II All - America n honors from sources such as " Street & Smith " , " Lindy ' s Football Annuals " , " Don Hanen ' s Football Gazette " , " Daktronics , Inc . " , and " D2football . com " , as well as being recognized by the NCAA . He was also named a Great Northwest Athletic Conference ( GNAC ) all - star four times as a placekicker and twice as a punter . He ended his college career as the Western Washington University , GNAC , and Northwest small college all - time leader in kicking scoring with 272 points , including 43 field goal s and 143 PATs . He participated in the 2005 Cactus Bowl . Professional career . Atlanta Falcons . Koenen signed a two - year free agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons on April 26 , 2005 . He went on to edge out veteran punter Toby Gowin , who had also signed a free agent deal that offseason , for the starting job with the Falcons . He appeared in all sixteen regular season games for the Falcons , punting 78 times for 3 , 300 yards , which was good for a 42 . 3 yards per punt average and ninth in the NFC . He also served as the team ' s kickoff specialist and was seventh in the NFC in yards per kickoff . His 14 touchback s put him behind only Pro Bowl er Neil Rackers . In the Falcons ' October 9 , 2005 game against the New England Patriots , they had the ball on New England ' s 41 yard line with six seconds remaining in the first half . Since regular placekicker Todd Peterson ' s range was insufficient to attempt a field goal from that distance , Falcons head coach Jim Mora turned to Koenen . Koenen actually attempted the kick , the first field goal attempt in his pro career , twice . Prior to the initial snap , Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel called a timeout . Koenen heard the referee ' s whistle but still kicked the field goal . It landed right of the goalpost . A few moments later , Koenen attempted the kick again , and this time made an official 58 yard field goal . It was the longest field goal of Koenen ' s career at any level , tied for the ninth longest in NFL history ( as well as the single longest in the 2005 season ) , and was the third longest in history by an undrafted kicker . In the Falcons ' first preseason game of 2006 , Koenen made four field goals , from 53 , 50 , 40 , and 45 yards , along with doing the punting and kickoff duties . Koenen was slated to do the placekicking , punting , and kickoffs for the Falcons , something that is rarely done in the NFL by one player ; however after he converted only two of eight field goal attempts , Morten Andersen was brought in to take over field goal duties leaving Koenen to focus on punts and kickoffs for the Falcons . Koenen returned solely as the Falcons ' punter ; the club signed Billy Cundiff to handle the other kicking duties . Cundiff was released before the season ; Matt Prater was signed but also released after a short while , and the placekicking was again done by Andersen . A restricted free agent in the 2008 offseason , Koenen was tendered a one - year , $ 1 . 417 million contract by the Falcons . He re - signed on April 14 . A free agent in the 2009 offseason , the Falcons placed the franchise tag on Koenen on February 9 . He signed the one - year , $ 2 . 48 million tender offer on February 13 . Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Koenen was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a six - year , $ 19 . 5 - million contract on July 29 , 2011 . Personal . Koenen has been married to Devin Koenen since July 14 , 2006 . He majored in general studies .