OWINGS MILLS, Md. โ Sam Koch has โno doubtโ he could still punt in the NFL, which is why the Ravens needed to handle this succession plan delicately.
Not only do general manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh keep an eye on the future, but Baltimore does special teams better than anyone, making it unsurprising that the Ravens selected Penn State punter Jordan Stout in the fourth round of last monthโs draft. The retiring punter who once teamed with original Ravens Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis, and Matt Stover received a heads-up of what was happening, part of the reason why Koch will remain with the organization as a special teams consultant.
โI knew this time was going to come to an end,โ said Koch, who will turn 40 in August and played in more games for the Ravens than anyone in their 26-year history in Baltimore. โMe and my wife had had many talks, but I appreciate them giving me that call. I remember saying to them, I was like, โLook, this is a business decision, and this is your business. You guys have to do what you think is best for the Ravens.โ
โThey made their decision, and at that point, I think I knew. My time was over, and itโs OK. I am very excited for my next chapter in life.โ
The Wolfpack. pic.twitter.com/rUDaVdIxCBโ Luke Jones (@BaltimoreLuke) May 19, 2022
Keeping Koch in a coaching capacity is a win for the organization as special teams coordinator Chris Horton and the staff hope Stout will live up to the lofty expectations that accompany the fourth-round selection of a punter. And while Koch, a 2006 sixth-round out of Nebraska, made only one Pro Bowl over 16 seasons, anyone with special-teams expertise โ including sports media star and former two-time Pro Bowl punter Pat McAfee โ will tell you how influential heโs been to the position.
Thatโs the kind of resource you want to keep in your building and on the back practice fields in Owings Mills. And you never know what could happen should an unforeseen need surface at the position.
โYou watch punters now in the draft, the punter we just drafted, punters around the league, theyโre using the โKoch Hookโ and all these other Sam Koch punts,โ said Harbaugh, who noted how straightforward punting was before Koch and the Ravens began experimenting with rugby-style kicks. โWhen you change something forever, to me, thatโs kind of a revolutionary-type thing, and thatโs the mark of greatness right there.โ
With Koch so highly regarded as both a punter and holder โ former Ravens special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg once labeled him the best in the history of the game at the latter job โ the 23-year-old Stout will have gigantic shoes to fill. Kochโs workmanlike reputation and leadership qualities should make for a smooth transition, however.
Itโs one thatโs already begun.
โIโm just excited to work with Jordan,โ Koch said. โWe are going to try to make him the next best punter of the Ravens and do everything we can to make him the best punter in the league. I look forward to this opportunity. Weโve spoken. Weโve talked. Weโve already worked on some punting and holding aspects of his game.
โIโm just going to try to teach him everything I have and put everything I have into making him the best punter this league has seen.โ
I just wanted to send out a huge congratulations to Sam Koch on a legendary career. Looking forward to the opportunity to learn from @Sam_Koch4โ Jordan Stout (@JORDANSTOUT92) May 19, 2022
Any good decision-maker strives to remove emotion from the equation when making such difficult choices. But that doesnโt mean such decisions arenโt emotional to make.
Along with five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle and Ravens Ring of Honor member Haloti Ngata, Koch proved to be a key part of the second draft that DeCosta ran as Baltimoreโs director of college scouting in 2006. Respecting and valuing that relationship allowed the Ravens to fortify their future at the position by keeping Koch around to mentor his talented successor.
โIt wasnโt easy. You agonize over it just like we have with other players,โ DeCosta said. โBut this is a special one. I just appreciate Sam. He came in, and we had several great conversations along the way. I was actually overjoyed when he said, โYou know what? I want to coach. I appreciate the organization, and this is the next chapter in my life.โ
โIt brings me a lot of joy โ it really does. Weโre excited about the future.โ