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January 30, 2008

Giants Veteran Punter Started Out As A Patriot

SCOTTSDALE -- It's taken him 20 years, but Jeff Feagles finally has made it to a Super Bowl.

And talk about coming full circle.

Feagles, who's been the Giants punter since 2003, began his NFL career with the Patriots, who signed him as a rookie free agent in 1988 out of the University of Miami, where he was a member of the Hurricanes' national championship team as a senior in 1987.

Although Feagles won all-rookie honors with New England, he played only two seasons for the Pats, who waived him in the spring of 1990. He was picked up by the Eagles and spent four years in Philadelphia before signing with the Cardinals as a free agent in 1994.

A free agent again in 1998, Feagles signed with Seattle, spending five years with the Seahawks before going to the Giants as a free agent in 2003. He averaged 40.4 yards on 71 punts this season, with a net average of 36.0, and had one blocked, by the 49ers.

He has been even better in the postseason, averaging 40.7 yards on 15 punts, with a net of 38.5.

"This is spectacular," Feagles said. "I tell the younger guys how long I've waited to get here, and how special it is. I want them to understand how difficult it is to get here."

This is a homecoming for Feagles, who played high school football at Gerard High in Phoenix and spent a year as a Fighting Artichoke at Scottsdale Community College before going to Miami.

"It's been a long journey," he said, "and it's been quite a story as to how I've gotten here, with a lot of hard work, a little luck, and a lot of organizations that believed in my talents over the years. Coming back to Arizona is so surreal right now. I'm just taking it all in."

Although he'll be 42 in March, Feagles says he has no intention of retiring from football.

"I'm enjoying the game still at my age, and I want to keep going as long as there is a team that wants me to play for them."

Posted by Jim Donaldson  at 6:43 PM | Permalink