Jeff Gossett Biography

Jeff Gossett was an NFL veteran who bounced around the league until finding a home with the Oakland Raiders, where he played for nine years. Gossett was the NFL's oldest punter when he was with the Raiders in 1996. Thirty-nine years plus some change, he ended his football career after the 1996 season.

One of the top punters in the NFL in the 1980's he averaged a career high 44.2 yards a punt in 1991, earning him a spot on the Pro Bowl roster. Gossett has played in both the NFL & defunct USFL. He had stints with the Cowboys, Cheifs, Chargers, Browns and Houston Oilers.

He played the last 9 of his 16 year career as an Oakland/L.A. Raider. Gossett lead all National Football League punters in touchbacks in 1994. While punting for the Raiders in 1988, his coach was fellow EIU Hall of Fame inductee Mike Shanahan.

A popular and friendly Eastern star Gossett played his college football at Eastern Illinois. He was actually a baseball player before he got into football. In 1978, he was drafted in the fifth round by the New York Mets and played in their farm system for two seasons as an outfielder and third baseman.

Some of his accomplishments are:

16 year pro football career
Pro Bowl Player
Lead all NFL punters in touchbacks in 1994
Played in 212 games
Punted 982 times
Punted for 40,571 yards
Averaged 41.3 yards per punt
Member EIU Hall of Fame