Michael Dickson is the only reason to watch Seattle Seahawk games this season. Watching Russell Wilson dodge defenders and make spectacular throws to no-name receivers doesn’t matter when the defense can’t stop anyone. This is why you will want Russell Wilson and company to stall out offensively as much as possible.
Dickson is a punter from the University of Texas, whom the Seahawks traded up for in the fifth round to draft. He beat out Jon Ryan, a fan favorite, for the job.
Dickson changes the game, though. He is the second coming of Ray Guy, and I’m not afraid to say this.
Even if he did only debut in the NFL last week.
Dickson is from Australia, which significantly ups his cool factor, and he grew up playing Aussie rules football and soccer. He didn’t even begin training for American football until the age of 19.
He left the Longhorns early to enter the NFL Draft. His last performance in college was epic and is probably responsible for Mizzou laying a huge egg in the Texas Bowl (I promise I’m not still bitter that I stupidly laid -3 on the Tigers.).
In the 2017 Texas Bowl, he punted 11 times, and 10 of them left Mizzou inside of their own 15. His 41.1 yard per kick that day was his lowest of the season! His jaw-dropping punting exhibition netted him Texas Bowl MVP honors.
As someone who held a Missouri ticket that night, I cursed his name a lot and tried to forget about him. He regained my attention this past Sunday though.
I was in the stands for the Seahawks opener against the Broncos in Denver, and I was cursing Russell Wilson for going three and out on the first drive because he is my quarterback in fantasy football. But then, Dickson trotted out and boomed a 60-yard punt that went so high that I think it went over my head in the 500 level.
Each one of his punts was more glorious than the last, but his fourth punt keeps flying through my dreams and gets spotted inside the Denver 10-yard line. In reality, it traveled 69 yards out of bounds and was spotted at the 6-yard line.
Dickson’s punts may have been aided by being a mile above sea level in Denver, but that shouldn’t distract you. This guy can punt, and his last two competitive footballs games have basically been punting clinics.
His greatness will be on display next for a national audience when the Seahawks travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. Root for three and outs from the Seahawks. If Khalil Mack plays like he did against the Packers, you won’t have to wait long to see Michael Dickson’s greatness with your own eyes.
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