Matt Haack Bio
Matthew Scott Haack is an American professional football punter for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Born on July 25, 1994, in Des Moines, Iowa, Haack played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils from 2013 through 2016. He entered the NFL in 2017 as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins and has built a steady career with multiple teams across the league.
Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighing around 205 pounds, Haack is known for his directional punting and consistency. Over the course of his NFL career, he has handled punting duties for several franchises, including the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, and the Arizona Cardinals.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Scott Haack was born on July 25, 1994, in Des Moines, Iowa. He grew up in the West Des Moines area and attended Dowling Catholic High School, where he graduated in 2013. During his high school career, Haack established himself as one of the top kicking and punting prospects in the state of Iowa.
He was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 15 kicker in the nation and the No. 10 overall prospect in the state of Iowa. On September 14, 2018, Haack was inducted into the Dowling Catholic High School and St. Joseph Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his exemplary high school career.
His success at the prep level earned him a scholarship to Arizona State University, where he continued to develop his skills as a punter and set the stage for his future professional career.
Path to American Football
Haack’s path to professional football began at Arizona State, where he played for the Sun Devils from 2013 to 2016. As a freshman in 2013, he shared punting duties and finished with 16 punts for a 38.3-yard average. By his sophomore season in 2014, he had taken over most of the punting work and improved his average to 43.3 yards across 53 punts.
In 2015, Haack became the full-time punter and posted a 43.1-yard average, finishing fifth nationally and fourth in the Pac-12 Conference. His strong senior season in 2016 earned him Second-team All-Pac-12 honors, as he averaged 44.4 yards per punt on 66 attempts. That same year, he was recognized as one of the top punters in the conference.
Although he went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, his college production and consistency convinced the Miami Dolphins to sign him as an undrafted free agent, launching his professional career.
Matt Haack Career
Early Career (2017–2020)
Haack signed with the Miami Dolphins on May 5, 2017, agreeing to a three-year, $1.67 million contract. He won the starting punter job as a rookie, beating out incumbent Matt Darr, and made his NFL debut on September 17, 2017, against the Los Angeles Chargers. In his first season, he recorded 83 punts for a 44.52-yard average.
In 2018, Haack was named American Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 9 after averaging 44.7 yards on nine punts in a win over the New York Jets. He also played a key role in a memorable trick play on December 1, 2019, completing a one-yard touchdown pass to kicker Jason Sanders, marking the NFL’s first touchdown pass to a kicker since 1977. The Dolphins re-signed him to a one-year deal in 2020 before he departed in free agency.
Miami Dolphins Breakthrough (2017–2020)
Haack spent his first four NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He quickly became a reliable presence for the Dolphins’ special teams unit, handling all punting duties during his tenure. Across his four seasons in Miami, he consistently averaged over 44 yards per punt.
His 2019 campaign stood out for its versatility, highlighted by his historic touchdown pass. The Dolphins rewarded his consistency with a re-signed contract in April 2020. By the end of his time in Miami, Haack had established himself as a dependable NFL punter capable of flipping field position.
Buffalo Bills Era (2021)
On March 18, 2021, Haack signed a three-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. He served as the team’s primary punter during the 2021 season, recording 52 punts for a 42.9-yard average. His stint with Buffalo ended on August 22, 2022, when he was released after losing the punting job to rookie Matt Araiza.
Indianapolis Colts Era (2022)
Just two days after his release from Buffalo, Haack signed a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts on August 24, 2022. He appeared in all 17 games that season and finished with 70 punts for a 44.8-yard average, providing steady play for the Colts’ special teams.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2025–Present)
After stints with the Cleveland Browns practice squad in late 2023, a second run with the Buffalo Bills, a brief appearance with the New York Giants in 2024, time on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad, and a short stay with the Denver Broncos in 2025, Haack returned to the Arizona Cardinals on November 19, 2025. He took over the punting duties from Blake Gillikin and averaged 51.3 yards per punt on 25 punts to close the season.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Haack’s career came on December 1, 2019, when he completed a one-yard touchdown pass to kicker Jason Sanders during a Miami Dolphins win. The play marked the first NFL touchdown pass to a kicker since October 16, 1977. He also reached his 100th NFL appearance on October 13, 2024, while playing for the New York Giants against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Matt Haack Career Wins
As a punter, Matt Haack’s primary statistical contributions are measured in punting yardage, averages, and placement inside the 20-yard line rather than traditional win totals. Throughout his NFL career, he has accumulated 478 punts for 21,517 yards with a 45-yard career average, including a long punt of 70 yards and 179 punts placed inside the 20. He has also been credited with one passing touchdown.
NFL Career Highlights
Haack’s most productive statistical season came in 2018 with the Miami Dolphins, when he recorded 87 punts for a 44.64-yard average and earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. His most recent stretch with the Arizona Cardinals in 2025 produced a strong 51.3-yard average across 25 punts. He has also appeared in the postseason as a member of the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad during the 2023 playoff run.
Other Performances
During his time with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, Haack posted 70 punts for a 44.8-yard average, providing field-position value for Indianapolis throughout the season. His brief appearance with the Cleveland Browns in December 2023 included three punts for a 51.7-yard average against the New York Jets.
Matt Haack Family
Personal Life
Matthew Scott Haack was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Dowling Catholic High School in nearby West Des Moines before moving on to college at Arizona State. Public details about his immediate family and personal relationships are limited in available sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Matt Haack move between several organizations in search of a roster spot. He signed a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos on March 19, 2025, reuniting with former Dolphins special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, but was released on May 9. After a stretch without a team, he signed with the Arizona Cardinals on November 19, 2025, replacing Blake Gillikin.
With the Cardinals down the stretch of 2025, Haack averaged 51.3 yards per punt on 25 attempts, offering a strong finish to the season. His late-season surge gave Arizona a reliable leg for field position battles, and his veteran presence helped stabilize the punting game.
Looking ahead, Haack’s continued productivity in Arizona positions him as a candidate to remain with the Cardinals into the 2026 season, provided he maintains his performance and health.
