Pat O’Donnell Bio
Patrick Michael O’Donnell is an American professional football punter who has spent more than a decade in the National Football League after a standout college career. He played for the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Miami Hurricanes before being selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL draft. Across his career, O’Donnell has built a reputation as a reliable specialist with strong leg strength, consistent placement, and versatility on special teams units.
Standing 6 ft 4 in and listed at 223 lb, O’Donnell combines size with a steady technique refined across multiple NFL stops. He has been active since 2014 and continues to perform at the professional level, providing veteran experience and dependable punting to whichever roster he joins.
Early Life and Background
Patrick Michael O’Donnell was born on February 22, 1991, in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. He grew up as the oldest of two children of Terrance O’Donnell and Michele O’Donnell. His younger sister, Megan O’Donnell, became an All-American rower and National Champion at Nova Southeastern University, while his cousin, Christopher Bordino, was a member of the Navy Midshipmen track team, giving the family a strong athletic tradition.
O’Donnell attended Palm Beach Central High School in Wellington, Florida, where he lettered three times in football and track for the Broncos. He averaged 45.1 yards per punt in high school and also served as the team’s kicker, posting a 95 percent touchback rate on kickoffs along with seven made field goals as a senior. In addition to his specialist duties, he saw time at linebacker and tight end, demonstrating the multi-position background that would later help him contribute on coverage and fake plays.
Path to American Football
Coming out of high school, O’Donnell was rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com and committed to the University of Cincinnati on December 29, 2008. He made his college debut in 2009 as a true freshman against Southeast Missouri State, appearing in three games before an injury led to a redshirt season. He returned to claim the starting punter role for the 2010 and 2011 campaigns.
During the 2011 season, Cincinnati led the nation in punting average, and O’Donnell averaged 43.8 yards per punt while leading the country with 17 punts of 50 yards or more. He also handled kickoff duties, averaging 64.2 yards per kick, and earned first-team All-Big East honors along with Ray Guy Award semi-finalist recognition. In 2012, he averaged 41.8 yards per punt and was named second-team All-Big East, finishing his Cincinnati career with a 42.6-yard punting average and graduating with a degree in organizational leadership.
Pat O’Donnell Career
Early Career (2014–2015)
O’Donnell was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 191st overall pick in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL draft, the only punter taken that year and the first selected by the Bears since Todd Sauerbrun in 1996. He signed a four-year contract on May 13, 2014, and immediately stepped into the starting role. In his rookie season, he finished with 71 punts for 3,107 net yards, averaging 43.8 yards per punt, and earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
In 2015, O’Donnell punted 70 times for 3,097 yards with 28 punts landing in the red zone against only four touchbacks. His 39.6-yard net punting average ranked as the second-highest in Bears history since the statistic began being recorded in 1966, signaling his early consistency and field-flipping impact.
Chicago Bears Breakthrough (2016–2021)
O’Donnell continued his steady growth in 2016, finishing with 68 punts for 2,994 net yards and a 44.0 average. During the 2017 season, he produced one of the most memorable highlights of his career, throwing a 38-yard touchdown pass to Benny Cunningham on a fake punt in Week 5 against the Minnesota Vikings. He also served as kickoff specialist against the San Francisco 49ers while Cairo Santos nursed a groin injury, finishing the year with 87 punts for 4,097 net yards and a 47.0 average.
On March 15, 2018, O’Donnell signed a one-year contract extension worth $1.5 million, and after the 2018 season he received a two-year extension on March 18, 2019. Early in the 2019 season, he again handled kickoff duties in Week 3 against the Washington Redskins with Eddy Piñeiro battling a knee injury, with quarterback Chase Daniel serving as his holder. He ended 2019 with a 40.7-yard net punting average, setting a Bears franchise record previously held by Adam Podlesh, and signed another one-year extension on March 12, 2021, cementing his place as one of the team’s most dependable specialists of the era.
Green Bay Packers Era (2022–2024)
On March 18, 2022, O’Donnell signed a two-year contract with the Green Bay Packers, marking his first move outside Chicago. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his Week 3 performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 14–12 victory, booming seven punts with a long of 63 yards and a 48.4-yard average, while placing five inside the 20-yard line, the most by a Packers punter in a game since 1976.
He was released by the Packers on August 28, 2023, and later joined the Atlanta Falcons practice squad on October 28, 2023, before a brief back-and-forth sequence of releases and re-signings. On January 20, 2024, he returned to the Packers on a practice squad deal, then signed with the San Francisco 49ers practice squad on November 13, 2024, and was promoted to the active roster three days later.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2025)
On October 10, 2025, O’Donnell signed with the Arizona Cardinals, continuing his journeyman role as a veteran punting option. He was released by the Cardinals on November 18, 2025, after contributing to their special teams unit during the early portion of the season.
Driving Style and Strengths
O’Donnell is known for a powerful, directional kicking style that combines a strong leg with disciplined placement. His experience as a kickoff specialist and holder has made him a versatile special teams contributor, while his ability to perform in high-leverage situations, from fake punts to record-setting net averages, reflects both preparation and poise under pressure.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his most memorable moments are his 38-yard touchdown pass on a fake against the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, his franchise-record 40.7-yard net punting average for the Bears in 2019, and his NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor with the Packers in 2022. He also represented the first punter drafted by the Bears since Todd Sauerbrun in 1996.
Pat O’Donnell Career Wins
Pat O’Donnell has built his reputation on consistency rather than head-to-head wins, with career NFL statistics through Week 18 of 2025 showing 652 punts, 29,352 punting yards, a 45.0-yard average, a 75-yard long, and 235 punts placed inside the 20-yard line. His college career featured first-team All-Big East honors in 2011, second-team All-Big East honors in 2012, and first-team All-ACC honors in 2013, along with second-team and third-team All-American recognition.
NFL Highlights
O’Donnell’s longest career punt stands at 75 yards, and he has averaged 45 yards per punt across more than 650 attempts in the league. He earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors in 2014, was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2022, and set the Bears’ all-time net punting record in 2019. His most recent NFL stint came with the Arizona Cardinals in 2025.
Other Wins & Performances
In college, O’Donnell helped Cincinnati lead the nation in punting average in 2011 and recorded a school-record 47.1-yard punting average at Miami in 2013, when he also won the Hurricanes’ Special Teams MVP award.
Pat O’Donnell Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
O’Donnell was raised in a close-knit athletic family in South Florida. His parents, Terrance O’Donnell and Michele O’Donnell, supported his early football career, and his sister Megan’s success as an All-American rower reflects the family’s competitive sporting background.
Personal Life
O’Donnell became engaged to Shelby Etter in February 2019, and the couple married in Miami in March 2020. He continues to be active in the NFL, bringing veteran stability to each of his teams.
2025 Season Performance
O’Donnell began the 2025 season as a free agent before signing with the Arizona Cardinals on October 10, providing a veteran presence on their special teams unit. His role with the Cardinals offered an opportunity to contribute mid-season as the team managed its kicking game personnel, and he was released on November 18, 2025, after several weeks of service.
Across the league in 2025, O’Donnell’s career totals reached 652 punts for 29,352 yards, a 45-yard average, a 75-yard long, and 235 punts inside the 20. His experience continues to make him a dependable option for franchises in need of a steady punter.
Looking ahead, O’Donnell remains an experienced professional whose combination of leg strength, placement, and special teams versatility positions him as a likely candidate to contribute wherever his career journey leads next.