Rigoberto Sanchez
Rigoberto Jovany Sanchez is an American professional football punter and kickoff specialist for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). Born on September 8, 1994, in Chico, California, he plays the specialist role wearing jersey number 8 for the Colts. Signed by Indianapolis as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Sanchez quickly earned the starting punter job as a rookie and has remained a fixture in the team’s special teams unit ever since.
Standing 6 feet tall and listed at 195 pounds, Sanchez is recognized for his strong leg, reliable directional punting, and steady growth throughout his NFL career. His mix of distance and placement has produced several All-Rookie honors and weekly league awards across multiple seasons.
Early Life and Background
Rigoberto Jovany Sanchez was born on September 8, 1994, in Chico, California, and raised in the small nearby community of Hamilton City. Of Mexican descent, he grew up in a tight-knit household in northern California’s Sacramento Valley, where he developed an early love for sports. Like many kids in his neighborhood, Sanchez spent much of his childhood playing soccer before eventually turning his attention to American football.
He attended Hamilton Union High School in Hamilton City, California, where he joined the football team and began developing the punting and kicking skills that would later define his career. His small-town roots and bilingual background helped shape his grounded work ethic as he moved through the early stages of competitive football.
Path to American Football
After high school, Sanchez took the junior college route, initially playing for Butte College in Oroville, located roughly 30 miles southeast of Hamilton City. The move gave him the chance to sharpen his mechanics and gain valuable playing time close to home. During his time at Butte, he earned a reputation as a strong-legged specialist capable of handling both punting and placekicking duties.
Sanchez later transferred to the University of Hawaii, where he played for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. As a Rainbow Warrior, he handled punting, kickoff, and placekicking responsibilities, posting impressive averages and demonstrating the consistency that would catch the eye of NFL scouts. His versatility in college ultimately prepared him for the demanding dual role he now holds at the professional level.
Rigoberto Sanchez Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
The Indianapolis Colts signed Rigoberto Jovany Sanchez as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2017, following his standout career at the University of Hawaii. He beat out veteran Jeff Locke to win the Colts’ starting punter job as a rookie, an unusual accomplishment for an undrafted specialist. Sanchez made his NFL debut on September 10, 2017, against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
During his rookie year, Sanchez punted 84 times for 3,764 net yards, finishing with a 44.81 average. His strong debut season earned him a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. In 2018, he continued to grow into his role, posting 57 punts for 2,629 net yards and a 46.12 average while solidifying his place as the Colts’ long-term specialist.
Indianapolis Colts Breakthrough (2019–2021)
On June 4, 2019, Sanchez signed a four-year, $11.6 million contract extension with the Colts, a deal that ran through the 2023 season and reflected the team’s confidence in his development. In the 2019 season, he recorded 59 punts with a 44.39 average. He followed that up with 42 punts and a 46.19 average in the 2020 season, continuing to deliver consistent field-position work for the Indianapolis defense.
The 2021 season marked a true breakthrough. In Week 4, Sanchez averaged 50 yards per punt on four attempts, including two inside the 20-yard line, in a victory over the Miami Dolphins, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Three weeks later, he launched a 79-yard punt against the San Francisco 49ers, the longest of his career and a new Colts franchise record, earning another AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. He finished 2021 with 59 punts and a 44.53 average.
Indianapolis Colts Era (2022–Present)
The 2022 season was cut short when Sanchez was placed on season-ending injured reserve on August 31, 2022, after suffering a torn Achilles. He returned healthy in 2023, punting 68 times for 3,281 total yards and a 48.25 average. On March 12, 2024, the Colts signed him to a three-year contract extension, locking in his role as the team’s punter and kickoff specialist for the long term.
In Week 6 of the 2024 season, Sanchez punted five times, placing three inside the 20-yard line and two inside the 10-yard line in a win over the Tennessee Titans, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors once again. He finished 2024 with 68 punts for 3,382 yards and a 49.7 average, and he closed 2025 with 44 punts for 2,146 yards and a 48.8 average.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sanchez is known for combining booming leg strength with strong directional control, allowing him to flip field position and pin opponents deep in their own territory. His work as a kickoff specialist gives the Colts flexibility on special teams coverage units, and his accuracy on placement punts has produced more than 180 career punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
Notable Events and Milestones
The 79-yard punt against the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 stands as the signature moment of Sanchez’s career, setting a Colts franchise record for the longest punt in team history. He has been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week three times and earned PFWA All-Rookie Team recognition in 2017. Off the field, Sanchez successfully underwent surgery on December 1, 2020, to remove a cancerous tumor and returned to practice just two weeks later, a moment widely admired around the league.
Rigoberto Sanchez Career Wins
Across his NFL career, Rigoberto Jovany Sanchez has built a reputation as one of the most dependable specialists in the AFC, with 481 career punts, 22,388 punting yards, and a 46.5 punting average through the 2025 season. His blend of distance, placement, and clutch kicking has earned him multiple weekly league honors and a long-term contract with the Indianapolis Colts.
Indianapolis Colts Highlights
Sanchez has spent his entire NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2017. His first notable milestone came during his rookie season, when 84 punts and a 44.81 average earned him PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. Most recently, he wrapped up the 2025 season with 44 punts, 2,146 yards, and a 48.8 punting average.
Other Wins & Performances
Before reaching the NFL, Sanchez starred at Butte College, where he handled punting and kicking duties, before transferring to the University of Hawaii. With the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, he punted 74 times for a 45.1 average in 2015 and 70 times for a 44.6 average in 2016, while also converting all 13 of his field goal attempts as a senior.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL (Indianapolis Colts) | — | — | — |
Rigoberto Sanchez Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Rigoberto Jovany Sanchez is of Mexican descent and was raised in Hamilton City, a small community in northern California’s Sacramento Valley. His upbringing in a close, working-class family shaped his disciplined approach to football and helped carry him from small-town high school competition all the way to the NFL.
Personal Life
Sanchez met his wife, Cynthia, while both attended junior college. She grew up in the nearby community of Corning, California. After receiving blessings from her family, Sanchez proposed to Cynthia at the Circle of Lights at Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis on December 26, 2017, and the couple married the following spring. The pair have built their life together in Indianapolis alongside Sanchez’s NFL career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season continued to showcase Rigoberto Jovany Sanchez as one of the league’s most reliable specialists, providing steady field position for the Indianapolis Colts on a weekly basis. He finished the year with 44 punts for 2,146 yards and a 48.8 punting average, consistently flipping the field for the Indianapolis defense.
Sanchez’s veteran presence helped stabilize the Colts’ special teams units, and his accuracy on placement punts gave Indianapolis a clear advantage in tight field-position battles. Heading into the offseason, his long-term contract extension signed in 2024 ensures he remains a core part of the team’s special teams plans.
With another full season in the books and his role firmly secured, Sanchez’s outlook remains strong as he continues to build on a career already highlighted by a franchise-record 79-yard punt, multiple weekly awards, and All-Rookie recognition.
