Ryan Stonehouse Bio
Ryan Matthew Stonehouse (born May 11, 1999) is an American professional football punter known for his record-setting leg at both the collegiate and professional levels. He played college football for the Colorado State Rams before signing with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Stonehouse holds the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Mountain West Conference records for highest career average yards per punt, as well as the NFL single-season record for average yards per punt. Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds, he currently plays in the National Football League (NFL) and is recognized as one of the most consistent punters of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Ryan Matthew Stonehouse was born on May 11, 1999, in San Dimas, California, to parents Natalie Banks and Paul Stonehouse. He grew up in a family with deep ties to the punting craft, as his father, Paul, served as a punter for Stanford University from 1989 to 1992. Two of his uncles were also Division I punters, with John Stonehouse playing for USC from 1992 to 1995 and Jeff Banks playing for Washington State from 1996 to 1997. This rich family heritage in the kicking game helped shape his early interest in football and his technical approach to punting.
Stonehouse attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, where he quickly established himself as one of the top high school punters in the country. In 2016, he helped lead his Mater Dei team to a 13–1 record and a deep CIF playoff run that ended with a semi-final loss to St. John Bosco. His performance during that season earned him recognition as a Blue & Grey All-American, and he was also named to the 2016 Los Angeles Times All-Star football team. He participated in the Kohl’s Kicking 2016 Western Winter Showcase, where he was rated as a five-star punter, and was officially rated as a three-star recruit and the third-best punter prospect in the class of 2017 by 247Sports.com.
Path to Professional Football
Coming out of high school, Stonehouse received 11 total scholarship offers from NCAA Division I schools. On February 14, 2017, he accepted a scholarship offer from Colorado State over offers from programs such as Arizona, Cal, Cornell, Eastern Washington, Illinois, Tennessee, Toledo, Utah State, UTSA, and Wyoming. His decision to join the Colorado State Rams set the stage for one of the most decorated punting careers in college football history.
As a freshman in 2017, Stonehouse was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list and earned an All-Mountain West honorable mention. He was one of only five true freshmen to play in every game that season, punting 46 times in 13 games while ranking fifth in the country with a 45.9-yard punt average. His rapid development at Colorado State laid the foundation for the record-breaking career that followed.
Ryan Stonehouse Career
Early Career at Colorado State (2017–2021)
Stonehouse’s college career at Colorado State was defined by steady improvement and consistent excellence. As a sophomore in 2018, he played in all 12 games and finished second in the FBS with a 48.3-yard punt average, punting 65 times for 3,140 yards and placing 18 punts inside the 20-yard line. His strong performance earned him a spot on the 2018 All-Mountain West first team, as well as a selection to the 2018 Sporting News All-American second team.
He continued to build on that success in 2019 and 2020, earning All-Mountain West first team honors in both seasons. As a junior in 2019, he punted 49 times for 2,274 yards with a 46.4-yard average, and as a senior in 2020, he played in all four games of the pandemic-shortened season, punting 26 times for 1,178 yards. Over the span of his collegiate career, Stonehouse punted 244 times for a total of 11,656 yards and broke the NCAA FBS record for the highest career average yards per punt with a 47.8-yard average, surpassing the previous mark held by Florida punter Johnny Townsend.
NFL Breakthrough with the Tennessee Titans (2022–2024)
Stonehouse signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2022, and won the starting punting job when the Titans released longtime veteran Brett Kern on August 29, 2022. His rookie season was historic, as he recorded an average of 53.1 yards per punt, setting a new single-season NFL record that had previously stood since 1940 when Sammy Baugh averaged 51.4 yards per punt. Stonehouse was also the league’s punting yards leader in 2022, punting 90 times for 4,779 yards, and earned selections to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and the Associated Press second-team All-Pro.
His second season in 2023 was cut short by injury. After punting 53 times for 2,812 yards and a 53.1 average through 12 games, Stonehouse suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and a broken bone in his non-kicking leg following a blocked punt against the Indianapolis Colts, ending his season. He returned healthy in 2024 and punted all 17 games, making 73 punts for 3,691 yards with a 50.6 average, including a career-long 75-yard punt in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts. He finished third in the league in yards per punt that year and was named as an alternate to the 2025 Pro Bowl.
Miami Dolphins Era (2025)
On March 11, 2025, the Tennessee Titans chose not to assign Stonehouse his restricted free agent tender, making him an unrestricted free agent. Five days later, on March 16, 2025, Stonehouse signed with the Miami Dolphins. He was waived by the team on August 19, 2025, ending his brief tenure in Miami.
Driving Style and Strengths
Stonehouse is widely regarded as one of the most consistent directional punters in professional football, with a powerful leg capable of producing exceptional hang time and distance. His ability to consistently flip field position has been a defining trait throughout his career, and he has shown a particular strength in placing punts inside the 20-yard line at a high rate. His technique and poise under pressure have made him a valuable special teams asset at every level of competition.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the signature moments of Stonehouse’s career came during his 2022 rookie season, when he broke Sammy Baugh’s 82-year-old NFL single-season record for punting average. That same year, he was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October and earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 10 against the Denver Broncos. He received the same weekly honor again in 2023 after a strong performance against the Carolina Panthers, cementing his reputation as one of the top special teams players in the league.
Ryan Stonehouse Career Wins
Although punting is not a position measured by traditional wins and losses, Stonehouse has built a résumé defined by awards, records, and statistical achievements across both college and professional football. His career is highlighted by multiple All-American, All-Mountain West, and All-Pro selections, as well as record-setting performances in both the NCAA and the NFL.
College and NFL Highlights
During his time at Colorado State, Stonehouse earned three consecutive first-team All-Mountain West honors from 2018 to 2020 and was named a second-team All-Mountain West selection in 2021. He was also recognized as an All-American in 2021 and set the NCAA FBS record for career punting average at 47.8 yards per punt. In the NFL, he has been named second-team All-Pro, a PFWA All-Rookie Team member, and a 2025 Pro Bowl alternate.
Other Performances
Beyond his conference and league awards, Stonehouse holds the Mountain West Conference record for highest career average yards per punt, a mark previously held by BYU punter Matt Payne. He also led the NFL in punting average during both his 2022 and 2023 seasons, establishing himself as one of the premier punters in professional football.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State Rams (NCAA) | 3× First-team All-MW | 4× All-MW honors | NCAA FBS career average record |
| Tennessee Titans (NFL) | 2× NFL punting average leader | 2nd-team All-Pro (2022) | NFL single-season record (2022) |
Ryan Stonehouse Family
Family Background and Lineage
Stonehouse comes from a family with an extraordinary legacy in the punting game. His father, Paul Stonehouse, punted for Stanford from 1989 to 1992, and two of his uncles, John Stonehouse and Jeff Banks, were also Division I punters at USC and Washington State, respectively. This deep family connection to the position helped shape his early development and continues to be a defining part of his identity as a player.
Personal Life
Outside of football, Stonehouse enjoys do-it-yourself projects and has built several items for his home, including a covered outdoor kitchen in his backyard. He is also an avid animal lover who enjoys fostering and working with shelter dogs. His cousin, Jack Stonehouse, was an All-ACC punter while playing for the Syracuse Orange.
2025 Season Performance
Stonehouse entered the 2025 season as an unrestricted free agent after the Tennessee Titans declined to tender him a contract. On March 16, 2025, he signed with the Miami Dolphins, giving him a fresh start with a new organization. His signing was viewed as a low-risk, high-reward move for the Dolphins, given his track record of strong directional punting and his history of leading the league in punting average.
However, his time in Miami proved short-lived, as he was waived by the team on August 19, 2025, before the start of the regular season. Despite the disappointing outcome, Stonehouse’s career statistics remain strong, with 216 career punts for 11,282 yards and a 52.2-yard average, including a career-long punt of 75 yards and 80 punts inside the 20-yard line. As he looks ahead, his proven ability to flip field position and produce consistent results should attract interest from teams in need of a proven veteran punter.