Former NFL punter Herman “Thunderfoot” Weaver hopes to help students make positive choices in their lives and he shared that message with students at DeKalb County High School Wednesday.
Weaver was introduced to the assembly by State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver.
Having spent the last 20 plus years speaking all over the country, Weaver is committed to helping youth make significant change in their own lives. He has had the opportunity to speak in more than 3000 schools to over 1 million students. As Weaver shares his personal faith in God, he is able to challenge students to make positive decisions in their own lives. Decisions between such things as:
•Drug & Alcohol abuse vs. freedom from chemical control.
•Dropping out of school vs. academic leadership.
•Giving into peer pressure vs. establishing positive personal values.
•Aimlessness and suicide vs. purposeful living .
Weaver is a former punter with a 11 year career in the National Football League from 1970 to 1980. He spent 11 years punting in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks. During his career, Weaver punted 693 times for 27,897 total yards. In 1975, Weaver was named the NFC Punter of the Year and in 1988 the Sporting News called him “One of the Top 20 Punters of all Time”. Weaver shares the all-time NFL record for the most punts had blocked in a career at 14.
Weaver played college football for the University of Tennessee Volunteers. While at Tennessee, he had a punt of 71 yards. He also had the best hang-time ever of 5.7 seconds.
He got his nickname from the late Sportscaster Howard Cosell. As the Detroit Lions were preparing for their game on Monday Night Football, Weaver stepped back to punt as the special teams took the field. Cosell was watching practice and at the highest point of the ball flight, a blast of thunder let out of the sky. The next night on Monday Night Football, Cosell referred to Weaver as “Thunderfoot”.
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