‘It’s Time To Go Out and Prove It’ – Bengals Rookie Punter Bombs Away To Take Lead in Ongoing Battle

CINCINNATI – One game into his pro career, Ryan Rehkow owns the longest punt in Cincinnati Bengals history.

And an NFL record.

Rehkow’s 80-yard punt in the second quarter of Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots smashed the previous record of 75, which was first set by Kyle Larson in 2005 and later matched by Kevin Huber in 2013.

Cincinnati Bengals Punter Ryan Rehkow Sets NFL Record

The BYU rookie also punted for 70, 57, and 51 yards in the game to finish with a gross average of 64.5, breaking the Las Vegas Raiders punter A.J. Cole’s NFL record of 63.6 (minimum four attempts).

As spectacular as the 80-yard punt was, it nearly went down as one of the best in league history.

The ball hit near the 5-yard line and took an immediate left turn, trickling toward the pylon. Unfortunately for Rehkow and the Bengals, it snuck just inside of the pylon after the last hop, falling a few inches short of being a 79-yard effort with a 79-yard net.

“It would’ve been cool had it checked out just a yard short,” Rehkow said. “At first, when it hit, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s probably a touchback.’ But then you hear the crowd go “ooh, ooh, ooh,” and you think it might have a chance.

“I didn’t realize how close it was. I still haven’t seen it, but I heard it was pretty close,” he said immediately after the game.

The rook made the HISTORY BOOKS!!

Ryan Rehkow with an 80-YD PUNT, making it the longest punt in Bengals history 👏@r_rehkow24 | 📺: #NEvsCIN on CBS/@paramountplus pic.twitter.com/j0LtgME8Wu

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 8, 2024

Rehkow said he also had an 80-yarder in college that also went into the end zone.

Despite the touchback on the 80-yarder and also on his first attempt of 57 yards, Rehkow finished with a 52.0-yard net average.

That is the third-best in Bengals history in a game with a minimum of four attempts.

“The conditions were great, our protection was awesome,” Rehkow said. “I didn’t feel any pressure at all. So a good start for sure.”

Huber had a 55.5 net average in 2013 at San Diego, and last year Brad Robbins broke that mark with a 58.5 in the home loss to Houston.

Rehkow and Robbins were locked in a training camp battle that still appeared to be up in the air when Robbins suffered a hip flexor injury Aug. 13.

On cutdown day, the Bengals placed Robbins on Injured Reserve, meaning he will miss at least the first four games.

Rehkow showed off a strong leg in the preseason games, but there were also some poor punts. That inconsistency kept the competition open.

And he knows it’s still open while Robbins mends.

“Oh, yeah, 100%,” Rehkow said. “It’s kind of like you have to have a chip on your shoulder, like, ‘Let me make the decision for you guys.’ I didn’t do that the last two weeks of the preseason.

“I know what I’m capable of, so it’s just ‘OK, it’s time to go out and prove it.’”