NFL CAREER –The former Penn State standout took over the punting duties in 2021, proving to be a valuable weapon with his strong leg and directional kicking abilities. In his second season, he punted 77 times for 3,571 yards (46.4 gross), a 41.6 net average and 32 pinned inside the 20-yard line, a franchise record and ranked fourth in the NFL, while holding for all field goal and extra point attempts.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Re-signed, 3/16/23; Placed on Injured Reserve, 9/9/20; Agreed to terms on a three-year contract as an undrafted free agent, 4/2/20.
HONORS – 2021: NFC Special Teams Player of the Month (October).
2022 – Played in all 17 games and punted 77 times for 3,571 yards (46.4 gross), a 41.6 net average and 32-downed inside the 20, and held for all field goal and PAT attempts. 32-downed inside the 20, surpassing the team record that Gillikin (2021) and Thomas Morstead (2019) were tied for…In season-opening win at Atlanta, Sept. 11, punted five times for 272 yards (54.4 avg., 46.0 net), including one inside the 20…Vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 18, punted five times for 218 yards (43.6 avg., 40.2 net), including two inside the 20-yard line…At Carolina, Sept. 25, punted six times for 285 yards (47.5 avg., 40.5 net), including two inside the 20…Vs. Minnesota (London), Oct. 2, punted four times for 194 yards (48.5 avg., 42.8 net), including a second quarter 63-yarder, with one inside the 20-yard line…Vs. Seattle, Oct. 9, punted four times for 189 yards (47.3 avg., 37.3 net) with two touchbacks and a long of 62…Vs Cincinnati, Oct. 16, punted three times for 149 yards (49.7 avg., 38.7 net) with a long of 61…At Arizona, Oct. 20, Punted twice for 94 yards (47.0 gross and net) with both dropping inside the 20-yard line…Vs. Las Vegas, Oct. 30, punted twice for 80 yards with a 38.5 net and both dropping inside the 20…At Pittsburgh, Nov. 13, punted five times for 259 yards and had a 47.2 net punting average with two dropped inside the 20…Vs. L.A. Rams, Nov. 20, punted five times for 239 yards and had a 45.0 net punting average with three dropped inside the 20…At San Francisco, Nov. 27, punted four times for 183 yards and had a 36.3 net punting average with two dropped inside the 20…At Tampa Bay, Dec. 5, punted six times for 262 yards and had a 40.3 net punting average with three dropped inside the 20 and a 62-yard punt…Vs Atlanta, Dec. 18, punted four times for 181 yards with a 45.3 net average, one downed inside the 20 and a long of 53 yards…At Cleveland, Dec. 24, punted six times for 256 yards with a 42.3 gross and 36.5 net and two downed inside the 20 and a long of 52 yards…At Philadelphia, 1/1/23, punted six times for 256 yards with a 42.7 gross and 41.5 net, a career-best five dropped inside the 20 and a long of 55…Vs. Carolina, 1/8/23, punted five times for 224 yards with a 44.8 gross and a 40.4 net with two dropped inside the 20 with a career-long of 68 yards. 2021 – Played in all 17 games and punted 83 times for 3,956 yards (47.7 gross), a 42.0 net average and 29 downed inside the 20 and held for all field goal and PAT attempts…Vs. Green Bay, Sept. 12, made his NFL debut and punted twice for 103 yards (51.5 gross punting average and 43.0 net) with one downed on the Green Bay five-yard line…Punted six times for 294 yards (49.0 gross punting average and 45.0 net) with a 60 yard punt with one downed inside the twenty, at Carolina, Sept. 19...At New England, Sept. 26, punted five times for 249 yards (49.8 gross punting average, 39.8 net) with a long of 56…Punted three times for 132 yards (44.0 gross average, 35.3 net) with a long of 55 and two downed inside the 20-yard line, vs. N.Y. Giants, Oct. 3…At Washington, Oct. 10, punted five times for 268 yards (53.6 gross average, 51.6 net) with a long of 60. Gillikin had three punts downed inside the five-yard line…At Seattle, Oct. 25, punted six times for 285 yards (47.5 gross average, 44.3 net) with a long of 58 yards. Had four punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Also had one punt downed at the one…Punted three times for 158 yards (52.7 gross, 48.0 net) with a career-long of 63 and one downed inside the 20-yard line, vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 31. Selected as NFC Special Teams Player of the Month (October)…Vs. Atlanta, Nov. 7, punted three times for 122 yards (40.7 gross, 34.0 net) with a long of 45 and one downed inside the 20-yard line…Punted five times for 202 yards (40.4 gross average, 34.6 net) with a long of 43 and one downed inside the 20-yard line, at Tennessee, Nov. 14…At Philadelphia, Nov. 21, punted six times for 299 yards (49.8 average, 42.7 net) with a long of 62 and three downed inside the 20-yard line, including two downed inside the five…Punted five times for 235 yards (47.0 gross average, 37.2 net) with a long of 53 yards, vs. Buffalo, Nov. 25...Vs. Dallas, Dec. 2, punted six times for 308 yards (51.3 gross average, 44.0 net) with a long of 62 yards and one downed inside the 20-yard line…Punted five times for 258 yards (51.6 gross average, 42.8 net) with a long of 62 yards and one downed inside the 20-yard line, at N.Y. Jets, Dec. 12…At Tampa Bay, Dec. 19, punted a career-high nine times for 412 yards (45.8 gross average, 41.2 net) with a long of 58 yards. Gillikin also downed four punts inside the 20-yard line…Punted seven times for 316 yards (45.1 gross average, 43.9 net) with a long of 54, vs. Miami, Dec. 27. Also downed two punts inside the 20…Vs. Carolina, 1/2/22, punted five times for 215 yards (43.0 gross, 39.0 net) with a 63-yard punt, with three punts downed inside the 20-yard line and only one touchback…At Atlanta, 1/9/22, punted twice for 100 yards (50.0 gross average, 44.0 net) with a long of 52 yards and one punt downed inside the 20-yard line. 2020 - Spent the regular season and postseason on Injured Reserve.
COLLEGE – Tied for second on Penn State's career gross punting average charts (43.03 ypp.)…Landed 53 career punts inside the opponent's ten-yard line (seven in 2016, 18 in 2017, 12 in 2018, 15 in 2019) and the only player in program history with seven punts of 65 or more yards…In 2019, special teams captain averaged 42.2 yards per punt as he was selected All-Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and media and a CoSIDA Academic All-American first team for second consecutive year...In 2018, played in all 13 games, averaging 44.0 yards per punt, second in Big Ten and 22nd in nation...In 2017, earned consensus second-team All-Big Ten (coaches and media), averaging 43.2 yards per punt....In 2016, selected ESPN.comTrue Freshman All-America...Named Campus InsidersFreshman All-America honorable mention...Named to the ESPN.comBig Ten All-Bowl Team...Earned All-Big Ten honorable mention (conference coaches and media)...Named to BTN.com and ESPN.com All-Big Ten Freshman Team, ranked third in Big Ten with a 42.8 gross punting average...Created a program to have his fellow student-athletes donate their new or gently used backpacks and filled them with school supplies to give them to unprivileged kids at the Youth Service Bureau in Centre County. In addition, he served as the treasurer of the Penn State Uplifting Athletes chapter in 2018, helping the chapter raise nearly $115,000 million for rare disease treatment and research. Gillikin also participated in THON events, Hershey Hospital visits and a variety of other community service projects.Kinesiology Major.
PERSONAL – Three-time letterman at Westminster (Atlanta, Ga.) School, helping them to first Class AAA Georgia State Championship since 1978 by kicking three field goals, including a 53-yard boot, and two punts of 60 yards in final. Had school record 56-yard field goal…Kohl's Pro Camp five-star punter and kicker...Atlanta Journal-Constitution first-team South Fulton All-Metro and first-team All-Metro as a senior…Averaged 45.2 yards per punt and 19 downed inside the 20 as senior, 54-for-54 on PATs and 16-of-26 on field goals...Four-year soccer and two-year basketball letterman...Helped Wildcats to 2013 Class AA Soccer Championship and to 2014 runner-up finish...Mother, Taryn, swam at Kansas...Father, Walt, swam at North Carolina...Twin brother, Tyler, handled long snapping duties at Northwestern from 2017-20…Blake Thomas Gillikin was born January 21, 1998 in Atlanta, Ga.
