Honestly, if you grew up in Cincinnati, you know the name. It’s basically impossible not to. Kevin Huber isn't just a guy who kicked a ball for a decade; he’s the "hometown hero" trope come to life. Most NFL players are lucky to last three years in the league, let alone fourteen with the exact same team they grew up rooting for.
Huber retired in July 2023, but his ghost—athletically speaking—still hangs over Paycor Stadium. He didn't just play; he survived. He survived coaching changes, roster overhauls, and a fractured jaw that looked like something out of a horror movie.
The Cincinnati Kid Who Never Left
Kevin Huber is a Queen City lifer. Think about it. He went to Immaculate Heart of Mary for grade school, Archbishop McNicholas for high school, and then stayed put for the University of Cincinnati. When the Bengals took him in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft, it wasn't just a business move. It was a fairy tale.
He played 216 games. That’s a franchise record.
He passed Ken Riley, a Hall of Famer, for that top spot. Most punters are nomadic. They’re the "hired guns" of the NFL who move from Jacksonville to Denver on a whim. Huber never had to change his area code.
Breaking Down the Record Books
If you look at the Bengals' record books, Huber's name is basically copy-pasted across every punting category. It’s kinda ridiculous. He owns the records for:
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- Most career punts (1,011)
- Most punting yards (45,766)
- Highest gross average (45.27)
- Most punts inside the 20-yard line (346)
Numbers are boring, though. What mattered was the consistency. For a long time, the Bengals weren't exactly a powerhouse. Through the lean years of the 2010s, you could always count on Huber to flip the field. He was the safety net.
That Hit in 2013
We have to talk about the Terence Garvin hit. It’s one of those "where were you?" moments for Bengals fans. Sunday Night Football, December 2013, against the Steelers.
Antonio Brown is returning a punt. Huber is trying to track him down. Out of nowhere, Garvin—a linebacker who probably outweighed Huber by 50 pounds—levels him with a blindside block.
It was brutal.
Huber ended up with a fractured jaw and a cracked vertebra in his neck. The league eventually admitted it should have been a penalty, but the damage was done. Most guys might call it a career after their face gets rearranged on national TV. Huber? He was back for the 2014 opener. He actually made the Pro Bowl that year. That’s the definition of grit.
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The End of an Era
The transition away from Huber wasn't pretty. In 2022, age finally started to catch up. His net average dipped, and the Bengals had a young gun named Drue Chrisman (another local kid, ironically) waiting in the wings.
The team released him in December 2022. It felt weird. Seeing #10 not out there during the playoff run was a trip for fans who had seen him on the sidelines since the Bush administration. He spent some time on the practice squad, being the ultimate pro, before finally hanging up the cleats in the summer of 2023.
Why the "Holding" Part Mattered
People forget that a punter isn't just a kicker. They’re the holder. Huber was the guy catching the snaps for Mike Nugent, then Randy Bullock, and eventually Evan McPherson.
When McPherson was kicking the Bengals into the Super Bowl during that magical 2021 run, it was Huber’s hands making sure the laces were out. You don’t get to a Super Bowl without a reliable battery. Huber was the veteran presence that kept a young "Money Mac" calm during the biggest kicks in franchise history.
What Most People Get Wrong About Special Teams
Specialists are often treated like an afterthought. "Oh, he’s just a punter." But in the AFC North, field position is everything. Playing in the swirling winds of Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in December is a nightmare.
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Huber understood the physics of it. He wasn't just booming balls; he was "coffin cornering" them. He mastered the art of the "Aussie style" drop-and-stop punt that pinned teams deep.
Bengals punter Kevin Huber left the game with over $28 million in career earnings and a legacy that will likely land him in the Bengals Ring of Honor eventually. He represents a specific type of loyalty that doesn't really exist in modern sports anymore.
Next Steps for Bengals Fans:
- Check the Stats: Go look at the 2014 season tape. It was Huber’s peak and arguably the best punting season in team history.
- Appreciate the Current Battery: Watch how Brad Robbins or the current punter handles the hold. It makes you realize how smooth Huber was for 14 straight years.
- Visit the Pro Shop: If you still have a #10 jersey, keep it. It’s a piece of Cincinnati history that won't go out of style.
He wasn't just a punter. He was the Cincinnati kid who stayed home and became a legend.