Former Titans All-Pro Player Announces Retirement After 15 Seasons in NFL

By Brian Jones

A longtime NFL player is calling it a career. Brett Kern, a punter who spent the majority of his career with the Tennessee Titans, announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday after playing 15 seasons in the NFL. He was a member of the Titans from 2009-2021 and was selected to the All-Pro Team twice during his time in Nashville. 

"It's been hard," Kern said, per the Titans' official website. "It's also brought back a lot of memories, too. You want to be able to thank a ton of people who helped you over the years, and all the memories from games, from teammates and coaches, conversations in the locker rooms, and road trips.

"To try and get 15 years into 3-4 pages on Microsoft Word, it's been pretty challenging. It's been emotional, too, just thinking back at certain memories. It's also emotional just because there's such a sense of gratitude to a lot of people who have helped me get this far. And, just knowing it's closing a chapter on a really important part of my life and starting a new one."

Kern began his NFL career in 2008 as a member of the Denver Broncos. He was waived by the Broncos on Oct. 26, 2009, before joining the Titans in the same season. Along with making the All-Pro Team twice, Kern was named to the Pro Bowl for three consecutive seasons (2017-2019). 

Right before the 2022 season began, Kern was released by the Titans after rookie Ryan Stonehouse won the starting job. In December, Kern signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and was with the team for the rest of the season. In his career, Kern recorded 1,006 punts and averaged 45.9 yards per punt. 

"I want to congratulate Brett on an amazing NFL career," Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. "He was a true professional and one of the important players who helped our organization reach the level of success that we have sustained for a number of years now. After being named to three Pro Bowls, receiving All-Pro honors and setting record after record, he would be on a very short list of the best waiver claims our organization has ever made. Brett will always be considered part of the Titans family, and we wish him continued success in the years to come."  

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