5 Paul
Ernster
PRO
(19-0): Re-signed by the
Pittsburgh Steelers on November 5, 2008…released by the Steelers on August 30,
2008…signed with the Steelers on July 29, 2008…released by the Detroit Lions on
July 29, 2008…signed by the Lions
as a free agent April 11, 2008…split time with both the Broncos and the Browns
in 2007, playing in one game for each…in 2006, Ernster completed his first full
season and handled Denver’s kickoff and punting duties…he ranked third in the
NFL with 19 touchbacks on kickoffs and averaged 41.7 yards per punt…began the
2005 season on the Broncos’ active roster but was delegated to the practice
squad and eventually placed on the practice squad Reserve/Injured
List…originally selected by Denver in the seventh round (239th
overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft.
2007 (2-0):
Spent training camp
with the Denver Broncos prior to being released on August 28…was signed by the
Cleveland Browns on September 8 and played one game…was released by Cleveland on
September 19…was re-signed by Denver on December 18 and played one game…was
released by Denver on December 26…9/9
vs. Pittsburgh: Punted seven times for 256 yards (36.6 avg.) with two punts
downed inside the 20-yard-line…had a long of 43 yards…9/16 vs. Cincinnati: Was inactive…9/19: Released by Cleveland…12/18: Re-signed by Denver…12/24 at San Diego: Punted five times
for 178 yards (35.6 avg.)…had a long of 59 yards…12/26: Released by
Denver.
2006 (16-0):
Played in all 16
games as both the Broncos punter and kickoff specialist…placed third in the NFL
with 19 touchbacks…punted 80 times for 3,338 yards (41.7 avg)…had 23 punts
downed inside the 20…had 75 kickoffs for 5,090 yards (67.9 avg.)…contributed
three special teams tackles…9/10 at St.
Louis: Punted four times for 170 yards (42.5 avg.)…also averaged 70.3 yards
on three kickoffs…9/17 vs. Kansas City:
Punted five times for 260 yards (52.0 avg.)…booted a career-long
61-yarder…9/24 at New England:
Punted a career-high eight times for 329 yards (41.1 avg.)…his four punts
downed inside the Patriots 20-yard-line marked the most by a Broncos punter
since Tom Rouen hit five vs. San Diego on November 11, 2001…10/9 vs. Baltimore: Three of his four
punts pinned the Ravens inside their 20…10/15 vs. Oakland: Punted four times
for 151 yards (37.8 avg.)…his four punts had a net average of 38 yards…10/22 at Cleveland: Punted six times
for 210 yards (35.0 avg.) with two punts downed inside the 20…10/29 vs. Indianapolis: Punted twice
for 100 yards (50.0 avg.)…11/5 at
Pittsburgh: Punted seven times for 296 yards (42.3 avg.) with one punt
downed inside the 20…11/12 at Oakland:
For the second consecutive week he punted seven times for a total of 235
yards (33.6 avg.)…11/19 vs. San Diego:
Punted four times for 191 yards (47.8 avg.) with a career-best 41.5 yard net
average…11/23 at Kansas City: Punted
five times for 219 yards (43.8 avg.)…limited Dante Hall to three returns for
seven yards (2.3 avg.) and a fair catch…12/3 vs. Seattle: Punted seven times
for 307 yards (43.9 avg.) with two punts downed inside the 20…12/10 at San Diego: Punted four times
for 159 yards (39.8 avg.)…12/17 at
Arizona: Punted only one time for 34 yards…12/24 vs. Cincinnati: Punted six times
for 256 yards (42.7 avg.)…12/31 vs. San
Francisco: Punted six times for 252 yards (42.0 avg.) and two punts downed
inside the 20.
2005
(1-0): Began the season as
the Broncos kickoff specialist and played in one game before being released on
September 20…was signed by Denver to the practice squad on September 21…was
placed on the practice squad/injured list on September 28…9/11 at Miami: Kicked off three times
for 163 yards (54.3 avg.) with a long kickoff of 65 yards…9/18 vs. San Diego: Was inactive…9/20: Released by
Denver.
COLLEGE:
Finished his career
at Northern Arizona University with a 47.5-yard average…converted 40-of-67 field
goal attempts (.597) and 101-of-105 extra point attempts (.962)…excelled in the
classroom at NAU as a four-time (2002-05) Golden Eagle Scholar Athlete,
three-time (2002-04) Big Sky Conference All-Academic choice and a two-time
(2002-03) choice for the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll…majored in computer
information systems. 2005: Named a
first-team All-American by the Walter
Camp Foundation, IAA.org, The Sports Network and the Football Gazette…a first-team All-Big
Sky Conference selection as both punter and kicker…led the nation (Division
I-AA) with a 47.8-yard punting average on 55 punts with a 71-yard long in 11
games while picking up the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week award
three times…Placed 19 punts inside the 20-yard line while making 9-of-18
field-goal attempts (.500) and all 27 extra points as the kicker to move into
third place on the school’s all-time points list (221). 2004: Picked up All-Big Sky honorable mention
accolades as a junior after handling the kicking duties in all 13
games...a CoSIDA Academic
All-District VIII selection, he set a school single-season scoring record for
kickers with 101 points on the season by connecting on 18-of-30 field-goal
attempts (.600) and 47-of-49 extra-point attempts (.959). 2003: Handled kicking duties in all 11 contests
during his sophomore season for NAU, making 13-of-19 field-goal attempts (.684 -
third in the Big Sky) and 27-of-29 extra-point attempts (.931). 2002: Spent the season as a reserve
kicker.
PERSONAL:
Lettered twice in
both football and baseball at Ironwood High School in Glendale, Ariz…all-state
selection as a kicker while earning all-region honors as a kicker, punter and
linebacker…has two brothers, Mark, who was a four-year letterman in baseball at
Arizona State, and Scott…son of Timothy and Barbara Ernster…Full name: Paul
Ernster.
