Create an experience with Michael Dickson

I am an Australian professional American football punter for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas.

Born in Sydney, I first played soccer in my youth before switching to Australian rules football at the age of 12. I excelled in Australian football while playing for the University of New South Wales in the local Sydney AFL competition and was subsequently placed in the Sydney Swans talent academy as a teenager. I continued to play for UNSW and the Swans reserves in the North East Australian Football League in an attempt to be drafted to a professional AFL team but was overlooked at the 2014 AFL draft. My Australian football career highlight occurred when I was chosen to play for the Swans in the 2014 NEAFL Grand Final. The Swans were defeated by a minor two-point margin in the final.

In 2015, at the age of 19, I moved to Melbourne to trial with Prokick Australia, a coaching program designed to help aspiring kickers and punters cross the Pacific and crack American football. Through my Prokick Australia experience, I was picked up by the University of Texas as a punter.

College career

My College Career – I was a three-year punter and declared early for the NFL Draft following my junior season

I finished my career as UT's all-time leader in punting average at 45.32 yards per punt

I ended my time with the Longhorns holding the all time school-record 226 times for punting.

I won the 2017 Ray Guy Award – voted the nations best college punter.

Was named a unanimous first team All-American (AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCFF), just UT's 21st all-time

Was named the 2016 and 2017 Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Year

Was named first team All-Big 12 at punter in both 2016 and 2017

Was named 2017 Big 12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Was an Academic All-Big 12 First Team member

Became UT’s first-ever finalist for the Ray Guy Award in 2016

And also an All-American in 2016

I earned honourable mention for All-Big 12 honours in 2015

Was four-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honour Roll (fall 2015, spring 2016, fall 2016; spring 2017)

Was also named to the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team (2015-16).

I was named MVP of the 2017 Texas Bowl.

I am studying Business at McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas and was named 2017 Big 12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Professional career

I was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round, 149th overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft. I won the punting job after the Seahawks released longtime veteran Jon Ryan. He made his NFL debut in the Seahawks' season opener against the Denver Broncos. In the 27–24 loss, he had six punts for 354 net yards. I was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Week 8 against the Detroit Lions. With minutes remaining at fourth-and-8 from their own three-yard line, I was instructed to waste time in the end zone before giving up an intentional safety. Instead, I received the snap and ran it nine yards for the first down to seal the win. The play was later dubbed "The Aussie Sweep." I was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November 2018. 

I was voted into the 2019 Pro Bowl, the first rookie punter since Dale Hatcher in 1985. In addition, I was named as a first-team All-Pro.