Michael Dickson (American football)
An Australian who mastered the obscure art of punting, he changed field position and became a secret weapon for the Seattle Seahawks.
Born 1996 (age 30)·Australian-born American football player·Birthday: January 4·Millennials
Biography
Michael Dickson, born in Sydney in 1996, took a path to the NFL that few could have predicted. A former Australian rules football player, he didn't touch an American football until he was in his late teens. His unique background proved to be his greatest asset; he brought a rugby-style 'torpedo' punt to the game, creating unprecedented hang time and difficult-to-return kicks. After a standout college career at the University of Texas, the Seattle Seahawks drafted him in 2018, and he immediately became a pivotal, game-changing specialist. Dickson's leg has consistently pinned opponents deep in their own territory, making him not just a punter, but a strategic force who can dictate the flow of a game.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Michael was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected to the NFL Pro Bowl and named a First-Team All-Pro in his rookie 2018 season.
- Holds a career punt average that ranks fourth in NFL history.
- Won the Ray Guy Award in 2017 as the best collegiate punter in the nation.
- Successfully executed a punt that traveled 68 yards and was downed at the 1-yard line in a critical 2020 playoff game.
Did You Know?
He played Australian rules football for the Sydney Swans' youth team before switching to American football.
He was a standout rugby player in school, which influenced his kicking technique.
In 2018, he became the first punter in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass on a fake field goal attempt.
He once punted a ball that hit the video board at AT&T Stadium in Dallas during a game.
“I just try to kick the ball as high and as far as I can every time.”
