JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -The Jacksonville Jaguars released punter Chris Hanson on Tuesday, three days after the team drafted Adam Podlesh in the fourth round.
Podlesh, from Maryland, was the first specialist taken in the draft. He was the second selection Sunday, No. 101 overall.
Podlesh averaged 42.9 yards per kick, and the Jags expected him to be an upgrade over Hanson, whose net average of 33.4 yards last season ranked last in the NFL.
Hanson spent the last six seasons in Jacksonville after signing as a free agent in 2001. He made the Pro Bowl in 2002 and averaged 43 yards per career punt.
He may have been best known as the guy who hacked into his leg with an ax in 2003.
After an 0-3 start that season, coach Jack Del Rio decided to place a huge tree stump and an ax in the middle of the locker room to illustrate his new mantra, “Keep chopping wood.”
Each day, players would take little hunks out of the tree, leaving wood splinters scattered about the locker room. Hanson lost control of the ax and hacked a deep, nasty gash in his right, non-kicking, leg. Blood poured out and a rush ensued to get Hanson to the hospital, where he had emergency surgery.
The ax accident came 16 months after Hanson, his wife and former Jaguars kicker Jaret Holmes were burned when they dropped a bubbling fondue pot during a get-together at Holmes’ house.
Hanson sustained first- and second-degree burns. His wife, Kasey, had second- and third-degree burns and needed skin grafts.
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