After years of average play at the punter position, the Green Bay Packers have stumbled upon a goldmine in Daniel Whelan.

In just a few short seasons, Whelan has become one of the Packers’ best players, and the result have been game-altering.

Today, we talk about how he got to Lambeau.

Journey to the NFL

Like many specialists in the league today, Daniel Whelan has had a unique journey to the NFL.

He was born in Ireland, lived there until he was thirteen, and initially played several other sports besides American football.

After he started punting as a junior in high school, Whelan received the opportunity to punt in college at UC Davis, where he was successful enough to sign with the Saints as an undrafted free agent.

After getting cut, Whelan made a stop in the XFL with the DC Defenders, where he was selected with the second pick in the specialist phase of the draft.

That ended up being his gateway to Green Bay, as he earned all XFL honors that season.

After catching on for the Packers and replacing veteran Pat O’Donnell, Whelan became the first Irish-born player to play in the NFL since the eighties.

Whelan’s consistency in his first two years as Green Bay’s punter earned him a two-year extension, and this past season, he made it count.

An All-Pro Worthy Season

In the past decade, the punting job has been a revolving door in Green Bay.

At least thirteen different players have taken up the mantel, and at a position where longevity is relatively common for the league’s better legs, there was certainly room for improvement.

The most recent punter to last at least three seasons for Green Bay was J.K. Scott, and before him, Tim Masthay was the longest tenured in the 2000’s, with five straight seasons, including the 2010 Super Bowl run.

Daniel Whelan has just completed his third season, and it was undoubtedly his best.

Punting in Wisconsin weather is not an easy task, but the Packers’ secret weapon has made it look incredibly easy.

In 2025, Whelan shared the NFL lead in punting average at 51.7 yards, breaking several team records as well.

That led to Whelan receiving ten All-Pro votes, and in my opinion, being snubbed for the honor.

As a fan, it’s easy to remember punting situations within the years prior to Whelan’s arrival that were extremely frustrating, but now, watching games, I find that I don’t really have to worry about where the offense gets stopped on the field, if they do.

Whelan can easily flip the field in an instant, and it seems likely that he’ll be the standard for the Green Bay Packers special teams for years to come.