Jeff Gossett
EIU Hall of Fame A Raiders punter, he worked harder than any Eastern graduate in history.

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Jeff Gossett
As a Raiders punter, he worked more often than any Eastern grad.

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A popular and friendly Eastern star, the NFL veteran bounced around the league until finding a home with the Raiders, where he played for nine years. He was released in 1997, ending a 16-year career thay saw him earn a bid to the Pro Bowl in 1991 after a career-high 44.2-yard punting average.

Gossett has played in the NFL and USFL. In the NFL, he's been with the Cowboys, Chiefs, Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Oilers and Raiders. He's also seen action with USFL franchises Chicago Blitz and Portland Breakers. No word if he ever crossed paths with Kevin Duckworth while in Portland.

Some more interesting tidbits about Gossett: He lead all National Football League punters in touchbacks in 1994. In, 1996, he made $400,700. My question: How much did Eastern get!? While punting for the Raiders in 1988, his coach was fellow EIU Hall of Fame inductee Mike Shanahan. No one is quite sure why this team didn’t make it to the Super Bowl.

Gossett was actually a baseball player before he got into football. In 1978, he was drafted in the fifth round by the New York Mets and played in their farm system for two seasons as an outfielder and third baseman. He was born and raised in Charleston.

Sources for information and some photos:Oakland Raiders, USA Today and NFL