The Jets went to the links and found a punter for their practice squad.
“I’ve been just working at a golf course and training every day,” said rookie Jeremy Kapinos, who signed with the Green & White on Tuesday.
For the last few months, Kapinos worked on the grounds at a northern Virginia club. His task included mowing the lawns, taking care of the greens and tee boxes and replacing divots. After each long day, he had the energy to exercise.
“The job was from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m,” he said. “From about 4 to 6, I was working out. I had a trainer and everything, so I tried to stay in shape.”
The 6'1", 235-pounder, who was with the Jets for a month of this summer's training camp, also returned to West Springfield High School to boot the pigskin.
“I punted 40 to 50 a day,” he said. “I took a bag of balls myself and some of the high school kids would help me out.”
While Kapinos kept his routine, his agent (who is kicker-friendly and is also employed by Neil Rackers, Josh Brown and Shayne Graham among others) remained on the phone with teams throughout the NFL.
The Baltimore Ravens called on Kapinos twice to help them prepare for the Browns’ Dave Zastudil and the Rams’ Donnie Jones.
“They played a left-footer and whenever they did, I would go in there,” said the Jets’ American left-footer punter. “I probably hit 220 balls each day. I was there for two weeks and just punted.”
At Penn State, Kapinos averaged 41.8 yards per attempt and both his 247 career punts and 10,326 yards are school records. Bill Renner, a former Green Bay Packers punter, was his high school coach and he now has the opportunity to learn under the guidance of Mike Westhoff.
“He’s had experience with a lot of great punters,” Kapinos said. “I think any advice I get from him, I would be stupid not to listen to him. He’s had an extremely long list of guys who have done well and have been in the league for a while. He’s just been great to have in my first year in the NFL.”
Hempstead is the latest stop for this retired Army colonel’s son. During his childhood, Kapinos called New York, Kentucky, Georgia, Kansas, South Korea and finally Virginia home.
“When I was real young, you had friends who you thought were your best friends and then you’d move two years later,” he said. “As I got older, you learn to adjust quickly. It got to a certain point where I was like ‘What’s next?’ ”
Needless to say, Kapinos learned how to carry himself growing up, but nothing could have prepared him for Sept. 11, 2001. He was in class at West Springfield High when he found out that American Airlines Flight 77 had crashed into the Pentagon. His father, Col. David Kapinos, was in the building.
“I tried calling my mother, but you couldn’t get through on the phone,” he said. “It was nuts. A couple of hours later, he sent a note to my classroom saying he was fine. When the plane came in, he was on the other side.”
Now retired, Jeremy’s father works for a military contractor in northern Virginia. His son has moved north of the Beltway and could finish the season with the Jets.
“We just want to look at Jeremy again. We had him in camp and liked some of the things he did,” head coach Eric Mangini said. “It does also allow us to take some reps off both Ben and Mike [Nugent]. He can do both. That's always good to have, especially later in the season.”
Kapinos' short-term goal is to impress the coaching staff. Even if he never lands a full-time gig with New York’s AFC representative, a good reference wouldn’t hurt the résumé.
“I’m real happy that this is occurring,” he said. “I want a job and if I do well the next five weeks, hopefully I’ll get a recommendation. But not only that, I’ll be more experienced.”
And now as we hit December, golf season is over. Kapinos, just less than 20 credits short of a graduate degree in journalism, definitely is going to get his kicks in while he can.
