The San Francisco 49ers are making a change at punter. Instead of re-signing 17-year veteran Thomas Morstead, the 49ers are adding South Alabama alumnus Corliss Waitman through NFL free agency.
Waitman averaged 45.5 yards, with a 41.7-yard net, on 62 punts for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025. Morstead averaged 43.6 yards, with a 36.7-yard net, on 44 punts for San Francisco.
Waitman also will serve as the holder of kicker Eddy Pineiro, who made 28-of-29 field-goal attempts with Morstead holding in 2025. With Waitman as the holder over the past two seasons, Chris Boswell made 68-of-76 field-goal attempts for Pittsburgh.
While San Francisco has not announced a contract agreement with Waitman, the San Francisco Chronicle, NBC Sports Bay Area and NFL Network are among the outlets reporting the punter’s cross-country move.
After averaging 42.7 yards on 158 punts for South Alabama, Waitman entered the NFL in 2020 as an undrafted rookie with the Steelers. He spent that season on the Pittsburgh practice squad.
Waitman returned to Pittsburgh in 2021 when the Steelers signed him from the New England Patriots’ practice squad after punter Pressley Harvin III got hurt. Waitman averaged 52.1 yards on seven punts across the final two games of the season.
In 2022, Waitman led the NFL with 96 punts for the Denver Broncos, averaging 46.6 yards per punt.
After signing with the Patriots for the 2023 season, Waitman spent most of the campaign on New England’s practice squad without playing in a game.
Waitman returned to Pittsburgh in 2024. The Steelers signed Waitman after punter Cameron Johnston sustained a season-ending knee injury in the opening game.
Waitman was available because the Chicago Bears waived him when they reduced their preseason roster to the regular-season limit. Waitman competed with fourth-round rookie Tory Taylor for the Chicago job, but he was released after averaging 44.6 yards on nine punts in the preseason.
Waitman averaged 46.4 yards, with a 41.9-yard net, on 65 punts in 2024. In 2025, Waitman won the punting competition with Johnston in training camp.
