Tory Taylor Bio
Tory Taylor (born 7 October 1997) is an Australian professional American football punter for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, where he won the 2023 Ray Guy Award and was named a unanimous All-American before being selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Early Life and Background
Tory Taylor was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and attended Haileybury in Melbourne. He grew up playing Australian rules football and later pursued American-style punting through Prokick Australia, the specialist program that prepares Australian kickers and punters for college football opportunities in the United States.
Prokick Australia founders Nathan Chapman and John Smith recommended Taylor to the University of Iowa’s special teams staff, facilitating his recruitment to the Iowa Hawkeyes. That pathway from Melbourne to Iowa established the specialist training and contacts that launched his collegiate career.
Path to American Football
Taylor transitioned from Australian rules football to American football after attending Prokick Australia clinics and embracing the specialist punting craft. The Prokick recommendation to Iowa’s special teams coordinator LeVar Woods led to Taylor joining the Hawkeyes program, where he developed under collegiate coaching and special teams instruction.
At Iowa, Taylor adapted his kicking technique to the demands of American football, focusing on hang time, directional control and punts downed inside the 20-yard line. His early collegiate success set the stage for national recognition and a clear trajectory toward professional opportunities in the NFL and CFL.
Tory Taylor Career
Early Career (2020–2023)
Taylor began his Iowa Hawkeyes career in 2020 and immediately produced strong results, punting 40 times for 1,765 yards in his first season and placing 18 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. For that performance he was named the Big Ten Conference Punter of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2020.
Over the next seasons Taylor increased his workload and produced consistently high averages and frequent inside-the-20 placements. He finished the 2022 season with 82 punts for 3,725 yards and continued to refine his craft, earning All-Big Ten recognition from media and coaches alike while also receiving All-American notice.
Iowa Hawkeyes Breakthrough (2020–2023)
Taylor’s 2023 season was his career peak at Iowa, when he broke the NCAA record for most punting yards in a season with 4,479 yards during the 2024 Citrus Bowl and won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter. He was a unanimous first-team All-American in 2023 and became the only multi-time winner of the Big Ten Punter of the Year award, having previously won in 2020.
Across his Iowa tenure he led the FBS in several punting categories and left with the FBS record for most average yards per punt at 46.3. His ability to pin opponents deep in their own territory was repeatedly credited with helping Iowa’s defense control field position in low-scoring games, contributing to team wins despite limited offensive production.
Chicago Bears Era (2024–Present)
Taylor was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round, 122nd overall, of the 2024 NFL Draft and signed a four-year rookie contract with the team on May 11, 2024. He became the highest punter selected since 2019 and the highest Bears punter drafted since 1995.
In his rookie season Taylor established himself as a field-position specialist. Notable early performances included a Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams in 2024 when he pinned three of five punts inside the 10-yard line, helping the Bears secure a 24–18 victory and earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Through the 2025 statistical update he has compiled substantial punting totals, reflective of heavy usage and consistent placement.
Driving Style and Strengths
Taylor combines distance with directional accuracy and strong placement skills, frequently downing punts inside the 20-yard line to pin opponents deep. His hang time and situational awareness complement a strategic approach that emphasizes limiting return opportunities and helping the defense control opponents’ starting field position.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include winning the 2023 Ray Guy Award, being named a unanimous All-American the same year, breaking the NCAA single-season punting yards record, and earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2024. His fourth-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft and early game-winning placements for the Chicago Bears stand out as career-defining moments.
Tory Taylor Career Wins
As a specialist, Taylor’s contributions are measured through awards, placement statistics and field-position outcomes rather than individual scoring. His decorated college career and early professional accomplishments include national awards, All-America honors and impactful NFL performances that directly affected game outcomes by limiting opponent starting positions.
College Highlights
At Iowa Taylor won the 2023 Ray Guy Award, was a unanimous first-team All-American in 2023 and earned Big Ten Punter of the Year honors in 2020 and 2023. He set the FBS record for average yards per punt at 46.3 and established the NCAA single-season punting yards mark with 4,479 yards.
NFL Highlights
Drafted in 2024 by the Chicago Bears, Taylor signed a four-year rookie contract and earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week early in his NFL career after a Week 4 performance in 2024 that featured multiple punts inside the 10-yard line. Through the 2025 statistical update he recorded career NFL totals that reflect extensive in-game use and strong placement outcomes.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Taylor’s other notable performances include multiple Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week recognitions and repeated seasons leading the subdivision in punts placed inside the 20-yard line. His consistent college workload and national awards secured his reputation as one of the top punters in the modern collegiate game.
Tory Taylor Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Taylor is first cousins with Mitchito Owens, who plays Australian rules football for St Kilda in the Australian Football League. Beyond that relationship, public details about Taylor’s immediate family are limited in the available record.
Personal Life
Taylor is a supporter of the Australian Football League’s Richmond Football Club and A-League soccer club Melbourne City FC. He attended Haileybury in Melbourne before moving to the United States for college football at the University of Iowa.
2025 Season Performance
Statistical updates through 2025 record Taylor’s NFL totals as of that year, including cumulative punts, yards and inside-the-20 placements that reflect his role as Chicago’s primary punter. These figures document his continued impact on field position and special teams outcomes during his early professional tenure.
During the 2025 offseason Taylor was again listed on the Bears’ exempt/international player list, a designation used during training camp to free a roster spot while allowing him to continue practicing with the team. The designation was removed when the final 53-player roster was set, and Taylor returned to active status for regular-season play.