Specialists in spring football continue to “win” on the field and in their bank accounts. On Thursday hours before the NFL opening kickoff former D.C. Defenders Punter Daniel Whelan now with the Green Bay Packers signed a Two-year extension that will keep him in Green Bay through the 2027 season. The total value is more than $7 million with more than $2 million guaranteed per Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated.
Whelan goes into his third year with the Packers. Originally, he came into the NFL in 2022, before being waived by the Saints prior to training camp. Whelan would be drafted by the Defenders earning All-XFL honors with the team enroute to their championship appearance. Whelan would join the Packers after the completion of the 2023 XFL season, beating out incumbent Pat O’Donnell.
Since 2023 Whelan has put together two of the top three single-season averages for punting in franchise history, posting a 46.2-yard average in 2023 (No. 2), and a 46.1-yard average in 2024 (No. 3). He’s punted 113 times for 5126 yards, for an average of 46.2 yards.
Whelan continues to add to the financial success of the Defenders players in the NFL. Defenders players have earned over 10 million dollars since the team was established in 2020, and are expected to add about 4.8 million dollars to that total in 2025.
