Arryn Siposs has shelved his NFL punting aspirations to join Hawthorn as a development coach under Sam Mitchell for next season.
Siposs played 28 games across five AFL seasons for St Kilda before his booming right boot – and plenty of hard work – earned him a shot at a second professional sporting career in the NFL, with the Detroit Lions then the Philadelphia Eagles.
Arryn Siposs in his playing days with St Kilda in 2013.Credit: Sebastian Costanzo
However, the 31-year-old’s infamous botched punt in the final quarter of Super Bowl LVII, held in February, was the critical play that led to Kansas City beating his Eagles 38-35.
With 10 minutes left in the game, Siposs – along with some poor tackling – allowed Chiefs punt returner Kadarius Toney to complete a 64-yard return that the ex-Saint eventually ended, just short of the end zone.
Philadelphia cut ties with Siposs two weeks into the current season, and he conceded in an interview with this masthead in October that his NFL dream was likely over, after he missed out on a position with Arizona.
He foreshadowed a return to the AFL in that same interview.
Philadelphia Eagles punter Arryn Siposs punts in last season’s Super Bowl, a play that led to a critical moment of the match against the Kansas City Chiefs.Credit: Fox
“I would love to get back into the AFL area and work in development coaching, normal coaching or the welfare side of things,” Siposs said at the time.
“That is where I think I see myself, and I could relate a lot to particularly the younger guys coming through, maybe even through the [under-18] Coates League. I would love to be able to work in that area and that’s where I truly see myself, going forward.
“I still think I have quite good knowledge of the game, and that’s where I definitely see myself, and, hopefully, an opportunity comes up.”
Siposs’ previous coaching experience includes serving as an assistant at Brighton Grammar School and Hallam Sports Academy between 2016 and 2018.
Arryn Siposs has joined Hawthorn as a development coach after a stint punting in the NFL.Credit: Getty Images
The Hawks have made a few tweaks to their coaching staff, with Adrian Hickmott now looking after the forward line and David Mackay stepping up to a full-time development role with the AFL program in 2024.
Hawthorn’s football boss Rob McCartney said they believed they had struck the right balance with their coaching group to continue the club’s development.
“Arryn joins our club with great experience and perspective following exposure across two high-performance environments, in the AFL and NFL, which, we believe, will benefit our program immensely,” McCartney said.
“We see him being a great fit for our talented young list and helping develop players, both on and off the field.
“Through both our AFL and AFLW program, David has demonstrated he has a bright future as a young coach. Stepping into a full-time role with our AFL program will allow him to deepen his relationships and development opportunities with our younger players.”
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