Ex-Cat Masthay, now a free agent, ‘really loved being a Packer’

In an interview Wednesday with ESPN, former University of Kentucky punter Tim Masthay discussed his release the previous day by the Green Bay Packers.

He had been with the team since his rookie season in 2010, and he was part of their Super Bowl-winning squad in 2011.

“My goal was to play 10 years and retire as a Packer … So it’s hard for me to think about that,” said Masthay, who also starred in high school at Murray.

It appeared Masthay had secured the starting job for another season when the Packers released Green Bay native Peter Mortell on Monday.

However, the Packers claimed former Tampa Bay punter Jacob Schum off waivers on Tuesday, and he took Masthay’s roster spot.

“That’s just kind of the bummer side of it,” Masthay told ESPN. “I think a lot of players [feel this way] and it usually doesn’t pan out, but I really loved being a Packer. I thought of it as a great honor. So I always had this vision and goal in my head that I’d play my whole career there and then retire.”

Masthay wished Schum well, and said he hopes to continue his career elsewhere. But he doesn’t expect to find another job before the beginning of the season since vested veterans are guaranteed their salary for the whole season if they’re on the opening day roster.

“There’s so few jobs available that just like I told Pete [Mortell] the other day, it takes getting the right opportunity at the right time and performing in that moment. So will I get the right opportunity at the right time? That is a complete unknown. If I do, do I feel like I can make it? Absolutely. So time will tell.”

This story was originally published August 31, 2016 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Ex-Cat Masthay, now a free agent, ‘really loved being a Packer’."