Born on July 21, 1995, Corliss Leendert Waitman is a Belgian-born American football punter for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL).
From 2014 until 2018, Waitman played collegiate football for South Alabama. He changed schools to Mississippi State University in February 2019.
Waitman, however, was not permitted to play college football in 2019 since the NCAA refused him an additional year of eligibility.
The Waitman family originated in Suriname. When Corliss was born, his father, José Waitman, was a seasoned basketball player who was competing in Belgium. Corliss spent his early years in the Netherlands after the family relocated there.
He joined his father in the United States when he was 15 years old. In high school, Waitman switched from soccer to football.
The Denver Broncos picked up Waitman off waivers on January 17, 2022. Additionally, the Edmonton Elks selected Waitman in the third round (number 20 overall) of the 2022 CFL Global Draft.
On August 29, 2022, veteran punter Sam Martin was dismissed, and Waitman was appointed the Broncos’ starting punter.
Waitman was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his 10 punts in Week 3’s 11-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, six of which were inside the 20-yard line.
How Good Is Corliss Waitman?
Corliss Waitman was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week at the tail end of September. In Week 4, Waitman punted 10 times for 476 yards (47.6 gross/43.6 net), with six punts downed inside the 20-yard line and zero touchbacks.
Waitman demonstrated his potential to be an asset in the Broncos’ struggle for field position. Waitman pinned the Niners twice within the 5-yard line despite the fact that five of their drives began inside their own 15-yard line.
What Happened To Corliss Waitman?
On January 17, 2022, Waitman was claimed off waivers by the Denver Broncos.