San Francisco’s Australian punter makes electric start to NFL career

Australian punter Mitch Wishnowsky says he is treating the Super Bowl just like any another game, but admits if his San Francisco 49ers beat the Kansas City Chiefs he might shout himself a Tesla car.

The 49ers take on the Chiefs in Miami tomorrow in the NFL season finale.

Wishnowsky, a 27-year-old rookie from Perth who grew up playing Australian Rules, quit his job as a glazier seven years ago to embark on a long, difficult journey, with the goal of punting in the NFL.

‘‘I know not many Aussies have played in the Super Bowl and I’m really proud to be one of the few,’’ Wishnowsky told reporters.

Queensland defensive tackle Jesse Williams was a member of the Seattle Seattle Seahawks’ 2014 Super Bowl-winning team, although a knee injury kept him out for the entire season.

Former Geelong AFL star Ben Graham punted for the Arizona Cardinals in their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2009 Super Bowl.

The Chiefs, led by electric quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, are slight favourites.

The reborn 49ers earned their spot with a 37-20 demolition of the Green Bay Packers in the NFC final.

‘‘It is crazy to think about,’’ said Wishnowsky, discussing the magnitude of making a Super Bowl in his rookie year.

‘‘After the [NFC] game on the weekend we went out for dinner with friends and family and I thought about it then, but now at this point the way I’m looking at it is just another game — beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

‘‘That will be something I’ll reflect on hopefully after the Super Bowl, but at the moment I’m trying to think of it as just another game.’’

Wishnowsky quit school in Perth aged 16, worked as a glazier until 2013 when he took a gamble and, despite limited money, flew to Melbourne to join the Prokick Australia punting academy.

He worked at a pub to make ends meet and contemplated sleeping in a 24-hour gym’s toilets because he could not afford rent.

He moved to the US in 2014 to punt for Santa Barbara City College and from 2016 to 2018 punted for the University of Utah.

He won the Ray Guy Award for best college punter in 2016.

Making a Super Bowl can be expensive for players.

Wishnowsky said players are allotted a certain amount of tickets to the game for friends and family— but players have to purchase them.

His girlfriend, mother, father, sister and a mate from Perth will be at the game.

‘‘We get none for free,’’ Wishnowsky said.

‘‘You basically have to purchase them all. You get a certain amount you can purchase.’’

‘‘What you see online is basically what we get them for,’’ Wishnowsky said.

The cheapest tickets on the official Super Bowl website are about $NZ6000.

Wishnowsky signed a fouryear, $5 million contract with the 49ers last year, which included a $1.2 million signing bonus.

Players on Super Bowlwinning teams earn around a $150,000 bonus. If the 49ers win, Wishnowsky has his eye on an electric vehicle for the environmentally conscious streets of San Francisco.

‘‘Hopefully if we get the ‘‘W’ I might treat myself to a Tesla,’’ he said.