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South Florida native Michael Palardy signs with Dolphins

Punter grew up in Coral Springs, helped lead St. Thomas Aquinas High School to state championship
Carolina Panthers punter Michael Palardy in 2019
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — South Florida native and NFL punter Michael Palardy is coming home.

The Miami Dolphins announced Monday that they've signed the former St. Thomas Aquinas High School punter, who grew up in Coral Springs and helped the Raiders win a state championship in 2008.

Palardy spent four seasons with the Carolina Panthers before missing all of last year after tearing his ACL before the season.

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The 28-year-old entered the league in 2014 as an undrafted free agent from Tennessee, where he was a punter and placekicker for the Volunteers.

After bouncing around between six NFL teams' preseason rosters, Palardy finally caught on in Carolina in 2016 and won the starting job the next year.

Palardy has played in 55 games in his NFL career, totaling 243 punts for 11,011 yards and a 40.3 net punting average.

He replaces Matt Haack, who is a free agent.