Ben Kiernan's facemask gets mangled during non-targeting call on blocked punt

North Carolina punter Ben Kiernan managed to get out of a tough situation on Saturday against Syracuse, but it didn’t come without a cost. Kiernan saw his punt blocked on UNC’s second drive in the first quarter, but managed to recover it and sprint for the first down to keep the drive alive.

However, he was met near the first-down marker by a Syracuse defender, who delivered a vicious hit to knock him to the ground. Kiernan remained down for several moments after the play as trainers came over the check on him.

No targeting was called on the play, despite there being clear contact to his helmet.

After the game, photos emerged revealing just how hard of a hit the Orange landed on the Tar Heels punter. Not only was it enough to leaving him dazed for a few moments after the play, but it also severely damaged his facemask, leaving it completely misshapen. You can view both the play and the image of Kiernan’s helmet below.

UNC punter Ben Kiernan with an impressive athletic effort… before getting obliterated. 🏈😬 pic.twitter.com/JyTbCRU0Y9

— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 7, 2023

What happens when your punt’s blocked, you pick it out if the air, scamper for a first down and get hammered at the boundary. And no targeting???? Iron man Ben Kiernan. pic.twitter.com/L5rGJbu3l9

— Lee Pace (@LeePaceTweet) October 7, 2023

Thankfully, Kiernan’s heroics weren’t for nothing, as North Carolina went on to score a touchdown later in that drive. The Tar Heels ultimately cruised to a 40-7 victory as quarterback Drake Maye threw for 442 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 55 yards rushing and another touchdown on the ground.

North Carolina never had to punt again for the remainder of the game, meaning Kiernan never got back out on the field after that big hit. At this point, it’s unclear whether he suffered any sort of injury as a result of the play.

Ben Kiernan has been the starting punter for North Carolina for the past five seasons, even earning third team All-ACC honors in 2022. He finished this past season with an average of 46.8 yards per punt while 14 of his 48 attempts went for 50-plus yards. He also landed 18 punts inside the 20-yard line.

So far this season, Kiernan is averaging 41.2 yards per punt and has landed five punts inside the 20 with just one of 50-plus yards. Now he even has 17 yards rushing to add to his stat line this season.

The Tar Heels are off to a 5-0 start and one of four remaining teams who are unbeaten in ACC play. They next face Miami, which is combing off of its first loss of the season, in Week 7 at home.