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| American football placekickers | |
|---|---|
| Name | Placekicker |
| Sport | American football |
| First | 19th century |
| Prominent | Tom Dempsey, Morten Andersen, Adam Vinatieri, Justin Tucker |
American football placekickers are specialists responsible for field goals, extra points, and kickoffs in National Football League, College Football Playoff and other competitions. Originating from early kicking traditions in Rugby Football and Association Football, modern placekickers combine biomechanics, psychology, and situational decision-making in leagues such as the Canadian Football League, XFL, and Arena Football League. Teams from the Green Bay Packers to the New England Patriots have relied on kickers like Brett Maher and Nick Folk in decisive moments.
Placekicking traces roots to 19th-century kicking in Harvard University vs. Yale University contests and adaptations from Cambridge University rules. Early American kickers included pioneers associated with Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Princeton Tigers. The transition from drop-kicks to dedicated placekicks accelerated in the era of George Halas and the formation of the American Professional Football Association (later National Football League). Innovations from players linked to Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers coincided with rule changes by the NFL Competition Committee and influences from coaches such as Bill Belichick and Vince Lombardi. The advent of soccer-style kicking by athletes emerging from programs like San Diego State Aztecs and UC Berkeley Golden Bears—exemplified by Pete Gogolak—led to widespread adoption in the 1960s and 1970s, affecting franchises including the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. Stadiums such as Lambeau Field, Yankee Stadium, and MetLife Stadium shaped kicking conditions, while events like the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl highlighted elite kickers including Graham Gano, Sebastian Janikowski, and Shaun Suisham.
Kickers operate within rosters constructed by general managers like Ozzie Newsome and Bill Polian and coordinate with special teams coaches such as Darren Rizzi and Brad Seely. Responsibilities include executing field goals for teams like Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, converting extra points after touchdowns by players from Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, and managing kickoffs to influence returns involving Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks. Kickers work with holders—often backup quarterbacks from Baltimore Colts or punters from Los Angeles Rams—and long snappers trained within programs like Ohio State Buckeyes and Alabama Crimson Tide. They also contribute to roster decisions in draft discussions with executives from New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers.
Training integrates methods advocated by specialists associated with University of Michigan strength programs and trainers linked to Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. Techniques include soccer-style approaches popularized by Gino Cappelletti and Jan Stenerud and straight-on styles used historically by Lou Groza. Biomechanics research from institutions like Stanford University and Penn State Nittany Lions informs kicking angles and plant foot placement, while video analysis tools used by Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints analyze kicks by Matt Prater and Ryan Succop. Mental preparation borrows from sports psychologists connected to Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls professionals, emphasizing clutch performance as showcased by Adam Vinatieri in Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXVIII. Offseason regimens may involve training at facilities affiliated with Nike and equipment from Adidas and Wilson Sporting Goods.
Equipment includes specialized footwear produced by brands like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour and kicking tees regulated by the NCAA and NFL. The playing surface—natural grass at Arrowhead Stadium or artificial turf at Gillette Stadium—affects ball behavior; notable venues such as Soldier Field and AT&T Stadium present distinct wind and altitude profiles. Ball models like those used in Super Bowl XLIX and Pro Bowl 2017 follow specifications set by the NFL Competition Committee. Weather events—storms over MetLife Stadium or cold snaps at Lambeau Field—impact performance, as do altitude effects seen at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver Broncos home games.
Prominent kickers include Adam Vinatieri, Morten Andersen, Justin Tucker, Tom Dempsey, Matt Stover, Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby, Stephen Gostkowski, Jason Hanson, Phil Dawson, Sebastian Janikowski, Nick Lowery, Garo Yepremian, Mike Vanderjagt, Gary Anderson, David Akers, Josh Scobee, Eddy Piñeiro, Dan Bailey, Matt Prater, Harrison Butker, Blair Walsh, Ryan Succop, Stephen Gostkowski, Aldrick Rosas, Caleb Sturgis, Zane Gonzalez, Randy Bullock, Chandler Catanzaro, Josh Brown, Adam Vinatieri, Justin Medlock, Chris Boswell, Chris Bahr, Neil Rackers, Kai Forbath, Mason Crosby, John Potter, Nick Folk, Graham Gano, Jeff Wilkins, Pat Leahy, Mike Nugent, Matt Bryant, Dan Carpenter, Eddie Murray, Tony Franklin, Pete Gogolak, Lou Groza, Sammy Baugh, Gerald Ford. Records span longest field goals by Justin Tucker and Matt Prater, career points by Adam Vinatieri and Morten Andersen, and notable single-game feats in Super Bowl XLVIII and NFL Playoffs.
Coaches from Bill Belichick to Andy Reid deploy kickers based on analytics from groups like Pro Football Focus and concepts popularized in books by Bill James-style analysts. Decisions hinge on venue factors at ARIZONA Cardinals home versus Buffalo Bills conditions, time remaining as in The Minneapolis Miracle scenarios, and risk assessments influenced by coordinators such as Eric Bieniemy and Vic Fangio. Game theory examples include fourth-down choices shaped by analytics teams at Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles, and two-point conversion strategies involving head coaches like John Harbaugh and Sean McVay.
Scoring rules are codified by the National Football League and NCAA rule committees and officiated by crews certified via NFL Officiating programs and associations like the Pro Football Hall of Fame award panels. Rule changes—such as moving the extra point line by the NFL Competition Committee—affected kickers across College Football Playoff and Bowl Championship Series matchups. Penalties involving kicks reference enforcement standards from officials who worked Super Bowl games, and instant replay reviews overseen by replay officials in MetLife Stadium and AT&T Stadium have overturned kicks in postseason contests involving New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers.
Category:American football positions