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| Tony Franklin | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tony Franklin |
| Birth date | 1956 |
| Birth place | Norwich, England |
| Occupation | American football coach, former player |
| Alma mater | Texas A&M University–Kingsville |
| Known for | Kicking technique, coaching career |
Tony Franklin Tony Franklin (born 1956) is a former American football placekicker and long-time special teams coach known for his unorthodox kicking style and record-setting collegiate career. He gained national attention as a collegiate All-American and later established a lengthy coaching résumé across National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association programs, influencing kicking technique, special teams strategy, and player development.
Franklin was born in Norwich and raised in Orange, Texas, where he played high school football at West Orange-Stark High School. He attended Texas A&M University–Kingsville, then known as Texas A&I University, and graduated after a standout collegiate career that led to national recognition and multiple awards. During this period he interacted with coaches and programs connected to Southland Conference competition and NCAA Division II postseason play.
At Texas A&M University–Kingsville, Franklin became one of the most prolific scorers in collegiate history, setting records for consecutive field goals and scoring totals. He earned All-American honors and was featured in coverage by media outlets that track Heisman Trophy candidates and other national awards. His kicking exploits were compared with contemporaries from programs such as University of Alabama, University of Southern California, University of Notre Dame, and University of Michigan during the same era of college football. Franklin's performances drew attention from professional scouts affiliated with National Football League franchises and alternative leagues.
After college, Franklin pursued opportunities with professional teams, including workouts and training camp engagements with National Football League organizations. He also participated in tryouts connected to developmental leagues and special teams combines. While he did not secure a long-term roster spot in the National Football League, his collegiate scoring records and unique approach to kicking continued to garner interest from coaches and front offices across American football.
Franklin transitioned into coaching, beginning with positions in collegiate programs before moving to the professional ranks. He served as a special teams coach and kicking coach for a number of universities and NFL franchises, working alongside head coaches and coordinators from institutions such as Auburn University, University of Florida, University of Tennessee, University of Kentucky, and professional staffs connected to New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles veterans. His coaching stops included roles in conferences such as the Southeastern Conference, Big Ten Conference, and Conference USA, where he developed kickers, punters, and return specialists who competed for conference honors and national recognition.
Franklin also contributed to specialist camps, private coaching enterprises, and scouting networks that support NFL Scouting Combine preparation and Pro Day testing. His influence extended to high school programs and youth development initiatives tied to state athletic associations and regional combines.
Franklin is noted for promoting a "straight-on" kicking method adapted from certain historical practitioners, while also incorporating modern training tools used by specialists in sports biomechanics and strength and conditioning programs. He emphasized repetition, situational kicking practice, and mental preparation techniques used by elite kickers competing in postseason play such as the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl. Franklin advocated for equipment choices, ball placement routines, and snap-hold-kick timing drills consistent with professional standards set by organizations involved in rule-making and officiating like the National Football League Officials Association.
He authored instructional materials and conducted clinics that attracted participants affiliated with major programs from conferences including the Atlantic Coast Conference, Pac-12 Conference, and Big 12 Conference. His methods influenced the work of other specialists and contributed to discussions at coaching conventions hosted by groups such as American Football Coaches Association.
Franklin's legacy rests on his collegiate records, his mentorship of multiple generations of kickers and special teams performers, and his visibility in camps and clinics across the United States. Former players coached by Franklin have gone on to compete in National Football League rosters, earn conference awards, and participate in postseason bowl games. He has been profiled by regional newspapers and sport-specific publications that document the histories of programs like Texas A&M University–Kingsville and other institutions where he played or coached. Franklin remains a referenced figure in discussions about kicking technique, special teams coaching, and the development pipeline from high school to professional football.
Category:American football placekickers Category:American football coaches Category:1956 births Category:Living people