What’s the Longest Field Goal Ever Kicked in the NFL?
This question has been on the minds of NFL fans for years. The answer may surprise you.
The Record
The longest field goal ever kicked in the NFL was 64 yards, set by Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos in 2013. The previous record was 63 yards, set by Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints in 1970.
The Kicking Style
When kicking a football, the kick is generated by the muscles in the leg. The striking foot usually described as “planting” the foot, establishes contact with the ball generally perpendicular to it—at around a 90-degree angle. The kicking leg then follows through and makes contact with the ball again at around a 30-degree angle in relation to the plant leg. There is often a spin on the ball, due either to deliberate action of the kicker or as a consequence of air resistance on an imperfectly struck ball.
The Kicker’s Background
Football fans love to see a good, long field goal. It’s impressive to see how far somebody can kick a ball! But what’s the longest field goal ever kicked in the NFL?
It turns out that the longest field goal ever kicked in the NFL was by Oakland Raiders’ kicker Sebastian Janikowski. The kick happened on September 28th, 2008, and it was from 63 yards away! That’s pretty impressive!
Janikowski is originally from Poland, and he didn’t start playing football until he was 15 years old. He didn’t even start kicking until he was 18! But once he started, he quickly became one of the best kickers in the world. He’s been playing in the NFL for 20 years now, and he shows no signs of slowing down.
So if you’re ever at an Oakland Raiders game and you see Janikowski lining up for a long field goal, you can be pretty confident that he’s going to make it!
The Game Situation
In order for a field goal to be official, it must be kicked during play from scrimmage. This means that the kick cannot be taken during a kick-off, or on a free kick following a safety. Therefore, the longest field goal in NFL history is 64 yards, which was kicked by Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos in 2013.
