Who Is The Best Kicker In The Nfl?
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We take a look at the top 5 kickers in the NFL and who we think is the best at their craft.
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski is the best kicker in the NFL. He has been with the Oakland Raiders for his entire career, and he has been one of the most consistent players on the team. Janikowski has made some of the most important kicks in Raiders history, and he is always clutch when the team needs him the most.
Janikowski’s NFL career
Janikowski was drafted in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, becoming the highest drafted kicker in NFL history. He remained with the team for 19 seasons, until he was released on April 13, 2018.
During his time with the Raiders, Janikowski played in 304 games and made 80.4 percent of his field goal attempts (57 of 71) from 50 yards or more, both of which are NFL records. He also holds the record for most 60-plus yard field goals made in a career with 10.
In 2011, Janikowski signed a four-year contract extension with the Raiders worth $16 million, making him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history at the time. He made $3 million per year in base salary and had a $1 million signing bonus.
Janikowski was released by the Raiders on April 13, 2018 after 19 seasons with the team.
Janikowski’s records
Sebastian Janikowski (born March 2, 1978), nicknamed “Seabass”, is a Polish-American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football for Florida State University, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. The Oakland Raiders selected Janikowski in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and he spent 18 seasons with the franchise, tied with Tim Brown for the longest tenure by a Raider.
Janikowski holds several kicking records, including most seasons played with one team in the NFL (18), most games played by a Raiders player (268), most points scored by a Raiders player (1,799), most field goals made in Raiders history (494), longest field goal made in NFL history (63 yards), and most 40+ yard field goals made in NFL history (55). He also shares the record for most made field goals of 50 or more yards in NFL history (20).
Justin Tucker
Justin Tucker is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Texas, and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Tucker has been voted to five Pro Bowls, and is a two-time first-team All-Pro. He is also the most accurate kicker in NFL history, and has the second highest field goal percentage of all time.
Tucker’s NFL career
Justin Tucker is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
During his rookie season, Tucker set an NFL rookie record for field goal percentage, making 33 of 35 field goal attempts (94.3%). In 2013, Tucker was named to his first Pro Bowl after leading the NFL with 38 successful field goals. The following year, he led the league in scoring with 140 points and was again named to the Pro Bowl. In 2016, he tied the NFL record for most field goals made in a season with 42 and was named a first-team All-Pro for the second time in his career. In 2017, Tucker tied or set five franchise records: most points in a season (158), most consecutive field goals made (34), most 50+ yard field goals in a season (9), longest field goal made at home (61 yards) and highest single-season field goal percentage (92.7%). In 2018, he became the fastest player to reach 1,000 career points.[1]
Tucker has been successful on 90.2% of his regular season kick attempts and 98.4% of his extra point attempts.[2] He holds several records relating to kicking accuracy,[3][4] and is widely considered to be one of the best kickers in NFL history.[5][6][7]
Tucker’s records
Since joining the NFL in 2012, Justin Tucker has established himself as one of the league’s best kickers. He has set numerous league records, including the most field goals made in a season (38 in 2016) and the most consecutive field goals made (40 from 2013-2014). He was also the first kicker in NFL history to make three field goals of 50 yards or more in a single game (against the Detroit Lions in 2016).
Dan Bailey
Bailey’s NFL career
Dan Bailey (born January 5, 1988) is an American football placekicker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Bailey played college football at Oklahoma State, where he was a two-time First-team All-American. He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2011.
In his first NFL season in 2011, Bailey set an NFL rookie record for most field goals made in a season with 32. In 2012, he was named to the Pro Bowl after leading the league in field goal percentage. In 2014, he tied an NFL single-season record for most made field goals of 50 yards or more with seven. He has also set Cowboys franchise records for most consecutive field goals made (33) and career points scored (1,089).
Bailey’s records
In 2010, Bailey was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. He was the first rookie kicker to make the Pro Bowl in franchise history.
In 2011, Bailey made 32 field goals (tied for second in the NFL) and had a 93.8 percent success rate on extra points (39 of 42). His career-long field goal is Currently 62 yards.
In 2012, he broke the franchise record for most points in a season with 158, previously held by Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. He also led the NFL in scoring among kickers and set an NFL record for most 100+ point seasons with his fourth. In 2013, he was named to his second straight Pro Bowl after finishing with 143 points.
In 2014, he again led the league in scoring among kickers with 156 points and was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl. In 2015, he became the Cowboys’ all-time leading scorer with 1,190 career points, passing Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett. He also tied an NFL record by making his first 34 field goal attempts to start the season.
Adam Vinatieri
Vinatieri’s NFL career
Adam Vinatieri is an American football placekicker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He has played in five Super Bowls: four with the New England Patriots and one with the Colts, winning four times. With five appearances, he shares the record for most Super Bowl appearances by a placekicker with Gary Anderson and Steve Christie.
Vinatieri was undrafted out of South Dakota State University in 1996. He originally signed with the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe, but was cut before the season began. He then began his NFL career with the New England Patriots in 1996. After 10 seasons with the Patriots, during which he played in four Super Bowls, he became a free agent and joined the Colts in 2006. In his first season with Indianapolis, Vinatieri helped lead them to victory in Super Bowl XLI, becoming only the second placekicker to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.
In 2014, Vinatieri was ranked as the seventh-best kicker in NFL history by Peter King. In 2015, he became Indianapolis’ all-time leading scorer. He has made 85 percent of his total field goal attempts and 96 percent of his extra point attempts during his career.
Vinatieri’s records
As of the end of the 2019 NFL season, Vinatieri holds the NFL records for most field goals made (572), most points scored (2,671), most postseason points scored (238), most overtime field goals made (12), and most field goals made in a single season (37). He also shares the NFL record for longest field goal made in overtime with a 54-yard kick.
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is the best kicker in the NFL. He is currently a member of the Detroit Lions and has been with the team since 2013. Prater is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019.
Prater’s NFL career
Prater was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He was waived on September 1, and signed to the practice squad the next day. He was promoted to the active roster on October 17, 2006, but was inactive for all three games he was on the roster for. He was waived on November 7, and re-signed to the practice squad. He finished the season there. In 2007, he again began the season on the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster in November 2007.
Prater’s records
In 2013, Prater tied the NFL record for the longest field goal with a 64-yarder against the Tennessee Titans. He also holds the Detroit Lions franchise record for the longest field goal (59 yards).
