And in the 2018 postseason, Butker was perfect including a 39-yard field goal with 11 seconds left that sent the AFC Championship into overtime. Jan is alive and kicking and is currently 80 years old. well your foot will feel like you nailed a cinder block. A miss in the 2017 postseason a 48-yard attempt in the third quarter of the 22-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans that easily could have made a difference in the game might have removed some of Butkers luster among Chiefs fans, but most fans probably remember uhhh other failures in that game. Height: 6-2; Weight: 187. Like Succop in 2009, Butker had been picked by the Panthers in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL draft. He made five field goals twice against Buffalo the year we won the Super Bowl. The Norwegian kicked for the Chiefs, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings in a 19-year football career, culminating in becoming the first dedicated kicker inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991. And this one day, I decided to go down and kick a few footballs, and all of us played a lot of soccer, and I guess I had one urge to try this oval ball. The first Norwegian to play in the NFL, Stenerud pioneered the soccer-style kicking that is used by all modern placekickers and was the first pure kicker to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It seemed like a great time to catch you up on Butkers story, and what we hope will be the beginning of another long period of excellence in the Chiefs kicking game. He was a seven-time All-Pro and won Super Bowl IV as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. The NFL Hall of Famer and Montana State legend's story of growing up a prodigious skier in Norway before transforming into the only kicker in Canton makes it seem like Stenerud has been living a dream all his life. He quickly noticed that he booted it farther than the team's kicker. Odds & lines subject to change. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Baw Bakery. Website design & development by americaneagle.com copyright 2021 Pro Football hall of fame all rights reserved, Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic. quote: However if you try to smash the ball on a 50 yarder. "Did you notice that the charts showed I was missing mostly from the right hash mark? Jan Stenerud was born on the 26th of November, 1942. Moseley scored on a then league-record 23 straight field. Wearing tennis shoes, Jans first attempts straight-on, as was the style of the era were lousy, and painful, so Jan changed his approach to match his soccer-playing background. I talked about some of the luck involved. ", "Plenty," Stenerud said later. Stenerud joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 1967, and in his first three seasons he made 70% of his field-goal tries, while the other kickers in the NFL and AFL combined for 53%. As a placekicker at Tech, Butker will be long remembered for two field goals in 2014 one in the last second against Virginia Tech to win the game, and a 53-yarder against Georgia that sent the game into overtime along with another in the final minute of the 2015 game against Florida State. In the season opener, Medlock missed a 30-yard field goal in the first drive. But I got rid of that one this year. But that was about to change profoundly because of Stenerud, who revolutionized a major part of the game. He kicked three field goals in Kansas Citys Super Bowl IV win, made the Pro Bowl four times, was named an All-Pro four times, earned spots on both the 75th and 100th NFL Anniversary teams, had his number retired by the Chiefs, and is a member of both the Chiefs and Packers team Halls of Fame. Jan Stenerud, who was born November 26, 1942, in Fetsund, Norway, was an outstanding ski jumper who attended Montana State on a skiing scholarship. In 2008, free agent Nick Novak didnt last the season, either; he was replaced by Connor Barth after just six weeks. Now, he hates to admit it, but he is a 3-handicapgolfer. "What do you call that?" Though it wasnt his best in terms of accuracy, Steneruds 1983 season might have been his finest in Green Bay. pic.twitter.com/3N9Zv2HICJ. After asking if he could try it. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. The reasons some kickers preferred a barefoot kick were twofold: kickers believed they could control their kicks better with their feet than they could wearing kicking cleats of the time period. He was hooked. ", "Phooey," says Stenerud, in Norwegian. Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud was reliable and productive in Green Bay, Friday NFL Scouting Combine Review: WR/TE interviews, DB workouts, 4 receivers to look out for in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Dynamic slot receivers will be available in the middle of the first round, he said in an interview with Monday Night Football in 2000, Packers WR Randall Cobb has ankle surgery ahead of free agency, Thursday NFL Scouting Combine Review: DB interviews, DL/LB workouts, Panthers have called Packers about possible Aaron Rodgers trade, per report, 3 top defensive back prospects have formal meetings with Packers at NFL Combine. Still, maybe its not a lot to ask to remember the rest of his story, too one that stretched the imagination, changed the game and helped the Chiefs to their only Super Bowl win. Most heartbreaking missed field goals in NFL history Well, I didn't know that until Stram pointed it out. They used skills learned in one sport--soccer -- to become successful in another -- football. They kept both Gano and Butker on the active roster for the first week of the season, apparently hoping to trade one of them. The first time I saw Jan, he was kicking 40-yard field goals like they were extra points in the preseason, pre-warm up game against Tulsa and Montana State in Tulsa, Okla., in 1966. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. He kicked with his toe like [50 Greatest Vikings member] Fred Cox," Stenerud explained. ", Coach Stram wouldn't want Stenerud to drop a single silly superstition. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991. Jan Stenerud" Jan Stenerud" ( born November 26, 1942 ) is a former professional American football player for the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs ( 1967-1969 ), and the NFL's Chiefs ( 1970-1979 ), Green Bay Packers ( 1980-1983 ), and Minnesota Vikings ( 1984-1985 ) Stenerud came to the United States on a ski jumping scholarship to attend Montana State University . Kansas City Chiefs Jan Stenerud in action, taking kick from QB Len Dawson vs Miami Dolphins. Jan Stenerud (/stnrud/, Norwegian: [stnrd] (listen); born November 26, 1942) is a Norwegian-American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with Kansas City Chiefs. Kicker: 1980-83. 35% OFF + Free Shipping $100+ *exclusions . Jan Stenerud is a Football Player, zodiac sign: Sagittarius. There was no question that he would help us win, and help us win he did. The Chiefs retired Stenerud's jersey number 3 in his honor. Once they saw Stenerud kick, all doubts were erased. The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Having retired in 1985, Stenerud doesn't kick field goals any more. Passing, Rushing, & Receiving. Nineteenseasons in the greatest team sport ever invented produced a lot of memories. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter. Why I could miss that kick, I dont understand it If I can make a goddamn 31-yard field goal, we win the game, he said, So I hold myself completely accountable for that. When I came to Kansas City in 1967, he went out on the practice field several weeks before training camp started. Its not the 59-yarder, but at 23 yards, you cant even tell hes kicking barefoot, just as he had during every other game of his career. The first Norwegian NFL player, he began his career in the AFL after being selected by the Chiefs during the 1966 draft and joined the NFL following the AFLNFL merger. The Chiefs have had decades of missteps after decades of excellence. Jan also made a great impact on the American Football Leagueand National Football League,as he helped usher in the age of soccer-style kickers. Every day he had me out there kicking 50 ballsand he was doing all the holding. "You can forget that," says Stram. I always felt that we would win or lose about four to six games a year with the kicking game. He got me started in this great American game, and Coach, without your enthusiasm, your intensity and desire to win, obviously I wouldn't be here today. Soon, the Norwegian who came here by way of a skiing scholarship at Montana State prepared for his first Chiefs camp by kicking with coach Hank Stram as his personal holder at the teams facility in Swope Park. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Now, he knows his legacy is so much more. Something went wrong. In his first four seasons with Kansas City, he made 72%of his field goals when the league average was 50%. -- Jan Stenerud's journey from his home Norway to the Montana State University ski jumping team, to the eventual joining of the Bobcats' football program and Kansas City Chiefs was admittedly beyond his wildest dreams. MONTANA FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME: Stenerud's path from MSU to NFL HOF is If you continue to be blocked, please send an email to secruxurity@sizetedistrict.cVmwom with: https://www.norwegianamerican.com/interview-legend-jan-stenerud/, Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/103.0.5060.114 Safari/537.36 Edg/103.0.1264.62, A summary of what you were doing and why you need access to this site. With the Chiefs trailing 10-7 at the end of the first half, Butker just like Medlock in 2007 missed his first field-goal; the 46-yard attempt was wide left. I kicked off five times and two of them went through the goal post and that was from the 40-yard line in those days -- 70 yards to the goal post. Monday Night Football - Oct. 17, 1983 -- Washington at Green Bay - ESPN Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. Stenerud was one of the first professional football players to be used as a dedicated kicker, because of his excellent "sharpshooting" ball-kicking performance. He was humble and appreciative, and when he signed his contract and received his bonus, he said, "You know, this is more money than my dad made in this lifetime. He knows a lot more than I know. ", The first kick, with Stenerud using his toe as he had seen the others do, was a flop. Sure it helped. Late in his sophomore year, Stenerud was spotted kicking a football by the college's basketball coach, who relayed the news of the Norwegian's abilities to the football coach. He kicked only one field goal from beyond 50 yards - a 53-yarder in the fourth quarter of a 37-3 loss at Tampa Bay in 1981 - but he was 59-of-73, or 80.8 percent overall, and also made 115-of-118. He didn't have a prima donna bone in his body. The result was that Stenerud became a football player. Jan Stenerud was born in 1940s. I felt ridiculous.". Hes got a strong leg. Kemp will join new Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy in the nations capital. He could have been on the Olympic ski team he had not pursued football. Gano due to the contract that former Chief kicker Ryan Succop had just negotiated with the Tennessee Titans scored a four-year, $17 million deal with the Panthers last spring, while the Chiefs still have Butker on an inexpensive deal for two more seasons. Let me close by going back to where it started: ski jumping. But the most glaring and, thus, lingering elements were three field goals that Stenerud didnt make, something that over the years he has alternately attempted to joke about, expressed incredible pain over or declined comment on. In the AFL, Jan made his first kick a 54-yard field goal in the 1967 season opener against Houston. Gambling problem? Quiz He was enjoying life in America immensely, fascinated by all things unfamiliar, including a peculiar sport played with an oval ball (as he put it). Whos the richest Football Player in the world. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Called the bank shot just forgot to tell Colquitt. said Hank Stram, the Chiefs' burly little coach. Maybe, maybe not, but thats not really the point. The Life And Career Of Jan Stenerud (Story) - Pro Football History The Kansas City Chiefs selected him with a red shirt draft pick. The basketball coach, of all people, walked across the field and he ran over to the football coach, Jim Sweeney, and informed him that a ski jumper was kicking the hell out of the ball out there. My dad, who was never afraid of thinking big, and my mother, who realized that goals could not be reached without an all-out effort. One autumn afternoon, my junior year in 1964, I did something that would dramatically change my life forever:I attempted to kick a football a couple of times. And that first-half miss from 29 yards out? Stenerud is distinguished as being the first . Though hes most notable for his time with the Chiefs and also played for the Vikings (hey, nobodys perfect), Stenerud cites his time with the Packers as possibly the best and definitely the most unique. By 2014, Succop had been solid if not great for the Chiefs over five seasons. [8] The Dolphins won 2724 in double overtime on a 37-yard field goal by Garo Yepremian. Stenerud was a six-time all-star (four NFL Pro Bowls and two AFL All-Star games) during his career, as well as a four-time first-team All-Pro in the NFL and a two-time first-team All-AFL. "The things I do. I didn't know the first thing about a soccer-style kicker. ", Stram dug around inside the two huge files in his office, grumbled for a moment when the charts eluded his search, finally came up with the prize. "He brought me in a month early before my first season. I also want to tell the football fans and the football organization with the three teams that I played, Kansas City, Green Bay and Minnesota, a heartfelt thank you for your loyalty and support. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Nothing. Thank you very much, coach. Arrowheadlines: Mahomes left-handed pass is Andy Reids favorite, Eric Bieniemy has recruited his first Chiefs player to Washington, according to a report. KANSAS CITY Mo. The thrill of a "Monday Night Football" game, autumn Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, and, of course, the satisfaction of a job well done. While Stenerud remains anguished and unreasonably stigmatized in some circles by a miserable day in 1971, its time to help him let that go by commemorating his improbable story a half-century after it began here. According to USA Todays story on the 2017 Redskins game, Colquitt made the difference after Butkers first miss in the NFL. He knows all the finer points to kicking.. Butkers field goal tied the game, but then this happened as time expired. Jan Stenerud attended Montana State University. For 19 years, Jan Stenerud has been winning games with field goals. Stenerud, who grew up playing soccer, went down to the field and tried kicking the football. Dave Rayner came in and lasted 10 games before giving way to 18-year veteran John Carney to finish the 2007 season. The 80-year-old football player was born in Norway. There also are a couple of other people I would like to acknowledge that were teammates at Montana State. After living in Colorado working in business development for HNTB Architecture, he and his wife, Patty, returned a few years ago, and its been a remarkable life even if he dwells more than anyone ought to on one dark moment. As young adults during the McCarthy Era, many members of this generation felt it was dangerous to speak out. It is undeniable that a kicker's position is isolated and that the skills that are necessary to become an outstanding kicker are different from those skills required to play most other positions. When the professional average was 50 percent, Stenerud hit better than 70 percent in his first four years with the Chiefs, and his deep kickoffs were part of a movement to push them back to the 35 (and later the 30). I am, of course, aware that I am the first person elected to this great shrine based on kicking alone. At first blush, it seems a little odd. But I never dreamed that my greatest jump of all would be to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He always handled himself with class and style, graceand dignity. He was a great competitor, and no one was better than Jan when the game was on the line. In 1994, he was selected to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team. Stenerud missed the FG but my opine, the wrong choice was made pre-kick. Meanwhile, back in Kansas City, the Chiefs had drafted Justin Medlock in the fifth round. Jan Stenerud Montana Football Hall of Fame Stenerud, the Kansas City . He kicked for the Chiefs for 13 years (1967-1979) until his release in the summer of 1980. Hed become all the more enchanted with the sport after attending the nearby Oslo Olympics in 1952. A junior ski jump champion in his native Norway, Jan was recruited to Bozeman and already had earned all-conference and All-American honors as a member of the universitys ski team. Jan Stenerud was 6 ft 2 inches, 187 lb (1.88 m, 84 kg). General 73 SPD 77 ACC 64 AGI Kicking 99 KPW 93 KAC Fake 37 SAC 33 MAC 38 THP 23 RUN He did just that with three field goals in the first half of Super Bowl IV that in themselves would have been enough to beat the Vikings. "The track surrounds the football practice field," said Stenerud. He also looked within and told himself that everyone gets knocked down, but some people dont get back up, and that he would have been ashamed of himself if he had been so weak as to surrender before a career that was just beginning and would continue to flourish. With 1,699 points, he ranked behind only the fabled George Blanda in all-time scoring at the time of his retirement. Jan Stenerud: The man, the myths | Sports | bozemandailychronicle.com Luck is on their side. Stenerud shrugged, boomed two through from the 40-yard line. Jan Stenerud's journey to NFL immortality started in Buffalo - with a This one could hurt.. And he knew what he was talking about. Now Coach Sweeney did not want to listen to, in Jim's own words, a goofy basketball coach, and a couple of weeks later, however, I was out there again and he summoned me down from the stands and he asked if I could kick off and showed me how to put the ball on the tee. Im ready to be a starting kicker in the NFL. Three months later, he signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers, with whom he stayed with for four seasons. Jan Stenerud - the Norwegian place kicker Especially here in Kansas City, where he became a U.S. Citizen in 1976 with his two children walking alongside carrying little American flags, and has long been a gracious part of the community. Last year I made a point of touching the cleats of my kicking shoe a certain number of times before a kick. Jan Stenerud Wikipedia Republished // WIKI 2 All Rights Reserved. Sunday Conversation: Journey 'beyond dreams' of Jan Stenerud - MTSPX He can, he says,. Jan Stenerud was born on the 26th of November, 1942. He isKansas City's record-holder in career points. The 6-2, 187-pound Stenerud excelled for 19 seasons and 263 games in pro football. In 1967, Norwegian kicker Jan Stenerud was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs and began a journey that earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But after Lowery left the team, the word consistency hasnt generally been associated with Chiefs placekickers. That's why I got out there every day; I was the guy doing the learning. Passing, Rushing, & Receiving Table . The 1980s were a crazy time for America and its institutions. He was one of the winningest coaches in all of college football. Generation. I was confident because he was confident, Reid said. Jan Stenerud (/stnrud/, born November 26, 1942) is a former professional football player for the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs (1967-1969), and the NFL's Chiefs (1970-1979), Green Bay Packers (1980-1983), and Minnesota Vikings (1984-1985). "Well I'll be a" said Craft, who had been watching from the bleachers. Big kick out of a strange game - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com And it came while Stenerud was running on the school track. No one has more respect for the people seated behind me that are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "Anytime we get to midfield we're a threat to score three points. Meet the newest member of the Butker family! James Augustine Butker 1/27/19 12:29am9lb 5 oz, 21 inchesSs. The Chiefs had 79-year-old Pro Football Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud out at practice on Thursday. . As a high-school youngster in Norway, before accepting the ski-jumping scholarship to Montana State, he had been listed as one of the country's most promising young soccer players. Packers Jan Stenerud | Green Bay Packers - packers.com He is best known for being a Football Player. He finished the season without missing a single PAT, and made 90.5 percent of his field-goal attempts. Jan Steneruds birth sign is Sagittarius and he has a ruling planet of Jupiter. The difference was four field goals, with Kansas City winning 26-21. I hear you can kick. are recalled today as Jan steps into the Gold Jacket Spotlight. This planet represents abundance, prosperity and the principle of expansion. Like just before our first game against Houston this year. A reader suggestion gives us a great opportunity to reflect on Jan Steneruds brief but excellent run in Green Bay. Weeks after his collegiate debut in 1965, Stenerud kicked a then-NCAA record 59-yard field goal also 3 yards longer than the then-NFL record. And the third and the fourth. After the 23-7 victory, Minnesota defensive end Carl Eller pronounced Stenerud the true most valuable player of the game. Jan Stenerud was selected to the Pro Bowl six times. What's it like to try a 112-yard FG? Ask Hall-of-Famer Jan Stenerud When no deal could be made, the Panthers cut Butker, held their breath and placed him on their practice squad after he cleared waivers. Barefoot Kickers | More Sports - TigerDroppings He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991 and remains the only player who was primarily a kicker enshrined in Canton, Ohio. When is Jan Steneruds birthday? Jan Stenerud (born November 26, 1942) is a former professional football player for the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs (1967-1969), and the NFL's Chiefs (1970-1979), Green Bay Packers (1980-1983), and Minnesota Vikings (1984-1985). College: Montana State, 1965-66. Atlanta had drafted Stenerud at the end of the season, and he had promised to talk with the Falcons before making a decision. Stenerud had attended Montana State on a skiing scholarship and joined the football team as a senior after getting recognized on campus for his kicking ability. I dont know anything about this new kicker, said Arrowhead Prides Joel Thorman when the move was announced, but presumably special teams coach Dave Toub signed off on it. Enshrined in 1991, Stenerud, along with George Blanda, Lou Groza, Ray Guy, and 2017 inductee Morten Andersen, is one of only five kicking specialists in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and is one of three who did not play another position (Blanda played quarterback, Groza was a tackle). One day, Stenerud was running stadium steps as part of his ski training and paused to kick a ball around with Bobcats kicker Dale Jackson. Needless to say, he made a dramatic impact. He won Super Bowl IV under Chiefs head coach Hank Stram. There isn't a doubt in my mind that he's the greatest long-distance field-goal kicker who ever played the game. He joined the football team his senior academic year and ended up playing two seasons of varsity football. Hes one of just five kickers with a cumulative accuracy above 80% from 1980 to 1983, and he attempted by far the most kicks out of anyone on the list. In 1984, the Packers traded Stenerud to the Minnesota Vikings for a seventh-round draft choice. BOBCAT CALENDAR: The life of Jan Stenerud, who was elected to the Big He is the first pure placekicker to be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The first Norwegian NFL player, he began his career in the AFL after being selected by the Chiefs during the . "Here's another one: 92 out of 103. A group of receivers are set to make some noise this week. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. He would later go on to kick for the Green Bay. At the time this story was made Jan Stenerud was still kicking for the team most people still associate him with: The Kansas City Chiefs. From 1994 until Ryan Succop joined the team in 2009, only one kicker had stayed with the team longer than three seasons: longtime Miami Dolphins placekicker Pete Stoyanovich handled placekicking from 1996 into the 2000 season. He makes you feel you cant give up a thing because he is so dangerous from anywhere inside the 50, Eller told Pro Football Weekly, adding, I think (Stenerud) was most valuable player in the game.. Stenerud told Kleiner some 54 years later, Stenerud compared playing for the Packers, Stenerud told MontanaSports.com in February 2020, The Life And Career Of Bobby Bell (Story), The Life And Career Of Mack Lee Hill (Story), The Life And Career Of Priest Holmes (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Len Dawson (Story), The Life And Career Of Albert Lewis (Story), The Life And Career Of Tamba Hali (Story), The Life And Career Of Johnny Robinson (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Trent Green (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Neil Smith (Complete Story), The Legend Of LB Derrick Thomas (Complete Bio), The Life And Career Of Steve DeBerg (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Christian Okoye (Complete Story).