Placekicking in the NFL: A History and Analysis

NFL placekicking has quite a history, from the early days of the dropkick, to the placekick, to kicking barefoot, to soccer style kicking. Each style of kicking is analyzed through statistics to show their effectiveness for field goals and extra points. Each season, approximately 30 percent of all games in pro football are won by field goals. Field goals and extra points account for 20 percent of the league's yearly total points. This book discusses the use of artificial turf and the development of domed stadiums and their effects on placekicking accuracy. Biographies of kickers who helped to change the way a football is kicked are presented in detail. The mental aspects of the skill, so vital to a kicker's success, are covered in depth. The development of the square-toe kicking shoe used by straight-on kickers to make better contact with the ball and changes in goal posts and the shape of the ball are also discussed.