Placekicking in the NFL

Book excerpt: NFL placekicking has an extensive history, from the early days of the dropkick, to the placekick, to kicking barefoot, to soccer style kicking. 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 all aspects of NFL placekicking in historical perspective: the effectiveness of different kicking styles; the use of artificial turf and the development of domed stadiums as they relate to placekicking accuracy; individual kickers who helped to change the way a football is kicked; the mental aspects of the skill, so vital to a kicker’s success; the development of the square-toe kicking shoe used by straight-on kickers to make better contact with the ball; changes in goal posts and the shape of the ball; and the fine points of centering, blocking and holding for the kicker.