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. There isn't a doubt in my mind that he's the greatest long-distance field-goal kicker who ever played the game. The schools basketball coach noticed him booting the ball around the field, tipped off the football coaches, and the rest is history. His list of outstanding achievements is long. Everyone in the Hall of Fame was a great player, but only a few were the very best ever at their position. Butker is now well-established as the Chiefs placekicker, and its wouldnt be a stretch to think the Chiefs will do their best to hang on to him when his rookie contract expires in 2021. Now, he will simply call the day a horrible experience, one that he suffers more from because he believes its often referred to with little balance about his broader career. He kicked 11 field goals and 49 extra points (in 50 attempts) to set an NCAA record with 82 points. 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. And he was not just a kicker, he was an athlete. He was such a transformative presence as to become a factor in rules changes and led a wave that ultimately rendered obsolete the traditional straight-on kickers, a fact underscored by the 1.2 million patented tees and instructional books sold in his name. 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. Stenerud went on to a highly successful 19-year NFL career. Like just before our first game against Houston this year. My dad, who passed away two years ago, always had ambitious dreams and goals, while my mother had always been a realist. Like snapping my helmet before a third-down play ends. His three field goals of 48, 32 and25 yards against the Vikings gave us a 9-0 lead, and his 48-yard kick had a stunning effect on Minnesota. All along the way, he never forgot the first coach who gave him a shot. The underdog Chiefs won 237, and Stenerud kicked three field goals, scoring the first nine points of the game. Stenerud, who grew up playing soccer, went down to the field and tried kicking the football. He led the league with 21 field goals, a new Chiefs record, and scored 108 points, trailing only future Hall of Famer George Blanda's 116 points. So he snapped it to a surprised Dawson, and the out-of-rhythm Stenerud tried to adjust but missed. Jan Steneruds age is 80. Barefoot kickers, cats and dogs living together, MASS HYSTERIA. Soon, Stenerud was running steps during a football practice when he heard Sweeneys gruff voice: Skier, get your butt down here. The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Then, alas, theres the 32-yarder he missed with 35 seconds left. [6] He was named an All-American by The Sporting News as a senior in 1966,[4] and was also an All-American in ski jumping and a three-time Big Sky champion.[7]. The Chiefs had 79-year-old Pro Football Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud out at practice on Thursday. The strengths of this sign are being generous, idealistic, sense of humor, while weaknesses can be to promise more than can deliver, impatient and say anything no matter how undiplomatic. In a game better known for Stram being miked and 65 Toss Power Trap and Len Dawson being chosen MVP and dominant defense, Eller would later say Stenerud psyched us out. Gary Richards and Terry Albrecht came all the way out from the great state of Montana to share this day with me, I appreciate it, guys, very much. His range stoked interest around the nation, and the Chiefs notified Stenerud by telegram that they had selected him in the 1965 AFL Redshirt Draft future dibs since he had a year of eligibility left. But that was about to change profoundly because of Stenerud, who revolutionized a major part of the game. He can, he says,. And Bart, I assume you are listening somewhere,I appreciate that very much. 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. We look forward to getting him in there and seeing how he does., That whole week was probably the strangest week of my life, he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Zodiac Sign: Jan Stenerud is a Sagittarius. That day, he was cooling down from a workout by kicking a football with injured halfback Dale Jackson. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. When I mentioned my teammates earlier I didn't say much about Lenny Dawson, a great guy from Alliance, Ohio, which you all know. Its not an exaggeration to say he was one of the leagues most accurate kickers during that time period. He knows all the finer points to kicking.. Whos the richest Football Player in the world? I decided right then that he was the coach I wanted to play for, that he was a man who could help me.". They went something like this: "4 out of 5, 25-yard line, right hash mark; 5-5, 25, middle; 5-5, 25, left; 4-5, 40, right; 5-5, 40, middle; 5-5, 40, left; 4-5, 50, left; 4-5, 50, middle; 3-5, 50, right. But I did get the ball out to mid-field. I talked about some of the luck involved. And it. "Now that tall fellow over there is called a quarterback and those big fat fellows are tackles, and that chalk line you are standing on is called the 50-yard line and, say, why don't you set the ball down and try and kick it way down there through those two skinny poles, which are called goalposts?" Having retired in 1985, Stenerud doesn't kick field goals any more. As the Montana State Bobcats practiced for their final home football game in 1964, Jan Stenerud was going through his own fall routine: conditioning his legs for the upcoming ski season by running the stadiums steps. 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. In the season opener, Medlock missed a 30-yard field goal in the first drive. Ski jumping requires concentration and, of course, kicking field goals requires concentration as well. His 373 career field goals and seven seasons of scoring 100 or more points were also NFL records. Players for the Eagles, Broncos, Rams, and Steelers were all known to kick off their shoes before kicking off the game (except for the Rams - their kicker always wore shoes on kickoffs). The Chiefs might run through a few, for instance, on a Friday afternoon. 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. Various publications have their all-time teams and best-ever teams. 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. JUMP TO: Jan Steneruds biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos, net worth, and popularity. "I was out with some of the other skiers, getting my legs in shape for the season. People who are born with Jupirer as the ruling planet are optimistic and have a big appetite for life. When the Packers signed Norway native Jan Stenerud before the 13th game of the 1980 season . Stenerud played parts of four seasons in Green Bay from 1980 to 1983, converting 59 of 73 field goal attempts and 115 of 118 extra. Well, why not? To this day, Stenerud rather nobly declines to comment on that play. He talks, and he knows exactly what went wrong when [the placekicker] misses. He made his very first field goal inhis first attempt, a 54-yarder against Houston in 1967. 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. He was one of the winningest coaches in all of college football. He joined the football team his senior academic year and ended up playing two seasons of varsity football. 35% OFF + Free Shipping $100+ *exclusions . Kicker: 1980-83. said Hank Stram, the Chiefs' burly little coach. In 2008, free agent Nick Novak didnt last the season, either; he was replaced by Connor Barth after just six weeks. Stenerud shrugged, boomed two through from the 40-yard line. He went out for spring practice in 1965 and made the team the following fall. To make the sea change clear, compare those figures to the career numbers of Jan Stenerud, who remains the only player enshrined in the Hall of Fame solely for his placekicking abilities.. Stenerud, the middle of Johan and Klara Steneruds three children, was skiing since before he can remember: from the jumps his father built outside their house in Fetsund (population approximately 7,000) to the improvised ones hed contrive like other local kids or at any of a half-dozen venues that lit the town at night. Today with these memories and this honor, I got the same feeling, the feeling that my feet are now touching the ground. The kick sailed 5 yards farther than the previous collegiate mark and 3 yards beyond the existing NFL record. "But it was me it helped, not Jan. Over his 14-year career with the Chiefs, he scored 1,466 points still a franchise record and was routinely counted as one of the best in the game. Jan Stenerud was born in 1940s. Jan Stenerud Net Worth Stats He led the league in field goal accuracy in 1981, making 22 of 24 kicks (91.7%). Shoeless. Jan Stenerud was born on the 26th of November, 1942. You can also find out who is Jan Stenerud dating now and celebrity dating histories at CelebsCouples. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him with a red shirt draft pick. 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 18 successive seasons, a Super Bowl ring and the Hall of Fame-worthy resum all trace their history to one fateful day in the mountains. 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. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. He was hooked. ", "Plenty," Stenerud said later. . Eighteen of them were for Montana State, the most spectacular of which was a 59-yarder, an NCAA small college record later broken by Bill Shear of Cortland State. A reader suggestion gives us a great opportunity to reflect on Jan Steneruds brief but excellent run in Green Bay. Thats how the scouts from around the league heard about me, Jan said. Please ignore . By David Eulitt Fifty years ago this. Thirty years later, Jan Stenerud still isn't over The Christmas Day Game. Meet the newest member of the Butker family! James Augustine Butker 1/27/19 12:29am9lb 5 oz, 21 inchesSs. Hes a good kicker. Few did at a time Pete Gogolak and Garo Yepremian were the only so-called sidewinders in the professional game. But the Chiefs had been paying attention. And after watching him that day, we were convinced that he would add the dimension we were seeking. You dont see barefoot kickers in the National Football League anymore but there was a time when kicking with their shoes off was so common, it was cause for zero notice. So on a blustery day with the punter struggling, Sweeney sent out the field goal unit to get the ball downfield from out of its own end zone. 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. CHIEFS WIN!! Couldnt they have picked another team? he joked. If there are qualitiesI have inherited from both of themis the stability and determination. Majority of Jans money comes from being a football player. His status then was the same as any five-year redshirt. By 2014, Succop had been solid if not great for the Chiefs over five seasons. And painfulhe was wearing tennis shoes. An example - Stram played percentages having Stenerud try a FG near end of regulation, 1971 playoff game vs MIA (Jan made Pro Bowl over Yepremian that year but the Dolphin actually had the better season.) Why barefoot kicking went away is because the rise of the NFL as a big money sport finally created a market for shoe companies to create an athletic shoe designed for kickers. In his first four seasons with Kansas City, he made 72%of his field goals when the league average was 50%. His first, a 48-yarder, was the longest field goal in a Super Bowl for 24 years, exceeded by Steve Christie of the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVIII in January 1994. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. The sentences, yelled by Montana State football coach Jim Sweeney Hey, skier, get down here! His excellence on the ski slopes in Bozeman, MT helped him earn All-American honors in the mid-1960s. I'm sure no one in the stands actually thought I'd make it. We have Bobby Bell, a great linebacker, Len Dawson, Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier and, of course, our owner Lamar Hunt, who is also in the Hall of Fame. They have AstroTurf there and we worked out on it. I did. The result was that Stenerud became a football player. Kansas Citys star quarterback shattered a record no one thought could be broken. Is that dumb talk when youre 74 or 75?. Does all that add up to a player worth swapping for Mason Crosby? Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Jan Stenerud was 6 ft 2 inches, 187 lb (1.88 m, 84 kg). The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Jan Stenerud was born in Fetsund, in the county of Akershus, Norway. A year later, the Chiefs won a bidding war of sorts with the NFLs Atlanta Falcons when they signed Stenerud to a five-year, $250,000 contract that featured a no-cut provision. The impromptu sessions continued, and one day the Bobcats basketball coach took notice. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, Young man, what are you doing tomorrow?. "You can forget that," says Stram. 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. He was a total team player. Subscribe to. Over the years, Stram and Dawson (the holder) and Bobby Bell (the snapper) have told a handful of interviewers about the miscommunication: Stenerud was so intent on selling the fake that Bell worried he didnt know it was on. Stenerud, who made field goals of 50 yards or more in the pros, normally studied the goal posts before stepping into the ball - saying they looked "narrower" the farther you stood from them. "I was standing three feet deep in my own end zone," he said, his mouth curving into a small boy's grin. He made another that day, but the Chiefs had seen enough. Member since Aug 2006. The White House was occupied by a B-movie actor, Hollywood seemed to want to make any cocaine-fueled idea for a movie that it could find, and football kickers were punting and scoring field goals in the dead of winter. At Montana State I had a coach, I mentioned him earlier, but I need to recognize him more. 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). Chiefs can find defensive line value on Day 2. Jan Steneruds birth sign is Sagittarius and he has a ruling planet of Jupiter. Because of his strong leg and long kicks, he reduced the size of the playing field. Jan Stenerud on the Kansas City bench on Jan. 1, 1976. 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. Im ready to be a starting kicker in the NFL. Forty yards and bull's-eye. In his postgame press conference, he took a cue from Butkers Twitter handle @buttkicker7, and referred to him as Buttkicker-dot-com.. But Stenerud made the most of those opportunities. And look at this: 136 out of 153. A lot of things happened to me that I had no control over. If the opportunity knocks, who knows what could happen?. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Fred Arbanas, the Kansas City tight end, had been watching. On our way there he had us stop off at Indiana State University. 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. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. And with all of his accomplishments, recognition, statistics and records, the best thing about Jan is Jan the person. Sponsored by USAA, the 2023 Salute to Service Sign up for our newsletter and receive the mighty updates! He knows a lot more than I know. This and his excellent academics explain how Stenerud came to be offered a skiing scholarship to Montana State and why his parents insisted he accept it, particularly because they could not afford higher education in Norway at the time. His name was Jim Sweeney. Then he was hit hard after kicking a field goal in the Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. I found that with regular spikes I couldn't kick a thingthey kept catching in the turf. 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. Perhaps this was what had kept the Panthers from committing to him. The coach thought I'd do better with my style of kicking. 11834 posts. NFL placekicker who became the first pure placekicker to earn an induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. The next day, the Chiefs placed Santos on injured reserve and plucked Harrison Butker off the practice squad of the Carolina Panthers. She's still explaining the game to me.". On Christmas Day 1971, the Chiefs hosted the Miami Dolphins in an AFC divisional playoff game. The discovery that the star ski jumper (three-time Big Sky champion) was a super football kicker was made, naturally enough, by Montana State's basketball coach, Roger Craft. 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. But here he was, kicking with Jackson more and more, when one day basketball coach Roger Craft saw how far the ball was going and alerted football coach Jim Sweeney. On this day, Jan heard 10 words that changed not only the trajectory of his life but also the record books in college football and in two professional football leagues in the decades that followed. "That was pretty darn good," Stenerud said. Jan Steneruds mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. 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). Jan Stenerud (/ s t n r u d /, Norwegian: [stnrd] (); 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.The first Norwegian NFL player, he began his career in the AFL after being selected by the Chiefs during the . He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991. If you think he needed help, let me show you some charts. Most positions require skill, strength, speed, intelligence and mental toughness. Super Bowl IV and some of the great coaching with Hank Stram, of course, who won the Coach of the Year title four times. Jan Stenerud is that body in motion, and I will elaborate on his impact with the Kansas City Chiefs, the American Football League and the National Football League, the record books and the Hall of Fame. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. 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 . He was sincere, had great pride and dedication. pic.twitter.com/3N9Zv2HICJ. 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. Stenerud kicked away the doubts until the age of 42, when a bad back forced him to retire after booting a league record 373 field goals. He isKansas City's record-holder in career points. [8] The Dolphins won 2724 in double overtime on a 37-yard field goal by Garo Yepremian. Stenerud is the first pure placekicker to enter the Hall. Chiefs meet with Florida defensive tackle ahead of NFL Draft. said Stram, jabbing a finger at the charts. Ryan Succop's new deal (reportedly $4M per year) should become an important data point for Graham Gano. They had great players when I got there. He was a great competitor, and no one was better than Jan when the game was on the line. As Stenerud recalls it now, after badly topping his first attempt, he boomed several some 70 yards. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). The 40s also brought us the Slinky, Velcro, Jeep, Tupperware and Frisbee. May 20, 2012 11,113 12,747 113. Please make sure JavaScript is enabled and then try loading this page again. Also, it can get really cold out there. Like many famous people and celebrities, Jan Stenerud keeps his personal life private. If you are ready for it and some kind of occasion presents itself, who knows what can happen? . 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. Something went wrong. Its always worth reflecting on a player who was great in Green Bay and loved his time there, to boot. Gambling problem? "He brought me in a month early before my first season. But he came into the NFL with a statistical oddity: at Tech, he had been more accurate at long distances than medium distances. He had been listed as a senior the year before, but purposely fell seven credits short of graduation in order to take another crack at this crazy game called football. I remember it so well. Passing, Rushing, & Receiving Table . Then wife starts to scream, Heidi Gardner coaches Chiefs Travis Kelce in commercial for Saturday Night Live, Ned Yost enters Royals Hall of Fame as epitome of their rise from futility to glory, What a rebuilding year looks like: On Chiefs 2022 season and what it portends, Why Super Bowl victory over Eagles was Andy Reids masterpiece and cements his legacy, On a through-line from Satchel Paige to Patrick Mahomes and a Super Bowl breakthrough, Why Patrick Mahomes second NFL MVP award is more revealing recognition than the first, Brothers keeper: On the poignant stuff beyond the hype surrounding the Kelce Bowl. Jan, thanks very much for the honor of permitting me to present you here today and have you joinour other great players and Lamar Hunt in the National Football League Hall of Fame:Bobby Bell, Lenny Dawson, Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier. In training camp, Butker had a tough battle against veteran kicker Graham Gano and ultimately the Panthers couldnt decide. I will also be grateful for the opportunity to play professional football." Jan Stenerud 25 yard field goal : 19: 22: Game Info. "I didn't have one thing to do with developing Stenerud as a kicker. Passing, Rushing, & Receiving. I'd be better off to get rid of all those small and foolish things. He's already made two from 52 yards this season. [3][4], Following the ski season, Stenerud joined the football team for spring drills in 1965 and as a junior that fall he kicked a 59-yard field goal, then a college football record, in a 247 home win over rival Montana. 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). Stenerud is still the only pure kicker elected to the Hall of Fame, but this was to be the worst day of his 19-year NFL career. Jan Stenerud is a Football Player, zodiac sign: Sagittarius. Shortly after receiving a recruitment letter from Montana State Bobcats ski coach Bob Beck, Jan Stenerud set foot on American soil to begin his college athletic career. In 1994, he was selected to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team. He was a seven-time All-Pro and won Super Bowl IV . That year he made 21 of 26 field goal attempts and knocked through all 52 of his extra point attempts as Lynn Dickey, James Lofton, and the rest of the Packers offense rolled up touchdown after touchdown. [3][5] In 2013, Stenerud recalled that he had a significant tail-wind aiding him on that kick in Bozeman; the ensuing kick-off went over the end-zone bleachers at Gatton Field,[4] whose elevation exceeded 4,900 feet (1,495m) above sea level. "Anytime we get to midfield we're a threat to score three points. The reason most kickers don't kick barefoot is that you will not make perfect contact with the football every time. He really impressed me. Im so used to seeing Carolina blue and Panthers stuff having been in Charlotte and now its red, which is weird, having gone to Georgia Tech.. Courtesy of BuckysBadgers, one name jumped out at me: Jan Stenerud. Considering he still blames himself, he cant blame you if you think of him for that missed kick. [1][2] In the fall of 1964, Stenerud was training for the upcoming ski season by running the stadium steps of Gatton Field, the football venue through 1971. 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.