Anderson, Gary

Relive the remarkable career of Gary Anderson, a placekicker whose longevity and accuracy made him one of the NFL's all-time leading scorers.

This famous kicker's journey took him from Syracuse, to the Super Bowl. He set records along the way to helping multiple NFL franchises that he played for become some of the most competitive teams in the league.

Gary Allan Anderson was born on July 16, 1959, in Parys, Orange Free State, South Africa. He attended Brettonwood High School in Durban before moving to the United States for his college career. Anderson played college football at Syracuse University from 1978 to 1981. During his time with the Orange, he set school records for season field goals made (18) and highest season percentage of field goals made (94.7% in 1981). He also participated in Syracuse's NCAA record-setting streak for consecutive successful PATs.

**Road to the Pro Game

Anderson was drafted in the seventh round (171st overall) of the 1982 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. However, he was released before the season began. Shortly after, he signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers, marking the beginning of an impressive 23-year NFL career.

**Football Legacy

Gary Anderson established himself as one of the most consistent and durable placekickers in NFL history. He played for five different teams over his long career: the Pittsburgh Steelers (1982-1994), Philadelphia Eagles (1995-1996), San Francisco 49ers (1997), Minnesota Vikings (1998-2002), and Tennessee Titans (2003-2004). Anderson retired in 2004 as the NFL's all-time leading scorer with 2,434 points (a record he held until 2006). He is one of only three players to have played in over 300 NFL games. Known for his accuracy, he had a perfect season in 1998 with the Vikings, making all 35 field goals and 59 extra points. Despite this perfect season, he is also remembered for a crucial missed field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship game. Nevertheless, his overall body of work cemented his place as a legendary kicker. He was named to Syracuse University's All-Century team in 1999.

**Accolades, Awards, and Career Stats:

4x Pro Bowl selection (1983, 1985, 1993, 1998)
2x First-team All-Pro (1985, 1998)
Second-team All-Pro (1983)
• NFL Scoring Leader (1998)

✦ NFL 1980s All-Decade Team

✦ NFL 1990s All-Decade Team

✦ Golden Toe Award (1998)

✦ PFWA All-Rookie Team (1982)

✦ Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team

✦ College: First-team All-American (1981)

✦ College: First-team All-East (1981)

✦ Syracuse University record for most field goals in a season (18)

✦ Syracuse University record for highest field goal percentage in a season (94.7%)

✦ NFL Career Stats: 353 games played, 538 field goals made (672 attempts), 820 extra points made (827 attempts), 2,434 points scored.