Dude survived over 21 years on the Lions, simply surviving that long with the Lions should ensure a Hall of Fame spot.

Not many NFL players were older than me. Rhonde Barber might be the last one.

Probably the last active NFL player who was a teammate of Barry Sanders.

For the 2012 NFL season, the following players were the oldest in the NFL:
Jason Hanson, 2012 Detroit Lions (42) Position: Placekicker
Ray Lewis, 2012 Baltimore Ravens (37) Position: Linebacker
Phil Dawson, 2012 Cleveland Browns (37) Position: Placekicker
Charlie Batch, 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers (37) Position: QB
Ronde, Barber, 2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (37) Position: Safety
London, Fletcher, 2012 Washington Redskins (37) Position: Linebacker
Sav, Rocca, 2012 Washington Redskins (38) Position: Punter
Donald, Driver, 2012 Green Bay Packers (37) Position: Wide Receiver
Jeff Saturday, 2012 Green Bay Packers (37) Position: Center
Matt Bryant, 2012 Atlanta Falcons (37) Position: Placekicker
David Akers, 2012 San Francisco 49ers (37) Position: Placekicker


I don't know who Sav Rocca is, but I am now a fan.

So, he is finally having a seat over there?

Damn, he ended up on my fantasy team more years than not out of tradition.

Devo: For the 2012 NFL season, the following players were the oldest in the NFL:

between Ray Lewis, Ronde Barber, and Jeff Saturday, unquestionably the most impressive is Saturday.  admittedly Lewis and Barber administered contact, but not on every play;  Barber wasn't in the scrum on a run play, and Lewis wasn't involved in a pass play in some packages, might have been off the field for a play or two.

Saturday, meanwhile, run or pass, was getting bullrushed by monsters, between linemen and, well, RAY LEWIS, on run and pass plays.  I can only think he wasn't on field on punt plays when they probably had a lnog snapper come in.

Devo: For the 2012 NFL season, the following players were the oldest in the NFL:

This is why I wish I could go back in time and instead of practicing pitching all those baseballs with my dad I'd just kick a football all day.  Kickers are rarely injured and their careers can last a really long time.  The bad part about being a kicker though would be the pressure.  I would probably pee my pants and cry like a baby the first time I had an entire stadium's hopes resting on me kicking a football properly.

TL;DR
NFL Kicker is the best job in sports and I wish I had been one

ExpressPork: Devo: For the 2012 NFL season, the following players were the oldest in the NFL:

This is why I wish I could go back in time and instead of practicing pitching all those baseballs with my dad I'd just kick a football all day.  Kickers are rarely injured and their careers can last a really long time.  The bad part about being a kicker though would be the pressure.  I would probably pee my pants and cry like a baby the first time I had an entire stadium's hopes resting on me kicking a football properly.

TL;DR
NFL Kicker is the best job in sports and I wish I had been one

Its also a farking LOT harder than it looks.

Back in college, me and a couple buddies, for ha-has, spend a couple months lifting like crazy and practicing, just to see if we could do it. (Don't ask...suffice it to say, alcohol was involved, as were womenfolk)

I got to the point where I could 50-50 hit a 35 yarder. That was pushing it. 30 and I could connect about 70% of the time. This was as a healthy 20 year old that played DB for years and in good shape, lifting with trainers 1.5 to 2 hours a day.

People love to bag on kickers and punters, but don't underestimate how bloody hard it is to do what they do. They earn every penny of those paychecks.

This might be the only kicker ever that I'd consider buying their jersey.  3 Million dollars last year, 900,000 offered this year.  He might have been considering retiring but that deal probably made him want to hang it up.

I have great respect for Mr Hanson 21 years with that shiat franchise. Motor City Kitties should be embarrassed to have him end his career with a record of 123-213

Charlie Batch is 37?  Who knew.

KingKauff: If he had played for a better team, he probably wouldn't have had as many field goals


Alex, I'll take "Things We're All Thinking That No One Wants To Say" for $500.....

rickythepenguin: KingKauff: If he had played for a better team, he probably wouldn't have had as many field goals


Alex, I'll take "Things We're All Thinking That No One Wants To Say" for $500.....

Or he would've had more FGs - let's not act like the Lions were adept at getting into FG range for most of those years.

Buy you a soda after the game!

Thank God we no longer have to listen to that MmmBop song anymore...

Devo: For the 2012 NFL season, the following players were the oldest in the NFL:
Jason Hanson, 2012 Detroit Lions (42) Position: Placekicker
Ray Lewis, 2012 Baltimore Ravens (37) Position: Linebacker
Phil Dawson, 2012 Cleveland Browns (37) Position: Placekicker
Charlie Batch, 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers (37) Position: QB
Ronde, Barber, 2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (37) Position: Safety
London, Fletcher, 2012 Washington Redskins (37) Position: Linebacker
Sav, Rocca, 2012 Washington Redskins (38) Position: Punter
Donald, Driver, 2012 Green Bay Packers (37) Position: Wide Receiver
Jeff Saturday, 2012 Green Bay Packers (37) Position: Center
Matt Bryant, 2012 Atlanta Falcons (37) Position: Placekicker
David Akers, 2012 San Francisco 49ers (37) Position: Placekicker


I don't know who Sav Rocca is, but I am now a fan.

Adam Vinatieri (40) would like a word with you.

The first time I saw Mr. Hanson was during the pre-game at a WSU/UCLA game a few decades ago.  Me and my buddy walk in and watch as Mr. Hanson connected on five or six 65-yard bombs in a row.  Ever since I've been a big fan of Mr. Hanson.  Well done, sir.

Did anyone play longer without a Super Bowl appearance?

Send him back to Detroit.

xaks: ExpressPork: Devo: For the 2012 NFL season, the following players were the oldest in the NFL:

This is why I wish I could go back in time and instead of practicing pitching all those baseballs with my dad I'd just kick a football all day.  Kickers are rarely injured and their careers can last a really long time.  The bad part about being a kicker though would be the pressure.  I would probably pee my pants and cry like a baby the first time I had an entire stadium's hopes resting on me kicking a football properly.

TL;DR
NFL Kicker is the best job in sports and I wish I had been one

Its also a farking LOT harder than it looks.

Back in college, me and a couple buddies, for ha-has, spend a couple months lifting like crazy and practicing, just to see if we could do it. (Don't ask...suffice it to say, alcohol was involved, as were womenfolk)

I got to the point where I could 50-50 hit a 35 yarder. That was pushing it. 30 and I could connect about 70% of the time. This was as a healthy 20 year old that played DB for years and in good shape, lifting with trainers 1.5 to 2 hours a day.

People love to bag on kickers and punters, but don't underestimate how bloody hard it is to do what they do. They earn every penny of those paychecks.

How was your technique though? Technique > leg strength with kicks. Lots of high school football players can make 35 yard kicks

Now how are the Lions going to score any points???

Count me among the others in this thread who will now have to figure out a different kicker to draft in FF this year

He will be back mid season. The Lions did not offer much of a contract an he has no need or time for the silliness that is camp and pre-season. When the new kicker cost the Lions a couple of games, we will see #4 back in uniform.

BKITU: [thenastyboys.files.wordpress.com image 475x360]

"... so that means there's a job opening?"

Heh, I was at a Godsmack concert in Atlanta and they brought him on stage.

Shinedown, Rob Zombie and Godsmack
Shinedown was good
Rob Zombie, who I wasn't there to see, put on an awesome show.  No way Godsmack could top him, I'm thinking "he stole the show".
Godsmack - They nailed it.  Good lord but they nailed it.  Blew my mind.

It is going to be downright strange seeing anyone other than him kicking for the Lions.  Dude started kicking for the Lions when I was 10, before most Americans owned a cell phone and pre-mainstream Internet.  Yikes.

Props from a Packer fan.  The Lions haven't gotten a lot right over time, but him they got right and thensome, and good on them to keep him around all this time.

Ya know what, FARK?

FARK YOU.

I've been formatting comments for more than a decade, and you do this? This?

21 years, just to think he was the last active player to have played when I had my NFL 95 game for the Sega Genesis. Also, when the Raiders and Rams played in Los Angeles.

kdawg7736: 21 years, just to think he was the last active player to have played when I had my NFL 95 game for the Sega Genesis. Also, when the Raiders and Rams played in Los Angeles.

Also had to say that he was the last active player when my childhood favorite the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers were the biggest thing in the world.

He had one of the greatest kicking seasons ever in 2008.  21/22 on field goals including 8 for 8 on 50+ yard attempts, which was a record for most 50+ yard FGs without a miss.

And he didn't make the pro bowl that year because the Lions decided to go 0-16.

rcantley: He had one of the greatest kicking seasons ever in 2008.  21/22 on field goals including 8 for 8 on 50+ yard attempts, which was a record for most 50+ yard FGs without a miss.

And he didn't make the pro bowl that year because the Lions decided to go 0-16.

It's just a popularity contest.

He did play 21 years of home games in a dome + whatever away games had domes.

Ima10urin8: damn he helped in winning two fantasy football championships for me.

now have to find a kicker.

this.  guy was a mainstay on my teams

It's like someone stole the pickle from my turd sandwich...

Think about this:  the last time Jason Hanson had a "normal" Thanksgiving, there was still a Soviet Union.

His teammate, DE Ronnell Lewis, was born when he was a junior at Washington State (and when Drew Bledsoe was a freshman).

He is the last active player to have been on the field with Mike Singletary, and Joe Montana as a 49er.

During his pro career, he saw Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf, Larry Allen, Warren Sapp, and Jonathan Ogden both get drafted and get elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

xaks: People love to bag on kickers and punters, but don't underestimate how bloody hard it is to do what they do. They earn every penny of those paychecks.

I will never criticize a kicker for missing from beyond about 25 yards.


A kickoff, on the other hand?  You've got 160 GODDAMN FEET in which to kick the ball and NOT GET A PENALTY that puts the other team in scoring position!

BKITU: [thenastyboys.files.wordpress.com image 475x360]

"... so that means there's a job opening?"

Akers feels the same.  I bet he would do well in a dome.