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Pretty good article from espn.com about kickers in today's NFL. The quote below is only a sampling of the entire article, but it focuses on Vinny.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/column...p;lid=tab2pos1
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/column...p;lid=tab2pos1
The closer
He is the greatest clutch kicker in the history of the NFL.
Oh sure, Andersen has the record for winning kicks (in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime), but those 22 winners were accrued in 23 seasons and counting. Vinatieri has 19 -- in fewer than 11 seasons.
His secret? It's ludicrously simple.
Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
The Colts signed Adam Vinatieri this offseason as a free agent."You try and take every kick exactly the same, no matter if it's the beginning or the last minute," Vinatieri said. "It's the same kick -- if you can convince yourself of that."
Vinatieri, apparently, is very convincing.
He is the only man to successfully kick field goals in three Super Bowls. He hit the winner in Super Bowl XXXVI, a 40-yarder as time expired, to give the Patriots a 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams. It was the first time a Super Bowl ended on the last play. Two years later in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Vinatieri kicked the winning 41-yard field goal with four seconds remaining as New England prevailed over Carolina 32-29. Perhaps more memorable than either of those was the kick that helped the Patriots get to that first Super Bowl. It was a 45-yard field goal in five inches of swirling snow and gusting wind that lifted the Patriots into overtime against the Raiders. Vinatieri also had the game winner in overtime, a 23-yarder for a 16-13 win in the divisional playoffs.
"I think the most important asset to kicking is being mentally headstrong," Vinatieri said. "Being able to handle the pressure or, maybe even better than that, clear your head. There are younger guys out there who can really kick the ball well, so you have to do it when it counts."
The Colts, who let Mike Vanderjagt go in the offseason, signed Vinatieri to a rich contract that featured a signing bonus of $3.5 million. Vinatieri is 17-for-19, his only misses coming against his old team in Week 9. Still, the Colts are the only undefeated team left in the NFL, and you get the idea that with an important game on the line, it won't be Vinatieri who lets them down.
"You've got to trust your steps, trust your guys that are on the field with you, and when the ball is on the ground, you've got to do that every single time," Vinatieri said. "Every kicker that's in this league has kicked a million or so balls.
"You just have that swing; you know what you have to do, and you go out there and do it."
He is the greatest clutch kicker in the history of the NFL.
Oh sure, Andersen has the record for winning kicks (in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime), but those 22 winners were accrued in 23 seasons and counting. Vinatieri has 19 -- in fewer than 11 seasons.
His secret? It's ludicrously simple.
Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
The Colts signed Adam Vinatieri this offseason as a free agent."You try and take every kick exactly the same, no matter if it's the beginning or the last minute," Vinatieri said. "It's the same kick -- if you can convince yourself of that."
Vinatieri, apparently, is very convincing.
He is the only man to successfully kick field goals in three Super Bowls. He hit the winner in Super Bowl XXXVI, a 40-yarder as time expired, to give the Patriots a 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams. It was the first time a Super Bowl ended on the last play. Two years later in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Vinatieri kicked the winning 41-yard field goal with four seconds remaining as New England prevailed over Carolina 32-29. Perhaps more memorable than either of those was the kick that helped the Patriots get to that first Super Bowl. It was a 45-yard field goal in five inches of swirling snow and gusting wind that lifted the Patriots into overtime against the Raiders. Vinatieri also had the game winner in overtime, a 23-yarder for a 16-13 win in the divisional playoffs.
"I think the most important asset to kicking is being mentally headstrong," Vinatieri said. "Being able to handle the pressure or, maybe even better than that, clear your head. There are younger guys out there who can really kick the ball well, so you have to do it when it counts."
The Colts, who let Mike Vanderjagt go in the offseason, signed Vinatieri to a rich contract that featured a signing bonus of $3.5 million. Vinatieri is 17-for-19, his only misses coming against his old team in Week 9. Still, the Colts are the only undefeated team left in the NFL, and you get the idea that with an important game on the line, it won't be Vinatieri who lets them down.
"You've got to trust your steps, trust your guys that are on the field with you, and when the ball is on the ground, you've got to do that every single time," Vinatieri said. "Every kicker that's in this league has kicked a million or so balls.
"You just have that swing; you know what you have to do, and you go out there and do it."
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