NFL Kickers Making History: Kickers On Pace For Most Fields Goals Made Per Game In History

Kickers in the NFL play a significant role in the outcome of a game.

Whether it comes down to a make-or-miss field goal, many times a kicker dictates the way a game goes.

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell leads the league with 31 made field goals.

Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn leads the league in 50+ yard field goals made with 12 this season. His 12 made 50+ yard field goals broke the single-season record for made 50+ yard field goals (11) set by Daniel Carlson in 2022.

Below, we discuss NFL kickers making history by being on pace for making the most field goals made per game in history.

NFL Kickers Making History: Most Fields Goals Made Per Game In History

NFL kickers are on pace to shatter the most field goals made per game record.

Below are the top five field goals made per year, including this season.

• 2024: 1.76 field goals made per game
• 2017: 1.69 field goals made per game
• 2013: 1.69 field goals made per game
• 2022: 1.67 field goals made per game
• 2023: 1.67 field goals made per game

Kickers are on pace to make history for the most field goals made during an NFL season.

While they are on pace to make the most field goals in history, they are on pace to record the sixth most field goals attempted per game in history.

This season, kickers are hitting nearly 72% of field goal attempts from at least 50 yards out. That’s a record for the league.

Why Kickers Have Become More Accurate?

One major factor, Michael Husted said, is specialized coaching. In the early 1990s, when Husted was trying to break into the NFL, few kickers worked with kicking coaches, he said.

“I didn’t have any guidance. I didn’t have any instructors,” Husted said.

Another note Husted mentioned was better athletes are choosing to be kickers in the NFL.

“I still think it’s as difficult as it used to be. I think the kickers are just better,” Brandon Aubrey told reporters earlier this year. “The coaching is better. You’re paying guys more money to do it. So, at a younger age, people are starting to [kick] because they know that’s a career path they can have.”

Coaches are trusting their kickers more by attempting more field goals from 50+ yards and it is paying off.

Head Coaches Had To Change

Another reason for the huge boom in field goals is not just the kickers but also head coaches according to kicking coach Dan Orner.

“Ten years ago, guys were hitting 60-yarders in practice,” he said. “I think the coaches weren’t confident enough.”

Orner continued “They value the kicker. They value the punter. They value a kickoff specialist,”

Orner also said, “The younger head coaches, you see a lot of those guys going, we’ve got this weapon of mass destruction, might as well use it.”

Kickers are now better athletes, being trusted more by their coaches, and more time is being spent on special teams are all contributing to the massive success kickers are seeing this season.