Jon Baker (placekicker)

Last updated
Jon Baker
No. 10, 12
Position: Placekicker
Personal information
Born: (1972-08-13) August 13, 1972 (age 50)
Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school: Bakersfield (CA) Foothill
College: Arizona State
Undrafted: 1995
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:5
Career CFL statistics
Games played:14
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Jonathan David Baker (born August 13, 1972) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs. He also was a member of the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Arizona State University.

Contents

Early years

Baker attended Foothill High School, where he lettered in football, soccer, track and basketball. In football, he was a two-time All-South Yosemite League selection, playing at kicker and quarterback.

He enrolled at Bakersfield Community College. As a freshman, he made 2 field goals of over 50 yards and hit a game winner with 0:01 seconds left. [1]

Baker transferred to Arizona State University after his sophomore season. As a junior, he began kicking barefoot. He made 18-of-26 field goals and 26-of-26 point after attempts for 80 points.

As a senior, he made 17-of-24 field goals and 23-of-24 extra point attempts for 74 points. He received Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week twice. He made 3 field goals in a game three times. At the time, only Luis Zendejas had made more field goals in a season for Arizona State than Baker.

Professional career

Baker was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 1995 NFL Draft. After placekicker Chris Boniol missed the first 3 preseason with a pulled quadriceps in his right leg, the Cowboys were forced to make the unconventional move of keeping Baker as a kickoff specialist. [2] He played in 3 games and was released on September 19. [3]

On May 16, 1996, he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers. [4] He was cut on July 18. [5] On April 2, 1997, he was re-signed by the San Francisco 49ers. [6] He was limited with groin and heel injuries. On August 15, he was released after not being able to pass Gary Anderson on the depth chart. [7]

On February 18, 1998, he was signed by the Miami Dolphins and allocated to the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. [8] He made 6-of-7 field goals, while the extra points were kicked by Scottish rugby player Gary Parker. [9] He was released by the Dolphins before the start of the season on August 8. [10]

In 1999, he played in eight games with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. [11] He made 20-of-28 field-goal attempts and led the league with a 60.5-yard average per kickoff. He was released to make room for Sean Fleming, who returned from the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL.

On December 21, 1999, he was signed as a free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs, to be the team's kickoff specialist. [12] He hit 3 kickoffs out of bounds in the season finale against the Oakland Raiders, which contributed to a 38-41 overtime loss. [13] A win would have given the Chiefs the AFC West championship and a playoff berth. He wasn't re-signed after the season.

In June 2000, he signed with the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League, handling the kickoffs and long range field goals, while Lui Passaglia attempted most of the field goal. [14] He played in five games, until being released to make room for placekicker Dan Giancola on August 9. [15]

On October 22, 2001, he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos to replace an injured Sean Fleming. [16] He played in one game, missing one field goal and had another one blocked. He was released on October 28. [17]

On May 23, 2002, he was signed by the Bakersfield Blitz of the af2. [18] In 2003, he set a league regular season record with a 54-yard field goal. [19]

Related Research Articles

A drop kick is a type of kick in various codes of football. It involves a player dropping the ball and then kicking it as it touches the ground.

Michael John Vanderjagt is a Canadian former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. He served as the Colts' placekicker from 1998 to 2005 and was a member of the Dallas Cowboys during his final NFL season in 2006. Vanderjagt also played for four seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL), where he spent three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts and one with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Cundiff</span> American football player (born 1980)

William Ambrose Cundiff is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for Drake University, and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002.

José Antonio Cortez is a former American football placekicker. He played for 10 National Football League (NFL) teams, as well as short stints in NFL Europe, the XFL, and the Arena Football League (AFL). His longest stints were two season stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at Oregon State University. He is the first Salvadoran to play in the National Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Rayner</span> American football player (born 1982)

David Michael Rayner is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State. Rayner shares the NFL record for most teams played on with J. T. O'Sullivan, and Billy Cundiff; each has played for 11 teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaun Suisham</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1981)

Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian-born former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Bowling Green.

Edward Peter Murray is a Canadian former professional football player who was a kicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins. He played college football at Tulane University.

Luis Fernando Zendejas is a Mexican former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Arena Football League (AFL). He later played professionally in the United States Football League (USFL), and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Arizona State University.

Christopher Donald Boniol is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears. He won Super Bowl XXX with the Cowboys over the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1996, he tied the NFL record for most field goals in a game with seven. He played college football at Louisiana Tech University.

Michael Vincent Clark was an American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Texas A&M University.

Roger Brian Ruzek is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. He also was a member of the New Jersey Generals in the United States Football League. He played college football at Weber State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Medlock</span> American football player (born 1983)

Justin Charles Medlock is an American professional football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and earned consensus All-American honors. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Medlock has also played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL, as well as the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL).

Kerry Patrick Brady is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at the University of Hawaii.

Steven C. Hoffman is an American football coach who is the senior assistant for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL and one national championship at the University of Miami. He also was a member of the Washington Federals in the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Dickinson College.

Richard Anthony Cunningham is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, and Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Buehler</span> American football player (born 1987)

David Jonathan Buehler is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Bailey (American football)</span> American football player (born 1988)

Dan Bailey is a former American football placekicker. Bailey grew up in the Oklahoma City area and played college football at Oklahoma State University. Following the 2011 NFL Draft, Bailey signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. He spent seven years in Dallas, where he became the franchise's all-time leader in field goals made. Bailey also played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2018 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Maher (American football)</span> American football player (born 1989)

Brett Maher is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played college football at Nebraska. He has also been a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Ottawa Redblacks, Dallas Cowboys, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders, Houston Texans, and Arizona Cardinals.

Sergio Albert is a Mexican former American football placekicker who played one season with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at U.S. International University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tristan Vizcaino</span> American football player (born 1996)

Tristan Vizcaino is an American football placekicker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2019 following his college football career at Washington. He has also been a member of the Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers.

References

  1. ↑ "Devils go down on the 'farm' in quest for next place-kicker" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Cowboys turn to youth Dallas to open season with 10 rookies on roster" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Boniol still to get kicks for Dallas" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  6. ↑ "49ers sign budget kicker" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Anderson gets nod as 49er kicker" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Would-be dragon slayers" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Dolphins' kicker boots 4 field goals in 19-16 triumph" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Shoeless Jon right on" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Chiefs sign kickoff specialist from CFL" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Raiders' Finale Is Extra Special / Wild OT win knocks Chiefs from playoffs" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Unfinished business in Vancouver" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Barefooted Baker not afraid of cold" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Short Yardage" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Blitz gets a kick out of Baker" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Bakersfield Kicker Jon Baker Sets af2 Record" . Retrieved August 22, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.