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Kickers play one of the most crucial roles on a football team. In the NFL, team kickers contribute to about 6-7 points scored per game, making them an absolute necessity to win games. When it comes to insanely long-distance kicks and game-winning moments, only a few kickers have contributed to the biggest game-changing kicks in NFL history.
That’s why we’ll outline the top 5 biggest kicks in NFL history, including how far they were, what kickers did the deed, and how it impacted the game.
Kicking it off is a player worthy of two mentions on this list is none other than Justin Tucker, the legendary Ravens kicker and arguably the most clutch on the list. In the first of two of the largest stake kicks in NFL history, Justin Tucker, on December 16, 2023, would launch a 61-yarder at Ford Field to win the game with just 43 seconds left 18-16.
To make matters even more interesting, this would be Tucker’s 6th field goal of the game, meaning he single-handedly put the team on his back, scoring all points for the win while hitting one of the longest 61-yard field goals in history.
Up net is the famed Broncos kicker known as Matt Prater. While Prater had numerous 60+ yard field goals in his career (2 for the Cardinals), his 64-yarder on December 8, 2013, at Sports Authority Field at Mile High would not only add to the Broncos’ crushing 51-28 tally but also be the 3rd farthest field goal kicked in the history of the sport.
While the game was not close, Prater still put up 15 points for his team, including his record-setting 64-yarder, making the game one of the largest margins for a team to win with a 60+-yard field goal.
While he’d only make one 60+ yard field goal in his entire career, Graham Gano and Panthers fans will remember his record-setting feat for decades. On October 7, 2018, Gano would kick a 63-yard field goal at Bank of America Stadium to seal the deal against his future New York Giants team in a close 33-31 victory.
Not only would he make NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in October, but Gano would go down in history as one of three separate players with 63+ yard field goals to take the win in the dying moments of the game.
On November 8, 1970, against the Lions at Tulane Stadium, Tom Dempsey committed a similar deed to Graham Gano, although this was one of the first of its kind, considering how old this match is. Just as Lions kicker Errol Mann would kick a field goal with 11 seconds left on the clock to put Detroit up 17-16 against the Saints, New Orleans would somehow respond next play by closing the distance to 63 yards to give Dempsey a shot at achieving victory for his team as well as making history with a game-winning field goal.
Dempsey would surprisingly win the game 19-17 with a 63+ yarder, as well as break the previous record for farthest kicked field goal in 1953 at 56 total yards.
Once again, Justin Tucker not only kicks a 60+ yard field goal but wins the game in the dying seconds against the Lions on September 26, 2021 at Ford Field. The difference this time was that he’d have to hit not only the longest field goal of his career but the longest kick in NFL history, narrowly winning the game 19-17.
To add to it all, the clock was ticking down with mere seconds left in the game as Tucker ran up and booted it for 66 yards, bouncing off the crossbar before crossing the plane, leading the Ravens to victory as well as setting the record for longest field goal kick in NFL history.
Liam has been a major sports fan and soccer player for over a decade, with a particular focus on major top-level soccer leagues, including the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and MLS. He has written numerous promotional articles for various top sportsbooks and continues to publish historical and factual sports articles covering the NFL, MLS, NHL, MLB, EPL and more.