.jpg) Hauschka with theSeattle Seahawks in 2014 | |||||||||||||
| No. 6, 3, 4, 9 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Placekicker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1985-06-29)June 29, 1985 (age 40) Needham, Massachusetts, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Needham | ||||||||||||
| College |
| ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2008: undrafted | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Stephen Theodore Hauschka (born June 29, 1985) is an American former professionalfootball player who was aplacekicker in theNational Football League (NFL). He was signed by theMinnesota Vikings as anundrafted free agent in 2008. He playedcollege football atMiddlebury College and for theNorth Carolina State Wolfpack.
Hauschka was also a member of theBaltimore Ravens,Atlanta Falcons,Detroit Lions,Las Vegas Locomotives,Denver Broncos,Seattle Seahawks,Buffalo Bills, andJacksonville Jaguars. He wonSuper Bowl XLVIII as a member of the Seahawks.
Stephen Hauschka grew up inNeedham, Massachusetts, where he played on theNeedham High School Rockets varsity soccer team, varsity basketball, and the varsity lacrosse team. He also played trombone in the NHS concert band and NHS jazz band.[1] He did not play football for the Rockets. He graduated in 2003 and went toMiddlebury College with intent to playDivision III soccer for the Panthers.
.jpg)
In 2003, Hauschka was cut from theMiddlebury Panthers men's varsity soccer team and finished the season on junior varsity. Prior to his sophomore soccer season, Hauschka was urged by his friend, Scott Secor, to try out for the football team, where he edged out freshman recruit Jacob Lister for the starting kicker role.[2] In his three seasons with the Panthers, he was a two-time All-NESCAC selection as both a kicker and punter. He owns the school's single-season record for field goals. He was named a District I Academic All-American by College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA) during his senior year. He was a semi-finalist for theLou Groza Award for the top college football placekicker. Hauschka was also a member of the Middlebury Collegelacrosse team. Hauschka graduated fromMiddlebury College with a B.A. inneuroscience in 2007.[citation needed]
After graduating with honors from Middlebury College, Hauschka decided to forgo an acceptance to dental school and enrolled as agraduate student atNorth Carolina State in 2007. Since Hauschka was cut from the Middlebury College men's varsity soccer team during his freshman season, he retained one year of eligibility and won the kicking job for theWolfpack. He then went 25-for-25 on extra points and 16-for-18 on field goals, which included a game-winning kick versus theMiami Hurricanes.[citation needed]
At North Carolina State, his first name was misspelled as "Steven," a spelling which he continued to use into his professional career.[3]
Hauschka was signed by theMinnesota Vikings in 2008 to share kicking duties withRyan Longwell in the preseason. He would later be released by the team.[4]
_(cropped).jpg)
Hauschka was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Ravens after being released by the Vikings. He was signed to the Ravens'practice squad on September 15, 2008. He was activated on October 30 to handle the long-range field goals and kickoffs, sharing kicking duties with longtime Ravens kickerMatt Stover. His first professional field goal attempt came on November 9, 2008, against theHouston Texans, where he successfully hit a 54-yard field goal.
Anexclusive-rights free agent in the 2009 off-season, Hauschka was re-signed on March 17 as the Ravens chose not to re-sign Stover. On November 17, 2009, the Ravens released Hauschka, after he missed his fourth attempt of the season (he converted 9 of 13 field goals (69.2%) in 2009) and had an extra point blocked.[5]
After his release from the Ravens, Hauschka tried out for theAtlanta Falcons on November 24, 2009,[6] and for theDallas Cowboys on December 21.
Hauschka was signed by the Atlanta Falcons on December 29, 2009, after an injury toplacekickerMatt Bryant.[7] He was waived by the team on August 15, 2010.[8]
Hauschka was claimed off waivers by theDetroit Lions on August 18, 2010.[9] He played two preseason games for the Lions due to Lions' starterJason Hanson's leg surgery. He was waived by the Lions on September 4, 2010.[3]
Hauschka was signed by theUFL'sLas Vegas Locomotives on October 4, 2010.[10] On October 8, Hauschka tied the UFL record with three field goals in a single game.
On December 12, 2010, theDenver Broncos signed Hauschka after a season-ending groin injury toMatt Prater.[11] He was waived by the team on September 3, 2011.[12]
Hauschka was claimed off waivers by theSeattle Seahawks on September 4, 2011.[13]
In a Week 10 match-up against theBaltimore Ravens, Hauschka tied the Seahawks' record for most field goals in a game, by scoring five of them, leading Seattle to a 22–17 upset.[14]
In the wild-card round against theWashington Redskins, Hauschka strained his calf, and was placed on injured reserve.[15] On April 18, 2013, the Seahawks re-signed Hauschka.[16]
In Week 4 of the 2013 season, Hauschka kicked a 45-yard field goal to give the Seahawks a come-from-behind overtime victory against theHouston Texans atReliant Stadium. The final score was 23–20, after trailing the Texans, 20–3, in the first half. Thanks to Hauschka's game-winning kick, the Seahawks went 4–0 for the first time in franchise history. The Seahawks finished 13–3 and reachedSuper Bowl XLVIII, where they defeated theDenver Broncos, 43–8.[17][18]
On March 17, 2014, the Seahawks re-signed Hauschka to a three-year contract worth $9.15 million, of which $3.35 million was guaranteed.[19] He began the 2015 season by hitting his first 16 field-goal attempts, including four from 50 yards or more.[20]
Hauschka was named an alternate for the2016 Pro Bowl.[21]
On March 9, 2017, Hauschka signed a three-year contract with theBuffalo Bills.[22][23] Competing against rookieAustin Rehkow for a roster spot, Hauschka won the competition on August 20.[24] His kicking style, involving low line-drive kicks (which was one of the reasons the Seahawks, who preferred someone with a higher kick trajectory, did not re-sign him), was considered one of his strengths for Buffalo, as the greater power of a line-drive kick can counteract windy conditions.[25]
On September 10, 2017, in the season-opening 21–12 victory over theNew York Jets, Hauschka made his debut as a Bill. He converted three extra points in the win.[26] In Week 3, Hauschka went 4-for-4 on field goals, including a 55-yarder, and converted all extra-point attempts, earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[27] The following week, he was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals including a tie-breaking 56-yarder in a 23–17 win over the Falcons, earning him his second straight AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[28]
Hauschka broke the NFL record for most consecutive field goals made from 50 yards or beyond after he made a 50-yard field goal against theLos Angeles Chargers on November 19, 2017.[29][30]
In Week 10 of the 2018 season, Hauschka made all seven of his kicks, five extra points and two field goals, including a season-long 54-yarder, in a 41–10 win over theNew York Jets, earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[31] During the rematch against the Jets in week 14, Hauschka was hit in the back by Jets defensive endHenry Anderson following a blocked field goal attempt, suffering an injured hip on the play.[32]
On August 28, 2019, Hauschka signed a two-year, $8 million contract extension with the Bills.[33] He finished the 2019 season converting 30 of 32 extra point attempts and 22 of 28 field goal attempts.[34]
On August 27, 2020, Hauschka was released by the Bills after the team selectedTyler Bass in the2020 draft.[35]
On September 28, 2020, Hauschka was signed by theJacksonville Jaguars.[36] In his first game with the team, he missed both of his field goal attempts, from 24 yards and 49 yards, and was subsequently released on October 12.[37] Hauschka announced his retirement from football on December 4, 2020.[38]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Field Goals | Extra Points | Total Points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGM | FGA | FG% | <20 | 20−29 | 30−39 | 40−49 | 50+ | Lng | XPM | XPA | XP% | ||||
| 2008 | BAL | 8 | 1 | 2 | 50.0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 |
| 2009 | BAL | 9 | 9 | 13 | 69.2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 5–7 | 3–5 | 0–0 | 44 | 27 | 28 | 96.4 | 54 |
| 2010 | DEN | 4 | 6 | 7 | 85.7 | 0–0 | 9–9 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 46 | 10 | 10 | 100.0 | 28 |
| 2011 | SEA | 16 | 25 | 30 | 83.3 | 2–2 | 5–6 | 9–10 | 7–8 | 2–4 | 52 | 34 | 34 | 100.0 | 109 |
| 2012 | SEA | 16 | 24 | 27 | 88.9 | 1–1 | 7–7 | 10–10 | 5–5 | 1–4 | 52 | 46 | 48 | 95.8 | 118 |
| 2013 | SEA | 16 | 33 | 35 | 94.3 | 0–0 | 10–11 | 9–9 | 11–12 | 3–3 | 53 | 44 | 44 | 100.0 | 143 |
| 2014 | SEA | 16 | 31 | 37 | 83.8 | 0–0 | 10–10 | 10–10 | 9–13 | 2–4 | 58 | 41 | 41 | 100.0 | 134 |
| 2015 | SEA | 16 | 29 | 31 | 93.5 | 0–0 | 9–9 | 7–7 | 7–9 | 6–6 | 54 | 40 | 44 | 90.9 | 127 |
| 2016 | SEA | 16 | 33 | 37 | 89.2 | 0–0 | 11–13 | 13–13 | 8–10 | 1–1 | 53 | 29 | 35 | 82.8 | 128 |
| 2017 | BUF | 16 | 29 | 33 | 87.9 | 0–0 | 6–6 | 9–9 | 7–9 | 7–9 | 56 | 29 | 29 | 100.0 | 116 |
| 2018 | BUF | 16 | 22 | 28 | 78.6 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 8–8 | 7–10 | 4–7 | 54 | 25 | 26 | 96.1 | 91 |
| 2019 | BUF | 16 | 22 | 28 | 78.6 | 0–0 | 5–5 | 7–8 | 9–10 | 1–5 | 51 | 30 | 32 | 93.7 | 96 |
| 2020 | JAX | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 100.0 | 2 |
| Total | 166 | 264 | 310 | 85.2 | 3–3 | 68–73 | 90–94 | 75–95 | 28–45 | 58 | 357 | 373 | 95.7 | 1149 | |
Hauschka married fellow Middlebury alumna Lindsey Jones in June 2011 shortly after her graduation fromBoston College Law School.[39]
Media related toSteven Hauschka at Wikimedia Commons