_(cropped)_(cropped).jpg) McPherson with theCincinnati Bengals in 2021 | |||||||||||||
| No. 2 –Cincinnati Bengals | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | (1999-07-21)July 21, 1999 (age 25) Fort Payne, Alabama, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Fort Payne(Fort Payne, Alabama) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Florida (2018–2020) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2021: 5th round, 149th pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2024 | |||||||||||||
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Evan McPhersonmick-FEAR-suhn;[1] (born July 21, 1999) is an American professionalfootballplacekicker for theCincinnati Bengals of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theFlorida Gators before being drafted by the Bengals in the fifth round of the2021 NFL draft, the only kicker to be selected that year.[2][3][4]
During the Bengals'2021 playoff run, McPherson tiedAdam Vinatieri for most field goals made in a single postseason, with 14, and set the record for most postseason field goals made without any misses.[5] Due to his clutch kicking, McPherson is nicknamed "Shooter"[6] (after theHappy Gilmore character of a similar nickname) and "Money Mac."[7]
He shares the Bengals franchise record longest field goal with a 59-yard field goal he made in 2022.
McPherson started his football career atFort Payne High School inFort Payne, Alabama, where he spent four seasons as the team's kicker and punter. At Fort Payne, he made a 60-yard field goal and an 84-yard punt, both kicks being one yard short of the Alabama high school record. He also made the first-team All-State in 2017.[8]
McPherson went on to playcollege football for theFlorida Gators from 2018–2020 before choosing to forgo his senior season and enter theNFL draft.[9][4] At Florida, McPherson was 51-of-60 (85.0%) on field goals, setting aSoutheastern Conference record for career field goal percentage (minimum 50 attempts),[10] and 149-of-150 on extra points. He made 5 of 8 career field goal attempts from at least 50 yards.[8] In his three seasons with the Gators, the team recorded a 29–9 record and a 2–1 record in bowl games, including anOrange Bowl win in 2019.[11] McPherson made all three of his field goal attempts in that game, the longest from 49 yards.
At the time he left Florida, his career field goal percentage ranked 12th inNCAA history.[12]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 29 in (0.74 m) | 9+1⁄8 in (0.23 m) | |||||||||
| All values fromPro Day[13][14] | ||||||||||||
McPherson was selected by theCincinnati Bengals in the fifth round, 149th overall, of the2021 NFL draft.[15] He signed his four-year rookie contract with the Bengals on May 17, 2021.[16]
McPherson was a perfect 5/5 on field goals during the Bengals' three 2021 preseason games, including a 57-yard kick. At the end of the pre-season, the Bengals released their only other kicker on the roster,Austin Seibert, and named McPherson the starter for the 2021 regular season.[17] McPherson became the first player fromFort Payne High School ever to play in an NFL regular season game.[18]
McPherson made his first regular-season field goal attempt, a 53-yarder, in the season-opener against theMinnesota Vikings on September 12, 2021. During overtime, McPherson kicked a 33-yard game-winning field goal to secure a 27–24 win, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[19][20] On November 21, McPherson tied an NFL record by making three field goals from over 50 yards in one game, going 4/4 on kicks from 54, 53, 51, and 47 yards in a 32–13 win over theLas Vegas Raiders, securing his second AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award in the process.[21][22] He also set the franchise record for most 50-yard field goals made in a season, breaking the old record of 4 set byHorst Muhlmann in 1970. On December 19, McPherson set the franchise record for longest field goal for the Bengals with a 58-yard kick against theDenver Broncos.[23]
McPherson finished the season 28-of-33 on field goal attempts (84.8%), including being 9-of-11 on field goals (81.8%) from 50+ yards. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[24] In the Bengals' Wild Card game against the Raiders, McPherson was 4-of-4 on field goals, assisting the team to a 26–19 victory that gave them their first postseason win in 31 years. Subsequently, in the Divisional Round game, he again made 4-of-4 field goals, including two from over 50 yards. His 52-yard field goal as time expired gave the Bengals a 19–16 win over theTennessee Titans to send them to their firstAFC Championship Game since 1988. McPherson also became the first kicker in NFL history to kick at least 4 field goals in multiple games during the same postseason.[25] In the AFC Championship Game against theKansas City Chiefs, McPherson was again 4-of-4 on his field goal attempts, including a game winning 31-yard field goal in overtime in the 27–24 win, advancing the Bengals toSuper Bowl LVI, where he kicked two more field goals in the 23–20 loss.[26][27] McPherson's 14-of-14 playoff field goals set the record for most field goals made by a rookie, as well as ties the all-time record for most field goals made in a single postseason.[28] His 12 combined 50+ yard field goals in the regular season and playoffs also set the NFL record for most combined regular season and postseason 50+ yard field goals made by one player in a single season.[28]
In the Bengals season opening game against thePittsburgh Steelers, McPherson set a franchise record for longest field goal with 59 yards.[29] However, after an injury to long snapperClark Harris, McPherson had a potential game-winning extra point blocked and missed a 29-yard field goal in overtime, leading to a 23–20 loss.[30] In Week 4, McPherson converted both field goal attempts and all three extra points in a 27–15 win over theMiami Dolphins, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[31] In week 6, McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal in the Bengals 30–26 win over theNew Orleans Saints.[32] McPherson finished the season making 82.8% of his field goals, with a perfect 5/5 on field goals from 50+ yards. However, he missed four extra points during the season, as well as one in the playoffs.[33] Still, he remained perfect on postseason field goals, making all his attempts in the Bengals three playoff games to push his record up to 19/19.[34]
In the 2023 season, McPherson converted all 40 extra point attempts and 26 of 31 field goal attempts.[35]
On August 16, 2024, McPherson signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract extension with the Bengals.[36] In McPherson's Week 1 appearance, he successfully kicked a 51 yard field goal as the Bengals lost to theNew England Patriots.[37] McPherson began to struggle throughout the season with missed kicks. He was one for two on extra point attempts during the Bengals' 26-25 loss to theKansas City Chiefs. He had another costly miss when theBaltimore Ravens defeated the Bengals 41-38 in overtime. McPherson's field goal would have avoided overtime and given the Bengals the lead.[38] During Week 11 on Sunday Night Football against theChargers, McPherson missed two field goal attempts, one for 48 yards and the other for 51 as the Bengals would lose 27-34.[39]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| NFL record | |
| General | Field goals | PATs | Kickoffs | Points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | FGM | FGA | FG% | Blck | Long | XPM | XPA | XP% | KO | Avg | TBs | Pts |
| 2021 | CIN | 16 | 28 | 33 | 84.8% | 0 | 58 | 46 | 48 | 95.8% | 91 | 63.9 | 55 | 130 |
| 2022 | CIN | 16 | 24 | 29 | 82.8% | 0 | 59 | 40 | 44 | 90.9% | 90 | 62.3 | 51 | 112 |
| 2023 | CIN | 17 | 26 | 31 | 83.9% | 0 | 56 | 40 | 40 | 100% | 82 | 63.0 | 63 | 118 |
| 2024 | CIN | 12 | 16 | 22 | 72.7% | 0 | 56 | 37 | 38 | 97.4% | 70 | 62.0 | 54 | 85 |
| Career | 61 | 94 | 115 | 81.7% | 0 | 59 | 163 | 170 | 95.9% | 333 | 63.0 | 223 | 445 | |
| General | Field goals | PATs | Kickoffs | Points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | FGM | FGA | FG% | Blck | Long | XPM | XPA | XP% | KO | Avg | TBs | Pts |
| 2021 | CIN | 4 | 14 | 14 | 100.0% | 0 | 54 | 6 | 6 | 100.0% | 24 | 64.5 | 16 | 48 |
| 2022 | CIN | 3 | 5 | 5 | 100.0% | 0 | 39 | 6 | 7 | 85.7% | 15 | 64.3 | 5 | 21 |
| Career | 7 | 19 | 19 | 100.0% | 0 | 54 | 12 | 13 | 92.3% | 39 | 64.4 | 21 | 69 | |
McPherson is aChristian.[40] McPherson is married to Gracie Groat.[41]
McPherson's older brother Logan was also an all-state kicker forFort Payne High School and went on to play as apunter forLouisiana Tech University.[42] His younger brother Alex made an All-State as a kicker with Fort Payne in 2019, and as a punter in 2020.[43] In 2021, Alex announced his commitment to attendAuburn University.[44] Alex was the highest-ranked kicker in the 2022 class.[45]
