.jpg) Carlson with theLas Vegas Raiders in 2021 | |||||||||||||
| No. 8 – Las Vegas Raiders | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Placekicker | ||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1995-01-23)January 23, 1995 (age 30) Dallas, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | The Classical Academy (Colorado Springs, Colorado) | ||||||||||||
| College | Auburn (2013–2017) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2018: 5th round, 167th overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 11, 2025 | |||||||||||||
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Daniel Vilhelm Carlson (born January 23, 1995) is an American professionalfootballplacekicker for theLas Vegas Raiders of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theAuburn Tigers, becoming the all-time leading scorer of theSoutheastern Conference (SEC), and was selected by theMinnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the2018 NFL draft. Released by the Vikings during his rookie season, Carlson joined the Raiders and has sinceco-led the league in scoring in both 2020 and 2021. He is currently the fifth-most accurate kicker in NFL history.[1]
Carlson was born on January 23, 1995, to Hans and Jodie Carlson. He has an older brother named Nils and a younger brother namedAnders, who played kicker for theGreen Bay Packers[2] and theNew York Jets.[3]
Carlson attendedThe Classical Academy before college.[4]
Under head coachGus Malzahn, Carlson never missed anextra point in his collegiate career with the Auburn Tigers.[5] He was the all-time leading scorer inSoutheastern Conference (SEC) football history with 480 career points until passed byWill Reichard of Alabama in 2023. Carlson was a three time member of theAll SEC Team First Team.[6][7]
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Kicking | Punting | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XPM | XPA | XP% | FGM | FGA | FG% | Pts | Punts | Yds | Avg | ||||||
| 2014 | Auburn | SEC | FR | K | 13 | 57 | 57 | 100.0 | 18 | 24 | 75.0 | 111 | 8 | 317 | 39.6 |
| 2015 | Auburn | SEC | SO | K | 13 | 40 | 40 | 100.0 | 23 | 27 | 85.2 | 109 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | Auburn | SEC | JR | K | 13 | 44 | 44 | 100.0 | 28 | 32 | 87.5 | 128 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | Auburn | SEC | SR | K | 14 | 57 | 57 | 100.0 | 23 | 31 | 74.2 | 126 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | Auburn | 198 | 198 | 100.0 | 92 | 114 | 80.7 | 474 | 8 | 317 | 39.6 | ||||
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft5+1⁄4 in (1.96 m) | 213 lb (97 kg) | 32 in (0.81 m) | 9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) | |||||||||
| All values fromNFL Combine[8] | ||||||||||||
Carlson was selected by theMinnesota Vikings in the fifth round (167th overall) of the2018 NFL draft.[9] He was one of two kickers to be drafted that year, the other beingJason Sanders by theMiami Dolphins.[10]
In the offseason, he competed with veteran kickerKai Forbath. Forbath was released by the team on August 20, 2018.[11] Carlson made his NFL debut in the season-opening 24–16 victory over theSan Francisco 49ers and converted all three extra point attempts and a field goal attempt.[12] In the next game against theGreen Bay Packers, he missed a field goal in regulation and two in overtime, resulting in a 29–29 tie.[13] The following day, Carlson waswaived and replaced by veteranDan Bailey.[14]
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Carlson was signed by theOakland Raiders on October 23, 2018, after the team released fellow rookie kickerMatt McCrane.[15] In his Raiders' debut in Week 8, Carlson converted all four extra point attempts during a 42–28 loss to theIndianapolis Colts.[16] Three weeks later, Carlson made two extra points and three field goals, including a 35-yard game winner as time expired, in a narrow 23–21 victory over theArizona Cardinals, earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.[17] Carlson went on to convert 94% of his field goal attempts for the Raiders in 2018, setting a new team record.[18]
On April 16, 2020, Carlson was re-signed to a one-year contract.[19] During the 2020 offseason, Carlson switched his jersey number from 8 to 2 in order for quarterbackMarcus Mariota to wear number 8.[20] In Week 1 against theCarolina Panthers, Carlson was a perfect 4-for-4 on his extra point and field goal attempts, including a career long 54-yard field goal, during the 34–30 road victory. Carlson was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance.[21] Carlson was also named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for his performance the following December.[22]
The Raiders placed a second-roundrestricted free agent tender on Carlson on March 17, 2021.[23] He signed the tender on April 29.[24] In Week 2, Carlson converted all four field goal attempts and both extra-point attempts in a 26–17 victory over thePittsburgh Steelers, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[25] OnThanksgiving Day against theDallas Cowboys, he went 3–3 on extra points and 5–5 on field goals in a 36–33 overtime road victory, including a career-long 56-yarder to take a late lead in the 4th quarter and a 29-yarder to win the game in overtime.[26] Carlson's Thanksgiving Day performance earned him another AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor, a feat only two other kickers had achieved at that point in the season.
On December 9, 2021, Carlson signed a four-year, $18.4 million extension with the Raiders, making him the third-highest-paid kicker in theNFL.[27][28]
Down the stretch of the 2021 season, Carlson's kicking performance would become crucial for the Raiders. In Week 15 against theCleveland Browns, Carlson made all three of his field goal attempts, the last of which being a 48-yard field goal that won the game for the Raiders.[29] Two weeks later against theIndianapolis Colts, Carlson successfully converted all three of his field goal attempts and both of his extra-point attempts to account for 11 of the 23 points the Raiders scored in the contest, including the game-winning field goal.[30] Carlson's performance tied him withNew England Patriots' kickerNick Folk for leading the league in field goals made and field goals attempted in the 2021 season.[31] In the regular season finale against theLos Angeles Chargers, Carlson made five field goals, including a game-winning 47-yard attempt as time expired in overtime. The Raiders would clinch a playoff spot and eliminate the Chargers from playoff contention.[32]
In the 2022 season, Carlson converted 35-of-36 extra point attempts and 34-of-37 field goal attempts.[33] In the 2023 season, he converted all 32 extra point attempts and 26-of-30 field goal attempts.[34] In the 2024 season, he converted 23-of-25 extra point attempts and 34-of-40 field goal attempts.[35]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Field Goals | Extra Points | Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGA | FGM | Lng | Pct | XPA | XPM | Pct | ||||
| 2018 | MIN | 2 | 4 | 1 | 48 | 25.0 | 6 | 6 | 100.0 | 9 |
| OAK | 10 | 17 | 16 | 50 | 94.1 | 18 | 18 | 100.0 | 66 | |
| 2019 | OAK | 16 | 26 | 19 | 48 | 73.1 | 36 | 34 | 94.4 | 91 |
| 2020 | LV | 16 | 35 | 33 | 54 | 94.3 | 47 | 45 | 95.7 | 144 |
| 2021 | LV | 17 | 43 | 40 | 56 | 93.0 | 33 | 30 | 90.9 | 150 |
| 2022 | LV | 17 | 37 | 34 | 57 | 91.9 | 36 | 35 | 97.2 | 137 |
| 2023 | LV | 17 | 30 | 26 | 54 | 86.7 | 32 | 32 | 100.0 | 110 |
| 2024 | LV | 17 | 40 | 34 | 54 | 85.0 | 25 | 23 | 92.0 | 125 |
| 2025 | LV | 10 | 19 | 15 | 54 | 78.9 | 13 | 12 | 92.3 | 57 |
| Career | 122 | 251 | 218 | 57 | 86.9 | 246 | 235 | 95.5 | 889 | |
| Year | Team | GP | Field Goals | Extra Points | Points | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FGA | FGM | Lng | Pct | XPA | XPM | Pct | ||||
| 2021 | LV | 1 | 4 | 4 | 47 | 100.0 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 13 |
| Career | 1 | 4 | 4 | 47 | 100.0 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 13 | |
Carlson is aChristian.[37] He married Katherine Barker on January 13, 2018, inBirmingham, Alabama. They met during their time at Auburn.[38] They have three children.[39]
