Jan Stenerud

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Stenerud came to the United States on a ski jumping scholarship to Montana State University. He was discovered kicking a football while training for skiing, and after a tryout, he joined the football team. In 1965, he kicked a 59-yard field goal, then a college football record, aided by a tail-wind. He was an All-American in football and ski jumping.

In Their Own Story

In the fall of 1964, Jan Stenerud was training for a skiing season at Montana State University when he kicked a football with injured halfback Dale Jackson to cool down. His soccer background and right leg prowess were spotted by basketball coach Roger Craft, who alerted football head coach Jim Sweeney. After a successful tryout, Stenerud suited up for the final home game of 1964 despite being ineligible for competition that season. As a junior in 1965, he kicked a 59-yard field goal against rival Montana, setting a college record aided by a significant tailwind at Gatton Field's elevation over 4,900 feet. He was named an All-American by The Sporting News as a senior in 1966 while also earning honors as a ski jumper and three-time Big Sky champion. His professional journey took him from the AFL to the NFL merger, where he played 13 seasons with Kansas City, four with Green Bay, and two with Minnesota. In 1991, Stenerud was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the first exclusive placekicker, a distinction held alone until Morten Andersen's induction in 2017.

Reader's Guide

Stenerud played 13 seasons with the Chiefs, 4 with the Green Bay Packers, and 2 with the Minnesota Vikings. He was a six-time all-star, four-time first-team All-Pro, and two-time first-team All-AFL. He helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl IV, kicking three field goals including a then-Super Bowl record 48-yarder. He retired after the 1985 season with 373 field goals and 1,699 points.

Did You Know?

• Stenerud was one of the first placekickers to use the 'soccer style' kicking technique.
• He kicked the longest field goal in a Super Bowl at the time, a 48-yarder in Super Bowl IV.
• The Chiefs retired his jersey number 3.
• He is one of only a few kicking specialists in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.