2012 SD Chargers Media Guide_PROOF.P - Seahawks Online ...

10 NATE KAEDINGKicker Draft 3A - ’046-0, 187 Iowa9th NFL SeasonWest HS9th with ChargersIowa City, IowaVETERANS &RETURNING PLAYERSThe NFL’s most-accurate kicker of all-time (.865), NateKaeding endured a mentally and physically-demandingseason in 2011. Shortly after he sent the season’s openingkickoff airborn, Minnesota’s Percy Harvin took it back for103 yards and a touchdown just 15 seconds into the season.Worse for Kaeding, while attempting to stop Harvinduring the return, Kaeding planted his left leg and his ACLgave way, bringing a premature end to his ’11 season.After nearly a full year of rehab, Kaeding’s leg is back to100 percent and he’s looking forward to extending hiscareer as the NFL’s most accurate kicker.Kaeding heads into 2012 having made 76 of his last 77regular-season field goal tries from 40 yards or closer. Hemade the Pro Bowl in 2009 after going 32 of 35, a franchisesingle-season record for FG percentage (.914), and hescored a team-record 146 points. He also made a personalbest20 in a row to close out the ’09 regular season.An avid golfer, several years ago Kaeding enlisted theservices of local golf pro, Derek Uyeda, to help improve hisleg swing. Uyeda attends Kaeding’s workouts, videotapeshis kicks and together they analyze his form and mechanics.Kaeding also sought the help of Jan Stenerud, one ofthe best NFL kickers of all-time, and he’s trained at St. Vincent’sin Indianapolis, where professional trainers workedwith him on maximizing his physical strengths.Kaeding is still renowned in his native Iowa. In July 2009,the Cedar Rapids Kernels minor-league baseball team invitedhim to a game and had him kick autographed footballsto the crowd between innings. He is also part-owner of theShort’s Burgers and Shine restaurant in Iowa City. And incollege, Bob’s Your Uncle Pizza and Cafe, named a pizzaafter the former Hawkeye standout.Kaeding and wife, Samantha, have two sons, Jack andWyatt. Samantha is a former school teacher. Nate earned ateaching certificate in secondary education from the Universityof Iowa and completed the Character EducationCertification Program at the University of San Diego.TRANSACTION HISTORY: Third-round pick (65), April 24,2004...signed three-year contract July 26, 2004 and six-yearextension through 2012, Sept. 25, 2006.2010: Scored 767th career point Sept. 26 at Seattle, third inteam history...Oct. 3 vs. Arizona, first regular-season missinside 40 yards since Dec. 3, 2006...ending stretch of 64-straight...bounced back with 48 and 47-yard field goals vs.Cardinals...injured groin prior to Oct. 17 game at St. Louis...inactive Oct. 24 vs. New England, Oct. 31 vs. Tennessee andNov. 7 at Houston...career-high 18 points and five field goals,including season-long 50-yarder Nov. 28 at Indianapolis onNBC’s Sunday Night Football...four field goals, including 42,45 and 47 yarders in 33-28 win at Denver Jan. 2. 2009: ProBowl...Associated Press first-team All-Pro...Pro Football Weekly, ProfessionalFootball Writers of America and DallasMorning News All-NFL...Game Ballafter game-winning point (244th consecutive)in 21-20 win at New YorkGiants Nov. 8...55-yard field goal Nov. 29 vs. Kansas City,longest at Qualcomm Stadium...Game Ball after 52-yard fieldgoal with :03 left for 27-24 win over Cincinnati...was 147thcareerfield goal for second on team’s all-time list...AFC SpecialTeams Player of Week after 3-of-3, including 45 and47-yarders, Jan. 3 vs. Washington...did not play in Pro Bowl(groin). 2008: Career-high six touchbacks and 3-of-3 fieldgoals Week 2 at Denver…first-career game-winning field goalWeek 4 in Oakland, 47-yarder with 1:51 left erased 15-0deficit and broke 18-18 tie…late fourth-quarter 47-yardgame-tying field goal Nov. 23 vs. Indy…late second quarter atTampa Bay Dec. 21, team-record and career-long 57-yardfield goal…game-tying 26-yard field goal at 0:31 of fourthquarter sent Jan. 5 Wild Card game vs. Indy to overtime,where Bolts won, 23-17. 2007: Season-long 51-yard fieldgoal Week 4 vs. Kansas City and first 50+ yarder at QualcommStadium…season-high four touchbacks at Denver Oct.7…Game Ball after going 4-of-4 day, including three 40+yarders vs. Baltimore Nov. 25…hit 46 and 41 (2 times) formost 40+ field goals in game and first home game with two40+ field goals…4-of-4 in AFC Championship Game at NewEngland when temperature at kickoff was 23 degrees withwind gusts of 17-22 mph for nine degree wind chill factor.2006: Pro Bowl…second-team Associated Press All-Pro…All-AFC by Pro Football Weekly & Professional FootballWriters of America…season-long and team-record-tying54-yarder Oct. 1 at Baltimore…Chargers Alumni Player ofWeek after team-record 88th-straight point after at KansasCity Oct. 22…46 and 40-yard field goals in 20-17 win atSeattle on 47-degree, rainy day with 18 MPH winds…ninepoints vs. Arizona Dec. 31, raising seasontotal to team-record 136… game-winning21-yard field goal at 0:00 for 31-28 AFCwin in Pro Bowl. 2005: FOX-Sports.comVery Special Teams Player of Week andChargers Alumni Player of Week aftergame-winning and season-long 49-yard field goal Dec. 18with 6:41 in fourth quarter vs. previously-unbeaten Indy.2004: Pro Football Weekly and ESPN.com All-Rookie…team rookie record and led NFL rookies with 114points...season-long 53-yarder at Atlanta Oct. 17…game-winning43-yarder with 2:24 in fourth quarter at Kansas CityNov. 28…40-yard field goal with 2:06 in fourth quarter iced31-24 win over Tampa Bay Dec. 12…50-yarder at IndianapolisDec. 26 and seven points vs. Colts to raise season total to108 for new rookie record.COLLEGE: School-records for consecutive field goals (22)and PATs (60), and career field goals (67) and PATs (166)…school and Big Ten record 373 career points…All-America asjunior and senior…Lou Groza Award as nation’s top kicker in2002…three-time All-Big Ten…two-time Academic All-Ameri-MEDIA GUIDE | 76