Factoid
David Akers scored 166 points last year, leading the league in scoring for a second straight season. That’s rare. Only twice since the merger in 1970 has the same player led the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons, and only once has it been done by a kicker.
Marshall Faulk (with a bunch of touchdowns) pulled it off for the Greatest Show on Turf Rams in 2000 and 2001. Among kickers, there’s Akers and there’s John Smith of the Patriots, back in 1979 and 1980. You just don’t see the same kicker lead the league in scoring two years in a row very often.
That’s something to keep in mind next year when mulling whether to use an unusually high draft pick on Akers. Then again, he was awfully good last year, breaking the all-time scoring record for his position.
The chart below shows how the top-scoring kickers each year have fared in their next season. For one year (1981), two kickers tied in scoring, so both are listed. Keep in mind that in 1970-1977, teams played a 14-game season. The 1982 and 1987 seasons were shortened to 9 and 15 games because of labor issues.
KICKER SCORING LEADERS -- THE NEXT SEASON
How top-scoring kickers since the merger in 1970 have fared in their next season.
Pts Year
91 1970 David Ray (Rams)
115 1971 Garo Yepremian (Mia.)
82 1972 Chester Marcol (G.B.)
52 1973 David Ray (Rams)
3 1974 Chester Marcol (G.B.)
29 1975 Toni Fritsch (Dall.)
83 1976 Toni Linhart (Balt.)
69 1977 Errol Mann (Oak.)
75 1978 Frank Corral (Rams)
129 1979 John Smith (N.E.)
82 1980 John Smith (N.E.)
58 1981 Rafael Septien (Dall.)
49 1981 Eddie Murray (Det.)
88 1982 Rolf Benirschke (S.D.)
120 1983 Mark Moseley (Wash.)
91 1984 Ray Wersching (S.F.)
120 1985 Kevin Butler (Chi.)
82 1986 Tony Franklin (N.E.)
110 1987 Morten Andersen (N.O.)
115 1988 Scott Norwood (Buff.)
111 1989 Mike Cofer (S.F.)
110 1990 Nick Lowery (K.C.)
120 1991 Chip Lohmiller (Wash.)
109 1992 Pete Stoyanovich (Mia.)
97 1993 Jeff Jaeger (Rai.)
95 1994 John Carney (S.D.)
106 1995 Norm Johnson (Pitt.)
91 1996 John Kasay (Car.)
108 1997 Mike Hollis (Jac.)
103 1998 Gary Anderson (Minn.)
121 1999 Mike Vanderjagt (Ind.)
115 2000 Matt Stover (Balt.)
94 2001 Jeff Wilkins (St.L.)
89 2002 Jay Feely (Atl.)
89 2003 Jeff Wilkins (St.L.)
100 2004 Adam Vinatieri (N.E.)
107 2005 Jay Feely (NYG)
126 2006 Robbie Gould (Chi.)
127 2007 Mason Crosby (G.B.)
125 2008 Stephen Gostkowski (N.E.)
109 2009 Nate Kaeding (S.D.)
166 2010 David Akers (Phil.)
??? 2011 David Akers (S.F.)
—Ian Allan
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