I notice that teams are connecting more often on long field goals. In my first 10 years playing fantasy football, there was one successful field goal from 60-plus yards. In the last two years, there have been 9 such kicks.

It used to be that a 50-yard field goal carried a certain degree of difficulty. (In my original league, we awarded double points for kicks from that range.) Now a kick from 50 yards is pretty routine. It’s probably at about 55 yards where you get into what could be called a noteworthy distance.

And the 60-yard kicks are now happening regularly. Prior to 2021, there had never been more than 2 such field goals in a season. But there were a record 4 in the 2021 season, and there were a record 5 in the just-completed 2022 season.

Justin Tucker in 2021 kicked a field goal from 66 – an all-time record. Only two kickers in league history have converted more than 2 kicks from 60-plus, and both were active in the just-completed season (Brett Maher and Greg Zuerlein).

FIELD GOALS OF 60-PLUS YARDS
YearPlayerOppScoreYds
2021• Justin Tucker, Bal.at Det.W 19-1766
2013Matt Prater, Den.Ten.W 51-2864
1970Tom Dempsey, N.O.Det.W 19-1763
1998Jason Elam, Den.Jac.W 37-2463
2011Sebastian Janikowski, Oak.at Den.W 23-2063
2012David Akers, S.F.at G.B.W 30-2263
2018Graham Gano, Car.NYGW 33-3163
2019Brett Maher, Dall.Phi.W 37-1063
2006Matt Bryant, T.B.Phi.W 23-2162
2017Stephen Gostkowski, N.E.at Oak.W 33-862
2018Brett Maher, Dall.Phi.W 29-2362
2019Brett Maher, Dall.at NYJL 22-2462
2021• Matt Prater, Ari.Min.W 34-3362
2022Harrison Butker, K.C.Buff.L 20-2462
2009Sebastian Janikowski, Oak.at Cle.L 9-2361
2012Jay Feely, Ari.Buff.L 16-1961
2013Justin Tucker, Bal.at Det.W 18-1661
2015Greg Zuerlein, St.L.at Min.L 18-2161
2017Jake Elliott, Phi.NYGW 27-2461
2020Jason Myers, Sea.at LARL 16-2361
2021• Brandon McManus, Den.at LACL 13-3461
2021• Ka'imi Fairbairn, Hou.Sea.L 13-3361
2022Greg Joseph, Min.NYGW 27-2461
1984Steve Cox, Cle.at Cin.L 9-1260
1991Morten Andersen, N.O.Chi.L 17-2060
2006Rob Bironas, Ten.Ind.W 20-1760
2010Dan Carpenter, Mia.Cle.L 10-1360
2012Greg Zuerlein, St.L.Sea.W 19-1360
2016Chandler Catanzaro, Ari.at Buff.L 18-3360
2022Wil Lutz, N.O.Min.L 25-2860
2022Brett Maher, Dall.at Min.W 40-360
2022Greg Zuerlein, NYJat Min.L 22-2760

Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com

—Ian Allan