Top 5 Kickers in Eagles History

This artical by Ray Didinger

1. David Akers (1999-current) – Cut by three other NFL teams, Akers found a home with the Eagles. Now a three-time Pro Bowler, Akers is far and away the best kicker in team history. His total of 230 career field goals more than doubles the previous team record of 91 set by Paul McFadden.

Injuries hampered Akers for awhile, but he bounced back with a strong performance last season. He led all NFC scorers with 144 points, and broke his own franchise mark with 33 field goals. He also set a career high with 17 touchbacks. He is the team’s all-time top scorer, with 1,041 points.

2. Bobby Walston (1951-62) – Originally a 14th round draft pick out of Georgia, Walston was one of the most productive players ever to wear an Eagles uniform. He broke in as a split end and later moved to tight end, but he handled most of the placekicking duties for a dozen seasons.

Walston hit one of the biggest clutch kicks in team history, a 38-yard field goal into the wind that gave the Eagles a 31-29 win over the Browns in Cleveland, a win that sparked the team’s drive to the 1960 NFL championship. Walston still holds the team record for most points in a game (25 vs. Washington, 1954) and he is the last Eagle to lead the NFL in scoring (114 points, 1954).

3. Paul McFadden (1984-87) – The Eagles selected McFadden as an afterthought in the 12th round of the 1984 draft. They had drafted another kicker, Manny Matsakis, in the eighth round. No one expected McFadden – a skinny barefoot kicker from Youngstown State – to make the team, but he was a pleasant surprise.

In his first two seasons, McFadden was successful on 55 of 67 field goal attempts, an 82 percent conversion rate. He was the first player in team history to top the 100-point mark in back-to-back seasons.

4. Tony Franklin (1979-83) – A third-round pick from Texas A&M, Franklin had a tremendous leg. He, too, was a barefoot kicker and he set a club record by booming a 59-yard field goal against the Dallas Cowboys in a 31-21 win at Texas Stadium in 1978. At the time, it was the second-longest field goal in NFL history.

Franklin had a very good rookie season, converting 23 of 31 field goals attempts and scoring 105 points, but he was erratic the next year (16 for 31 in 1980) and the team was ready to replace him after the 1982 season. He was traded to New England and kicked for the Patriot team that lost to Chicago in Super Bowl XX.

5. Gary Anderson (1995-96) – A well-traveled veteran, Anderson gave the Eagles and coach Ray Rhodes two very good seasons. I give Anderson the edge over Tom Dempsey, Sam Baker and Roger Ruzek because he was more accurate. He was successful on 47 of 59 field goal attempts as an Eagle. In 1996, he was almost automatic, hitting 25 of 29.