Philadelphia Eagles: 30 greatest players in franchise history

Fact: Field goal kicking is important. Even more important, Tony Danza once attempted this profession as a part-time placekicker/full-time refuse collector. Best Disney Channel Original Movie ever. I’d like to think his silver screen greatness inspired the should-be Pro Football Hall of Fame career of the greatest field goal kicking phenom in Eagles history. Yes, I’m talking about David Akers.

Before he tried to one-up Drew Pearson in the 2018 NFL Draft, Akers kicked it long for The Birds for over a decade. While the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins and the Berlin Thunder said no, the Eagles thankfully said yes to the kicking services of Akers. He is the Eagles’ all-time points leader, having made five of this six Pro Bowls in Eagles uniform.

Akers began kicking field goals for the Eagles in 1999 and didn’t stop until 2010. He would play three more years split between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions before retiring. The left-footed placekicker was insanely accurate during his time with the Eagles. He converted on a ridiculous 82.4 percent of his field goal attempts. Akers made 98.7 percent of his PATs, but all of those were before PATs were moved back 15 yards.

Akers is a member of the Eagles’ 75th Anniversary Team, the Eagles Hall of Fame and made the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s, during which he played for the Eagles the entire time. He may very well one day make it to Canton, but only recently have placekicker gotten their due in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Morten Andersen just made it. Gary Andersen is still waiting. And Adam Vinatieri is still playing. It remains to be seen if the Eagles will have another kicker as accurate or as consistent as Akers.