Jason Hanson
 Jason Hanson kicked the game winning field goal in a Lions game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 16, 2007. | |||||||||
| Detroit Lions | |||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | June 17, 1970 Spokane, Washington | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| College: | Washington State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1992 / Round: 2 / Pick: 56 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2010 | |||||||||
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Jason Douglas Hanson (born June 17, 1970 in Spokane, Washington) is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he has spent his entire 20 year career. He has been a captain for the Lions for five straight years.
High school career
Hanson attended Mead Senior High School in Spokane, Washington and lettered in football, soccer, track, and basketball. As a senior, he won All-Greater Spokane League honors as both a kicker and punter and was named a first team All-State honoree by the Washington Sportswriters Association.
College career
Hanson attended Washington State University, where he set or tied many NCAA records. At WSU he was a teammate of quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Hanson's percentage of 57.1 for field goals from 50 yards or greater is both a school and Pacific-12 Conference record. He holds the record for most field goals from 50 yards or more (20), and 40 yards or more (39). His school records include most points scored (328), most games with two or more field goals (20), field goals (63), and PATs (139). He received a bachelor of science degree in Premed.
Pro career
Hanson was selected in the second round (56th overall) of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Lions, for whom he still plays today. No NFL player has been with the same team as long as Hanson (300 games), setting the record in Week 2 of the 2011 season vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. With the trade of Brett Favre, as well as the retirement of Michael Strahan, Hanson is the last player to have played for the same team he played for prior to the advent of free agency and the salary cap in the NFL. Hanson is only the second placekicker the Lions have employed since the start of the 1980 season.
Currently in his 20th season with the Lions, Hanson is the all-time longest-tenured Lion, and is the only one that was with the team for both its playoff runs in the 1990s as well as the team's now-infamous 0-16 campaign in 2008. He is tied with both Jackie Slater and Darrell Green (who each spent 20 seasons with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Washington Redskins, respectively) for the most consecutive seasons playing for one team. Slater, Green, and Lou Groza (whose 21-year career with the Browns was non-consecutive due to a brief one-year retirement) are all now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Hanson is the team's all-time leader in scoring, with 1,890 points, and in field goals with 439, and holds a variety of other team records for kicking and scoring. He represented the NFC in the Pro Bowl in 1998 and 1999, and was an alternate in 1997 and 2008. He has scored 17 game-winning field goals in his career; eight in regulation and nine in overtime.
On December 14, 2008, against the Indianapolis Colts, Hanson passed Morten Andersen for most 50+ yard field goals in NFL history. Hanson again had a good year, ending the 2008 NFL season 21 for 22 on field goal attempts (including 8 for 8 from 50+ yards) and 25 for 26 on extra point attempts. Statistically this was the second best season of Hanson's career with field goal attempts, only missing one. After the late 2010 NFL season, Hanson has only missed eight extra points in his career, 5 of which were blocked.
On December 2, 2010, the Lions placed him on injured reserve due to an injured right knee.[1]
Was named NFC Special Teams player of the month for September 2011 after kicking a perfect 8 of 8 field goals for the month. This is his fifth-career Special Teams Player of the Month award and his first since November of 2003.
All-Time NFL scoring list
As of 30 September 2011, Hanson ranks as the seventh leading scorer all-time, with 1,925 points
Hanson moved into eighth-place all-time on November 16, 2008 with 10 points against the Carolina Panthers, for a total of 1,714 points.
Following his third successful field goal attempt in the November 4, 2007 game against the Denver Broncos, Hanson became the eleventh player in NFL history to score more than 1,600 points.
NFL records
- Most field goals (50 or more yards) (total) - 47 out 85 attempts[2]
- Most field goals (50 or more yards) in a season - 8 (tied with Morten Andersen)
- Became the second player in league history to score 200+ points against 3 different teams (Packers, Bears, Vikings)
- Most career games with one NFL team (300)[3]
Personal Life
His brother Travis was a kicker for the University of Washington Huskies. He and his wife, Kathleen, were married in 1992 and have three children together.
References
External links
Template:2000 Pro Bowl NFC starters Template:CurrentNFLKickers