Mike Cofer (kicker)

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Mike Cofer
No. 4, 6, 3
Position:Kicker
Personal information
Born: (1964-02-19) February 19, 1964 (age 60)
Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:Charlotte Country Day
(Charlotte, North Carolina)
College:NC State
Undrafted:1987
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Awards1994 Featherlite Southwest Tour Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
3 races run over 1 year
Best finish61st (2002)
First race2002 Power Stroke Diesel 200 (IRP)
Last race2002 Ford 200 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of February 13, 2012.
Career NFL statistics
Games:102
FG Att:201
FGM:133
Pct:66.2
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

James Michael Cofer (born February 19, 1964) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He attended Charlotte Country Day School. A 6'2", 197 lb (89 kg) kicker from North Carolina State University, Cofer played in the NFL from 1987–1993 and 1995. In the 1990s and 2002, he was also a stock car racing driver in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Professional career[edit]

Cofer was the kicker for the San Francisco 49ers when they won back-to-back Super BowlsSuper Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XXIV.

Cofer had a strong leg but was inconsistent for the 49ers in the late 1980s. Fans lost faith in him early in the 1990s as he missed several short field goals, the lowest point being in 1991 where he made just 14 of 28 attempts. Cofer eventually ended his career with the Indianapolis Colts in 1995.

Racing career[edit]

In 1993, Cofer began racing in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour, running a race at Sears Point Raceway and finishing 39th after an oil pump failed.[1] The following year, he began racing full-time in the series for JMC Enterprises, driving the No. 79 Chevrolet. Four races into the season, he won his first career race from the pole position at Stockton 99 Speedway, leading all 100 laps.[2] He won two more poles at Saugus Speedway and Tucson Raceway Park, finishing fifth in the final points standings[3] and winning the series' Rookie of the Year Award.[4]

In 1995, he was offered an invitation to compete in the newly formed SuperTruck Series presented by Craftsman, but turned it down to take the job as kickers coach with the Carolina Panthers.[4] In 2002, Cofer ran three races in the Truck Series starting at Indianapolis Raceway Park,[5] driving the No. 04 Ford F-150 for Quality Motorsports and finishing 33rd after his radiator failed.[6] He ran another for the team at Phoenix International Raceway,[7] starting 30th and finishing 21st, his best runs of the season.[8] Cofer later joined Ware Racing Enterprises for the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, driving the No. 5 Dodge Ram. After starting last, he finished 26th, the last car running.[9]

Motorsports career results[edit]

NASCAR[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Craftsman Truck Series[edit]

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 NCTC Pts Ref
2002 Quality Motorsports 04 Ford DAY DAR MAR GTY PPR DOV TEX MEM MLW KAN KEN NHA MCH IRP
33
NSH RCH TEX SBO LVS CAL PHO
21
61st 249 [10]
Ware Racing Enterprises 5 Dodge HOM
26

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1993 Budweiser 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  2. ^ "1994 Plummer Pontiac 100". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  3. ^ "1994 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Daytona less than kind to racer Rusty Wallace". The Tuscaloosa News. February 5, 1995. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  5. ^ "Former Niner Mike Cofer moving up in NASCAR ranks". Las Vegas Sun. July 24, 2002. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  6. ^ "2002 Power Stroke Diesel 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  7. ^ "2002 Chevy Silverado 150". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  8. ^ Pockrass, Bob (January 31, 2014). "NFL and NASCAR: Former NFL stars who dabbled in stock-car racing". Sporting News. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  9. ^ "2002 Ford 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  10. ^ "Mike Cofer – 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2023.

External links[edit]