Richie Cunningham (American football)
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| Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | August 18, 1970 Houma, Louisiana | ||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 167 lb (76 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Terrebonne | ||||||||
| College: | Louisiana-Lafayette | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1994 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Richard Anthony "Richie" Cunningham (born August 18, 1970 in Houma, Louisiana) is a former All-Pro National Football League placekicker who played for the Dallas Cowboys, the Carolina Panthers, and the Jacksonville Jaguars during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He attended Terrebonne High School and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
Early years
He attended Terrebonne High School and went on to play football at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he was the kickoff specialist since his freshman year and became the team's placekicker until his junior year.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys (first stint)
Cunningham was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys in 1994, but was released at the end of training camp after being beaten out by Chris Boniol.
Green Bay Packers
He signed with the Green Bay Packers in 1996 and although he had an excellent preseason, including a game-winning field goal against the Baltimore Ravens, the team decided to keep Chris Jacke.
Dallas Cowboys (second stint)
In 1997 he finally made a team and became an All-Pro kicker in his first NFL season. He was 34 for 37 on his field goal attempts, leading the NFL in field goals made, setting the club record and ranking second for a rookie in league history.[1] He was also second in the NFL in field goal percentage and points scored (also a team record). He was 24 for 24 on extra points.
In 1998, he tied a franchise record with a 54-yard field goal and made 29 of his 35 field goal attempts, which at the time ranked third in club history. The Cowboys released him 12 games into the 1999 season, after he slumped to 12 for 22 in his field goal attempts.[2]
Carolina Panthers
Cunningham finished the 1999 season playing in three games for the Carolina Panthers, replacing injured kicker John Kasay. He appeared in four more games for the Panthers in 2000.
Cincinnati Bengals
He signed in 2001 with the Cincinnati Bengals, but couldn't make the team over Neil Rackers.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Cunningham last season was in 2002, appearing in one game for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He finished with 84 for 105 field goal attempts, which at the time, his 80 percent rate was tied for 27th all-time in a career.[3]
Personal life
He also received some notoriety during his NFL career for sharing the same name of the Happy Days television character played by Ron Howard.
Cunningham currently works for a pharmaceutical company. He is married and has three kids.