David Akers

David Roy Akers (born September 12, 1974, in
Lexington, Kentucky) is an American football
placekicker who currently plays for the
Philadelphia Eagles.  

He is considered one of the premium kickers in the
National Football League.  He attended college at
the University of Louisville, but was not selected
by any team in the NFL Draft.  Between 1997 and
1998 he spent time trying to make the team with
the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and the
Washington Redskins.  He was signed by the
Redskins in 1998 and played in one game for them,
making two extra point|extra points but missing
two field goal attempts.  He was later released by
Washington, and was claimed from waivers by the
Philadelphia Eagles in 1999. He was then allocated
to NFL Europe, where he played one season for the
Berlin Thunder.  He impressed scouts with his
power and accuracy, and earned the permanent
kicker spot for the Eagles in 2000.

He made the longest field goal in Philadelphia on
September 11th, 2003: a 57 yarder against the New
England Patriots. He owns the team record for most
points scored in one season (133, in 2002). He has
also earned three Pro Bowl selections (2001, 2002,
2004), and he scored the second most points ever
in a playoff game in NFL history (15, in 2001
against the Chicago Bears).

He practices martial arts like Jiu-Jitsu and
Shaolin Kempo, and it helps him to focus when he
attempts a kick.