#10 Nate Kaeding | K
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Position: K College: Iowa Height: 6-0 Weight: 187 Age: 26 Experience: 5th NFL Season Acquired: Draft 3A - 2004 (65) Hometown: Coralville, Iowa |
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Career StatsNate Kaeding is about as steady as they come. A Pro Bowler in 2006, Kaeding is sure-footed and has earned a reputation as one of the NFL’s best young kickers. He comes into 2008 off another outstanding season, one where his 24 of 27 (.889) success rate on field goals was fifth-best in the NFL.
While solid in the regular season though, Kaeding had struggled during his career in the postseason. He was able to silence the critics however with a courageous performance in the AFC Championship Game. Despite playing with a fractured left leg, Kaeding hit all four of his field goal tries against New England on a day when the game-time temperature was just 23 degrees and winds of 17-22 mph lowered the wind-chill to an almost unbearable nine degrees. It allowed him to finish the 2007 postseason a very respectable five of seven on field goal tries.
Since being drafted by the Chargers in 2004, Kaeding has hit on 91 of 105 field goal tries in the regular season, an 86.7% conversion percentage that is the NFL’s fifth-highest over the last five seasons. Just as impressive is his team-record streak of 175 consecutive made PATs that dates back to the ’04 season. Though he has not yet made 100 field goals, the criteria for the team’s all-time record, Kaeding’s field goal percentage (.867) is much higher than that of the top two kickers all-time in team history, John Carney (.816) and Rolf Benirschke (.702). Kaeding should make his 100th field goal early in the 2008 season.
Kaeding is an avid golfer and frequently tees off with fellow special teamers David Binn and Mike Scifres. Several years ago, Kaeding transferred his golfing experience onto the football field, enlisting the services of a local golf professional to videotape and analyze his leg swing. The golf pro attends offseason workouts with Nate to film him while he is kicking. After each session, the two review the tape to help Nate improve on his kicking mechanics.
Kaeding is still renowned in his native Iowa City where one local restaurant, Bob’s Your Uncle Pizza and Cafe, named a pizza after the former Hawkeye standout. The Nate “Kato” Kaeding pizza is decked out with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and onions.
Each year, Kaeding returns to Iowa City to host a football camp with several former Iowa Hawkeyes, including Chargers teammate Mike Goff and Oakland Raiders tackle Robert Gallery. Kids who attend the camp receive instruction in football, soccer and basketball, all sports in which Nate excelled during his prep career at West High School.
Nate is married to his longtime girlfriend, Samantha Gervich. She is a substitute teacher in San Diego. Nate too has a long-standing interest in education. He earned a teaching certificate in secondary studies from Iowa and completed the Character Education Certification Program at the University of San Diego. That program is designed for educators to enhance their knowledge and ability to assess character education in schools and communities. The Kaedings are expecting their first child in early May.
An admitted movie buff, Kaeding has his own internet blog where he reviews films corridorbuzz.com, an online magazine that provides arts and entertainment news and reviews for the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor.
TRANSACTION HISTORY: Third-round draft pick (65) by San Diego, April 24, 2004…signed three-year contract July 26, 2004.
2007: Posted NFL’s fifth-highest field goal conversion rate (.889), making 24 of 27…hit first field goal of season from 44 yards late in fourth quarter of Week 3 game at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field…kick helped Chargers get within seven points with 20 seconds left, but Packers recovered onsides kick attempt to clinch victory…recorded first touchback of season against Kansas City Week 4…hit 51-yard field goal in second quarter against Chiefs, which was career-long at Qualcomm Stadium…also was first-career field goal of 50+ yards at Qualcomm…also added field goals from 24 and 38 yards for most field goals in game (three) since Oct. 8, 2006…recorded career-high four touchbacks in Mile High air of Denver’s Invesco Field Oct. 7…also connected on two field goals, 72nd and 73rd of his career as he took over sole possession of third place on team’s all-time made field goals list…Kaeding actually had to hit three field goals as his 35 yarder in second quarter was negated by holding penalty…undeterred, Kaeding calmly stepped up and stroked resulting 45 yarder on final play of first half to give his side 20-3 edge…hit all five PATs Week 7 vs. Houston, raising his career scoring total past 400 to 402…earned Game Ball from Head Coach Norv Turner after going 4-for-4 with three 40+ field goals against Baltimore Nov. 25…tied career-high with four FGs…hit from 27, 46 and 41 (twice)…was most 40+ FGs he’d ever hit in game and marked first time in his career he’d had more than two 40+ FGs at Qualcomm Stadium…injured left non-kicking leg on during opening kickoff of Dec. 24 ESPN Monday Night Football game against Denver, but remained in game and went three-for-three on field goal attempts, hitting from 40, 23 and 29 yards…did however relinquish kickoff duties to Mike Scifres…was perfect four-of-four on field goal attempts in AFC Championship Game, hitting from 26, 23, 40 and 24 yards on day not ideal for kicking as temperature at kickoff was 23 degrees with wind gusts of 17-22 mph that lowered wind chill factor to nine degrees.
2006: Selected to 2007 AFC Pro Bowl squad...named second-team All-Pro by Associated Press...named to All-AFC Team by Pro Football Weekly and Professional Football Writers of America...went 2 for 2 in season opener, hitting from 47 and 29 yards...actually missed kick from 42 yards in second quarter, but was run into by Oakland’s Nnamdi Asomugha, giving Bolts first down and four plays later he hit from 29...tied career-high with 4-for-4 effort Week 2 against Tennessee, hitting in order from 28, 31, 35 and 44 yards...hit career-long 54-yard field goal to tie team-record Oct. 1 at Baltimore...was 15th-consecutive made field goal which gave him third-longest streak in team history...streak ended when next kick was wide right from 40 yards out...bounced back from tough miss at Baltimore to go 3-for-3 in NBC Sunday Night game against Pittsburgh Oct. 8...all three makes (28, 33 and 22 yards) came in second half...also hit third touchback of season against Steelers, tying career-high...tied Rolf Benirschke’s team record with 87th consecutive made PAT on Oct. 15 at San Francisco...hit from 24 and 44 yards against 49ers, running string of good kicks to six in row...broke Benirschke’s record by hitting 88th consecutive PAT following Chargers’ first touchdown at Kansas City Oct. 22...named Chargers Alumni Player of Week following Chiefs’ game...racked up career-high three touchbacks at Denver Nov. 19...hit 42-yard field goal in extremely windy conditions at Buffalo Dec. 3...at Seattle on Dec. 24 went 2-for-2 on field goals in second half on 47-degree, rainy day with 18 mile per hour winds at kickoff...made both kicks in third quarter, including 46 yarder that gave Bolts 10-0 lead and 40 yarder that put them up 13-7...both would be huge as Chargers prevailed 20-17...scored nine points against Arizona in Dec. 31 season finale to raise season total to 136 and set new team kick-scoring record...slid past previous mark of 135, set by John Carney in 1994...hit both field goal tries against Cardinals, from 47 and 35 yards out...kicked game-winning field goal from 21 yards out for AFC as time expired in 2007 Pro Bowl.2005: Hit lone field-goal attempt from 33 yards to break 21-21 tie late in third quarter of season opener against Dallas…also recorded first touchback of season against Cowboys…made 42-yard field goal with 5:21 remaining in fourth quarter at Denver Sept. 18 that tied game 17-17…Broncos won game short time later on last-second field goal…had one touchback against Broncos and several kickoffs traveled into end zone…hit lone field-goal attempt from 44 yards for final points in 45-23 win over New York Giants in ESPN Sunday Night Football game Sept. 25…recorded third touchback of season against Giants…hit both field-goal attempts in 41-17 win at New England Oct. 2, connecting from 42 and 21 yards…set new career high with three field goals in Oct. 10 Monday Night Football game against Pittsburgh, hitting all three attempts from 34, 32 and 41 yards…nailed both field-goal attempts from 32 and 33 yards in 27-14 win at Oakland Oct. 16…hit 34-yard field-goal to give Chargers 17-10 lead in fourth quarter at Philadelphia Oct. 23…later in fourth quarter had 40-yard field goal blocked and returned 65 yards for touchdown and game winning points in 20-17 Eagles victory…was first missed field goal of season…hit lone field-goal attempt from 18 yards in fourth quarter for final points in 31-26 victory over New York Jets Nov. 6…converted kicks from 28 and 38 yards against Buffalo Nov. 20…also chalked up two special teams tackles versus Bills…bounced back from misses of 42 and 46 yards to hit season-long 48-yarder to bring Bolts back to within 17-10 at Washington Nov. 27…began comeback in which Bolts went on to win 23-17 in overtime…hit field goals of 41 and 32 yards in 34-10 ESPN Sunday Night Football win over Oakland Dec. 4…named Very Special Teams Player of Week by FOXSports.com and the Chargers Alumni Player of Week after hitting game-winning and season-long 49-yard field goal with 6:41 remaining in fourth quarter to lead Bolts to 26-17 win over previously-unbeaten Indianapolis Colts Dec. 18…set new career high with four field goals against Colts…49-yarder gave Chargers 19-17 lead after Colts had rallied from 16-0 deficit to take 17-16 lead…also hit 36, 20 and 48-yard field goals…48-yarder was then-season-long and had given Chargers 16-0 edge.
2004: Named to Pro Football Weekly and ESPN.com All-Rookie Teams…set team rookie record with 114 points…was leading scorer among all NFL rookies…finished season converting 20 of 25 field goals for impressive 80 percent…54 PATs for season were second-most in team history…hit first-career field goal from 48 yards in season opener at Houston…drilled 51-yard field goal in fourth quarter at Denver Sept. 26…nailed career-long 53-yard attempt at Atlanta Oct. 17…missed first-career field goal attempt from 29 yards in second quarter at Carolina Oct. 24 but bounced back with 44-yarder in fourth quarter to give Bolts 10-6 lead…missed first-career PAT on block at Oakland Nov. 21 following game’s opening touchdown…kicked game-winning 43-yard field goal with 2:24 remaining in fourth quarter at Kansas City Nov. 28…overcame difficult first half against Chiefs during which he missed field goals of 29 and 52 yards and had kickoff roll out of bounds…with 10 points against Chiefs, raised point total for season to 83, third-most by rookie in team history…40-yard field goal with 2:06 remaining in fourth quarter helped ice 31-24 victory over Tampa Bay Dec. 12…finished Buccaneers game with seven points, including four PATs, to raise season total to 98 points, good to move into second place on team’s all-time list for rookie scoring…drilled 50-yard field goal at Indianapolis Dec. 26…scored seven points against Colts to raise season total to 108, setting new rookie record, surpassing previous mark of 106 by Dennis Partee in 1968…hit 35-yard field goal in fourth quarter to bring Chargers within seven points in Wild Card Playoff game against New York Jets Jan 8.
COLLEGE: Set school records for consecutive field goals (22), consecutive extra points (60), career field goals (67) and career extra points (166)…set school and conference kicking record with 373 career points…converted 24 of 29 career field goals beyond 40 yards…made 20 of 21 as senior…unanimous All-America choice as junior and senior including Associated Press…Lou Groza Award winner as junior as nation’s top kicker…two-time Academic All-America…three-time All-Big Ten selection…five-time selection as Big Ten Special Teams Player of Week…two-time Academic All-Big Ten…two-time team captain and three-time Special Teams Player of Year…recipient of Hayden Fry “Extra Heartbeat” Award as senior…National Honor Society student…served on school’s Leadership Council…played at Iowa from 2000-03…earned degree in history and secondary education.
PERSONAL: Born March 26, 1982 in Iowa City, Iowa…all-state and all-conference kicker at West High School in Iowa City…set state records for kicking points (93), extra points (63) and touchbacks (53) as senior…teams won consecutive state championships junior and senior seasons posting perfect 26-0 record…lettered in basketball and soccer…starting point guard on state championship basketball team as senior…clinched state championship for soccer team senior year by scoring game-winning goal in overtime shootout.
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