- Tony Franklin (placekicker)
NFL player
Name=Tony Franklin
DateOfBirth=birth date and age|1956|11|18|mf=y
Birthplace=Big Spring, Texas
DateofDeath=
Position=Kicker
College=Texas A&M
DraftedYear=1979
DraftedRound=3
DraftedPick=74
Stats=Y
DatabaseFootball=FRANKTON01
PFR=frankton01
years=1979-1983
1984-1987
1988
teams=Philadelphia Eagles New England Patriots Miami Dolphins
ProBowls=1985Anthony Ray Franklin (born
November 18 ,1956 inBig Spring, Texas ) is a formerNational Football League football kicker between 1979 to 1988 for thePhiladelphia Eagles , theNew England Patriots and theMiami Dolphins . Franklin was best known for hisbarefoot kicking style.College career
Franklin played
college football atTexas A&M University where he set the record for the longest collegiate field goal of 65 yards onOctober 16 ,1976 againstBaylor University . This record was short-lived whenOve Johansson —on the same day—kicked a 69 yard field goal. However, Franklin also kicked a 64 yard field goal in the same game and remains the only college player to kick two 60+ yard field goals in one game.Franklin finished his collegiate career with 18
NCAA records, including most career field goals (56), career kick scoring (291 points), most field goals of 50 yards or longer in a career (16), most field goals made in a three year career (45) and longest average for field goals made in a career (39.5 yards). He was a consensusAll-American pick as a sophomore in 1976 and earned All-American honors again as a senior in 1978.He is listed as a "Legend of the
Sun Bowl " by the Sun Bowl Association. He is also a member of the Sun Bowl's 75th Anniversary All-Sun Bowl Team. [cite news|url=http://www.ncaafootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=34&url_article_id=12337&change_well_id=2|title=Sun Bowl Association Honors 75 Players On 75th Anniversary Team]NFL career
Franklin was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the
1979 NFL Draft . He was credited with the fourth longest field goal (at the time) in NFL history during hisrookie year with the Eagles, a 59-yarder at Dallas on November 12, 1979. Franklin played inSuper Bowl XV and kicked a 30-yard field goal.On February 21, 1984, Franklin was traded to the Patriots for a sixth round draft choice in the
1985 NFL Draft . He led the NFL in scoring (140 points) and field goals made (32) in 1986 and was selected to represent the AFC in thePro Bowl . He played inSuper Bowl XX and kicked a 36-yard field goal.References
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