Jason Witczak

Infobox NFLactive


currentteam=Arizona Rattlers
currentnumber=11
currentpositionplain=Placekicker
birthdate=birth date and age|1978|5|24
birthplace=North Fond du Lac, WI
heightft=6
heightin=1
weight=195
debutyear=
debutteam=
highlights=
* Nashville Kats Franchise Record 57 yard FG
college=Southeast Missouri State
undraftedyear=2001
pastteams=
* Tennessee Titans (2001-2002)*
* Rhein Fire - NFL Europe (2002)
* Buffalo Bills (2002)*
* Arizona Rattlers - AFL (2004)
* Nashville Kats - AFL (2006-2007)
* Arizona Rattlers - AFL (2008-current):*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
ProBowls=
HOF=

Jason Witczak (born May 24, 1978 in North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) is an American Football player. He is currently the kicker for the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League. Witczak has also spent time on the rosters of the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills.

College career

An all-conference wide receiver, safety and punter at Horace Mann High School in North Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, Witczak attended the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and played on the golf team. The school did not have a football program and Witczak transferred to Marshall University in 1998 to play both sports. He played his sophomore and junior seasons at Marshall University, where he was the long distance field goal kicker, making a long of 46 yards.

Witczak then transferred to Southeast Missouri State University, where he was named to the 2000 Football Gazette NCAA Division I-AA All American Team as a punter, where he had a nation-leading 41.3 net punting average. Witczak punted 48 times for 1983 yards and a 41.3 yard average with 15 punts inside the 20 yard line, also connecting on 5-9 field goals with a long of 44.

AFL career

2004

Witczak began his AFL career as a midseason replacement for the Arizona Rattlers. During the 3rd quarter of his AFL first game, Jason suffered a season ending injury after tearing his ACL on a kickoff. He finished the game 3-of-5 extra points and 0-of-1 on field goals and was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the 2004 season. He spend the 2005 preseason with the Rattlers, where he was released before the regular season began.

2006

Witczak was signed as a midseason replacement for the Nashville Kats, where he played in 7 games, hitting 4-11 (36.4%) on FG's and 41-46 (89.1%) on PATs. During the Kats' 1st round playoff game, Witczak was a perfect 4-4 (all in the first half) on FG's and 3-4 on PATs in a losing effort.

2007

Witczak broke a Kat's record for longest FG in a game, after hitting a 57 yard FG in a Week 1 loss to the Columbus Destroyers. He finished the season hitting 4-13 (30.8%) on FG's and 91.2% (103-113) on PAT's. His percentage on XPAT's tied him for 8th in the AFL.

2008

Witczak began the season 15-16 on PAT's and 0-2 on FG's before tearing the ACL in his kicking leg on a blocked 59 yard field goal attempt in week 3 vs. the San Jose Sabercats. After the injury, Jason continued to kick field goals, extra points and kickoffs, making his last 3 extra point attempts in the game. Ironically, the ACL was the in the same leg where his initial ACL tear occurred during his first tenure with the Rattlers. He is currently on the Injured Reserve list and will not play again this season.

"Note: AFL Goal posts are nine-feet wide with a crossbar height of 15 feet (NFL goalposts are 18 1/2 wide with the crossbar at 10 feet)."

Golf career

Witczak is a certified golf teaching professional and has taught regularly since 2003 in Phoenix at the JW Marriot Desert Ridge at Wildfire Golf Club where he is a Class A PGA Professional.

Witczak is also a professional golfer and has competed in numerous Mini-Tour events and PGA Section events. In 2004, Jason won the Titleist/Foot Joy Assistant Pro Championship. In October 2005, he qualified and played in the Taylor-Made/Adidas National Assistant PGA Championship. He also competed in the 2006 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship (WLDC), qualifying by winning both the local qualifier, backed by a 371 yard drive, and the district qualifier with a 342 yard launch. He made it to round five of seven. In the 2007 Remax World Long Drive, Jason finished 13th in the World hitting the second longest drive in competition at 404 yards.

External links

* [http://www.azrattlers.com/team/roster/index.html?player_id=63 Arizona Rattlers' player profile]
* [http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=4409| Arenafan.com Bio]
* [http://www.golfbusinesswire.com/2006_articles/110274| Re/Max World Long Drive Champions Article on golfbusinesswire.com]
* [http://www.kicking.com/witczak.asp "Jason Witczak Diary from NFL Europe"]