Paul Hornung-Last Nonspecialty Placekicker

[LeonardRachiele]

Paul Hornung was one of the most versatile and dependable running backs in NFL history.  He was a mainstay of the Green Bay Packer teams of the sixties and in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Hornung was a good runner,  pass catcher, blocker, halfback option play passer, and kicker of field goals and extra points.  For 1963,  Commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended him for gambling on games.

When he returned  to Green Bay in 1964, all skills looked intact except for kicking.   Hornung's timing was way off , making only 12 of 38 field goal tries and even missing a few extra points.  Baltimore finished first at 12-2, three and a half games better than the second place Packers.  The difference was clearly kicking.  To show:

Game 2 at home with the Baltimore Colts. Lost 21 to 20. Hornung missed five field goals and an extra point.
Game 4 at home with the Minnesota Vikings.  Lost 24 to 23.  A missed extra point would have meant a tie.
Game 6 at Baltimore. Lost 24 to 21.  Once again, Paul Hornung  missed five field goals.

With better placekicking, Green Bay would have won the title.  The Packers got Don Chandler from the New York Giants during the off-season.  The Packers dynasty resumed and Paul Hornung was the last of the placekickers who did other things.

[RichardBak]

Paul Hornung was the last of the placekickers who did other things.

George Blanda, Gino Cappelletti, and some others would probably disagree.

[Bryan]

I think Jim O'Brien was the last kicker who regularly played a different position. Can't wait for the upcoming thread of "Bill Hewitt: last of the two-way players"

[JohnTurney]

I think Jim O'Brien was the last kicker who regularly played a different position. Can't wait for the upcoming thread of "Bill Hewitt: last of the two-way players"

David ray was a receiver as well. Never caught a pass. But ran drills with WRs when he wasn't kicking. He got into at least one game, opening day 1971. WR coach sent him in. Prothro says it and yells, "What's Ray doing in there" and he got yanked.

Never saw him again, though if could have happened, probably never targeted if he were in at some point

[JuggernautJ]

Doug Flutie... drop kick.
'Nuff said.

[Retro Rider]

David ray was a receiver as well. Never caught a pass. But ran drills with WRs when he wasn't kicking. He got into at least one game, opening day 1971. WR coach sent him in. Prothro says it and yells, "What's Ray doing in there" and he got yanked.

Never saw him again, though if could have happened, probably never targeted if he were in at some point

David Ray also played safety for the Montreal Alouettes in 1968. In addition to placekicking duties he led the club in interceptions that season with 3.

On a side note, one of Ray's teammates that year was future NFL All-Pro punter David Lewis. Lewis was not only a great punter but he led Montreal in pass receiving in '68 with 41 receptions.

[PA Wingman]

I think Lou Michaels and Wayne Walker were still kicking after that job was taken from Hornung.

[RichardBak]

Gino Cappelletti once intercepted 3 passes in a game vs Oakland. Shades of Sammy Baugh.

And why the hell isn't Gino in the HOF? Five scoring titles, just to start.

[Gary Najman]

OIlers LB (and future Packers GM Ted Thompson) kicked 4 extra points in their 1980 classic game at Shea Stadium. I know there have been other non-skill players to have kicked extra points and field goals, but I don't know if someone has 4 successful kicks since then.

[Gary Najman]

In a 1989 Falcons-49ers game, Atlanta QB Chris Miller scored a field goal (it was the only Falcons score of that game), because K Paul McFadden got injured (I don't remember if it was on the opening kickoff or in the warm ups before the game).