Eagles kicker gets perfect nickname
Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott has enjoyed a great career. Only David Akers has made more field goals for the team, but Elliott just got something Akers never had: a cool nickname.
Elliott’s been a fan favorite since 2017 when he nailed a game-winning 61-yard field goal against the Giants in his second NFL start. Since then he’s made 151 of 177 attempted field goals and 235 of 247 extra points.
He’s currently tied with the Cowboys' Brandon Aubrey for most field goals (13) made this year, and his 61-yard kick against Minnesota in Week 2 remains the second-longest kick of 2023.
After hitting a 54-yard field goal to beat the Commanders in overtime last week, Philadelphia decided to give him a nickname, “Jake the Make.” That has a nice ring to it, but how does it stack up against kicker nicknames of the past and present? Have a look:
Martin “Automatica Gramatica”
Gramatica spent 11 years kicking for the Buccaneers, Colts, Cowboys and Saints. He missed two extra points in his career but went 155 for 203 on field goals. His 76.35 career field goal percentage ranks 84th in NFL history, which ultimately makes the “Automatica” tag a bit misleading.
“Automatic” Adam Vinatieri
Sensing a theme? Vinatieri spent 24 years in the NFL, his first 10 with the Patriots and the last 14 with the Colts. He made 599 of 715 field goals, giving him the 32nd-best percentage in NFL history.
In 2002, the Hall of Famer kicked a 45-yard field goal for New England to force overtime and a 23-yarder in blizzard conditions to win the famous “Tuck Rule Game.” He also had game-winning kicks in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII and is still the NFL’s all-time leading scorer with 2,673 points. Sorry, Gramatica, all derivations of “automatic” belong to Vinatieri.
Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein (aka Legatron)
Either name works for the current Jets kicker. Zuerlein earned the nickname by making seven field goals of 50 yards or more and all seven kicks from 40-49 yards as a rookie in 2012. His 82.1 career field goal percentage ranks 46th in NFL history, but his nickname is easily top-two.
Cameron "Dicker the Kicker"
Honestly, does it matter how many field goals he’s made in 15 career games? That nickname might be the best the NFL has ever seen. The Chargers seemed to like it last year when they unapologetically made this post.
Sorry, Elliott, you may have the 19th-best field goal percentage in NFL history right now, but “Jake the Make” is no “Dicker the Kicker.” Just be glad your name doesn’t rhyme with “double-doink.”
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