Dan Carpenter
Encyclopedia
Daniel Roy Carpenter is an American football
placekicker
for the Miami Dolphins
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008 after playing college football
at the University of Montana
.
(Montana), where he was a member of the National Honor Society
and had a 3.7 GPA
.
As a football player at Helena, Carpenter was a two-time all-state and two-time all-league selection as a kicker and punter. During his senior season, he converted 26 of 29 point after
attempts and made five field goals with a long of 53 yards. Additionally, he was a first all-conference and second-team all-state selection as a wide receiver
, setting school records with 931 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
. His 123 points that season were the second-highest total in school history, and his performance earned him a second-team All-Big Sky
selection.
As a sophomore in 2005, Carpenter went 14-for-21 (66.7 percent) on field-goal attempts and punted nine times for a 41.4-yard average. on the way to his second straight second-team All-Big Sky selection. His streak of 67 consecutive extra points made dating back to his freshman season was snapped in the 2005 season opener against Fort Lewis
.
Carpenter earned his third straight All-Big Sky selection as a junior in 2006, receiving second-team honors as a placekicker as well as being an honorable mention as a punter. Additionally, he was named a first-team All-America
n by the Associated Press
. On the season, he converted 24 of 30 field goals (80 percent) with four blocked and punted 62 times for a 41.9-yard average.
Carpenter had the most efficient season of his career as a senior in 2007, converting 19 of 23 field goals (82.6 percent). His performance earned him his fourth-straight All-Big Sky selection and second straight All-America selection.
In his four years at Montana, Carpenter converted on 54 of 75 field goals (72.8 percent) and punted 71 times for a 41.8-yard average. He also passed once for 14 yards, rushed twice for 17 yards and a touchdown, caught one pass for two yards and made seven solo tackles.
, Carpenter signed a two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins
on April 29, 2008. The deal included a $7,500 signing bonus.
The Dolphins released 2007 starting kicker Jay Feely
on August 12, 2008 (despite having set the Dolphins single-season field-goal percentage record in his only season), having already released try-out signing Dave Rayner
on June 6. The decision effectively selected Carpenter to be the starting kicker for the 2008 season, with coach Tony Sparano
commenting that the decision to cut Feely "was based purely on numbers, on performance, and Carpenter has outperformed him right now. That's the bottom line."
Carpenter made his professional debut on September 7, 2008 (Week 1) against the Jets, going 2/2 on PAT's (the team attempted no FG's). He kicked his first professional field goal the following week against the Cardinals, finishing the game with 1/1 FG's and 1/1 PAT's.
On November 30, 2008, Carpenter set the Dolphins' rookie record for most consecutive field goals made with 11.
Carpenter was awarded the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November 2008, for converting all eight of his field goal attempts during the month, including five from a distance longer than 40 yards.
According to NFL stats, Carpenter finished the 2009 season going 25 for 28 on field goals with a long of 52 yards. He also finished 40 for 40 on extra point attempts.
Carpenter made his first Pro Bowl
in 2009
. San Diego Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding
did not play due to injury, and Carpenter took his spot.
As of the end of the 2010 season, Carpenter is the second most accurate kicker in NFL history, behind Kaeding.
On December 5, 2010, Carpenter made a 60-yard field goal in a home game against the Cleveland Browns
. This was the longest field goal in Miami Dolphins history.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008 after playing college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Montana
Montana Grizzlies football
The Montana Grizzlies football program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football. The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference, where it is a founding member, since 1963...
.
Early years
Carpenter attended Helena High SchoolHelena High School
Helena High School is a public high school for grades 9 through 12 located in Helena, Montana. It is part of the Helena Public School District. Founded in September 1876, it is the oldest high school in the state of Montana.-Curriculum:...
(Montana), where he was a member of the National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
and had a 3.7 GPA
Grade (education)
Grades are standardized measurements of varying levels of comprehension within a subject area. Grades can be assigned in letters , as a range , as a number out of a possible total , as descriptors , in percentages, or, as is common in some post-secondary...
.
As a football player at Helena, Carpenter was a two-time all-state and two-time all-league selection as a kicker and punter. During his senior season, he converted 26 of 29 point after
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
attempts and made five field goals with a long of 53 yards. Additionally, he was a first all-conference and second-team all-state selection as a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, setting school records with 931 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
College career
Carpenter then became the placekicker at the University of Montana as a true freshman in 2004. He went 18-for-29 (62.1 percent) on field-goal attempts while converting all 63 extra-point tries. Carpenter also rushed twice for 17 yards and scored a touchdownTouchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. His 123 points that season were the second-highest total in school history, and his performance earned him a second-team All-Big Sky
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
selection.
As a sophomore in 2005, Carpenter went 14-for-21 (66.7 percent) on field-goal attempts and punted nine times for a 41.4-yard average. on the way to his second straight second-team All-Big Sky selection. His streak of 67 consecutive extra points made dating back to his freshman season was snapped in the 2005 season opener against Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
.
Carpenter earned his third straight All-Big Sky selection as a junior in 2006, receiving second-team honors as a placekicker as well as being an honorable mention as a punter. Additionally, he was named a first-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. On the season, he converted 24 of 30 field goals (80 percent) with four blocked and punted 62 times for a 41.9-yard average.
Carpenter had the most efficient season of his career as a senior in 2007, converting 19 of 23 field goals (82.6 percent). His performance earned him his fourth-straight All-Big Sky selection and second straight All-America selection.
In his four years at Montana, Carpenter converted on 54 of 75 field goals (72.8 percent) and punted 71 times for a 41.8-yard average. He also passed once for 14 yards, rushed twice for 17 yards and a touchdown, caught one pass for two yards and made seven solo tackles.
Statistics
| Career Statistics | |||||||||||
| Kicking | Punting | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G | FGA | FGM | Lng | Pct | PAT | No. | Yards | Lng | Avg. | |
| 2004 | 15 | 29 | 18 | 49 | 62.1 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 12 | 21 | 14 | 50 | 66.7 | 34 | 9 | 373 | 55 | 41.4 | |
| 2006 | 14 | 30 | 24 | 50 | 80.0 | 41 | 62 | 2595 | 63 | 41.9 | |
| 2007 | 12 | 23 | 19 | 54 | 82.6 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 53 | 103 | 75 | 54 | 72.8 | 182 | 71 | 2968 | 63 | 41.8 | |
Miami Dolphins
After going undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
, Carpenter signed a two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on April 29, 2008. The deal included a $7,500 signing bonus.
The Dolphins released 2007 starting kicker Jay Feely
Jay Feely
Thomas James "Jay" Feely is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. Jay played for the Temple Terrace Spirit Soccer team that won the National Championships when he was 16....
on August 12, 2008 (despite having set the Dolphins single-season field-goal percentage record in his only season), having already released try-out signing Dave Rayner
Dave Rayner
David Michael "Dave" Rayner is an American football placekicker who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
on June 6. The decision effectively selected Carpenter to be the starting kicker for the 2008 season, with coach Tony Sparano
Tony Sparano
Anthony "Tony" Sparano III is an American Football head coach of the Miami Dolphins. At age 17, Sparano had an incident which burnt his eyes, which is why he always wears his signature sunglasses even at night...
commenting that the decision to cut Feely "was based purely on numbers, on performance, and Carpenter has outperformed him right now. That's the bottom line."
Carpenter made his professional debut on September 7, 2008 (Week 1) against the Jets, going 2/2 on PAT's (the team attempted no FG's). He kicked his first professional field goal the following week against the Cardinals, finishing the game with 1/1 FG's and 1/1 PAT's.
On November 30, 2008, Carpenter set the Dolphins' rookie record for most consecutive field goals made with 11.
Carpenter was awarded the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November 2008, for converting all eight of his field goal attempts during the month, including five from a distance longer than 40 yards.
According to NFL stats, Carpenter finished the 2009 season going 25 for 28 on field goals with a long of 52 yards. He also finished 40 for 40 on extra point attempts.
Carpenter made his first Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
in 2009
2010 Pro Bowl
The 2010 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2009 season. It took place at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV...
. San Diego Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding
Nate Kaeding
Nathaniel James Kaeding is an American football placekicker who plays for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft in the 3rd round with a pick acquired from the Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade. He played college football at Iowa...
did not play due to injury, and Carpenter took his spot.
As of the end of the 2010 season, Carpenter is the second most accurate kicker in NFL history, behind Kaeding.
On December 5, 2010, Carpenter made a 60-yard field goal in a home game against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. This was the longest field goal in Miami Dolphins history.