Dirk Borgognone
Encyclopedia
Dirk Ronald Borgognone is a retired former National Football League
placekicker
who currently holds the record for the longest field goal ever kicked in the history of high school football
, 68 yards.
Borgognone attended Reno High School
, initially playing as a soccer player. He soon switched to football and was trained in a "straight-on" kicking style. On September 27, 1985, he kicked the longest field goal in high school football history, during a Reno High School
game at Sparks High School
. The kick measured 68 yards, and was longer than any that had ever been successfully kicked in the NFL or the NCAA. Borgognone was thereafter relegated solely to kicks of over 50 yards after his kick and missing all eight of his subsequent attempts, not kicking a single successful field goal the rest of his high school career. He would convert three field goals in a subsequent all-star game, being named the game's MVP. After high school, Borgognone attended Truckee Meadows Community College before transferring to the University of the Pacific. Borgognone's college career, however, was derailed by a 1988 change to the NCAA rule books that banned kicking off tees for field goal attempts. This not only reduced the general range for field goals (the record off a tee was 67 yards, without, only 65), but Borgognone had always kicked off a tee and was unprepared for the change. Frustrated, Borgognone left college early to pursue an NFL career as a kickoff specialist.
Much like Ove Johansson
, whose 69-yard field goal in the NAIA in 1976 is the only field goal on record to have bested Borgognone's kick, Borgognone struggled to make the National Football League. He spent many years bouncing between NFL training camps, mainly as a kickoff specialist (the NFL had prohibited the use of kicking tees for field goals and extra points for decades). He received unsuccessful tryouts from the Minnesota Vikings
in 1990, the Atlanta Falcons
in 1991, the Cleveland Browns
in 1992, and the Indianapolis Colts
in 1993. Both the Miami Dolphins
and Washington Redskins
gave him a tryout during the 1994 NFL season
, but neither team signed him. He was picked up by the Green Bay Packers
for the 1995 season
and was on the roster for two games before being cut. Borgognone became upset and after a poor tryout for the San Francisco 49ers
in 1996, never played professional football again. He briefly considered a comeback in 1999 at the request of Ray Pelfrey
, but, despite feeling physically able to do so, decided against making another run at the NFL.
Borgognone currently lives in Reno, and is a widower; his wife, Nevada Highway Patrol
officer Kara Kelly-Borgognone, was killed in a car accident while on duty in March 2008. She was driving at high speed to the scene of a false report of a bomb. He has two children.
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...
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...
who currently holds the record for the longest field goal ever kicked in the history of high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, 68 yards.
Borgognone attended Reno High School
Reno High School
Reno High School is a public secondary school in Reno, Nevada that is a part of the Washoe County School District. The school mascot is the Husky, and the school's colors are red and blue. Their teams are known as the "Reno Huskies."-History:...
, initially playing as a soccer player. He soon switched to football and was trained in a "straight-on" kicking style. On September 27, 1985, he kicked the longest field goal in high school football history, during a Reno High School
Reno High School
Reno High School is a public secondary school in Reno, Nevada that is a part of the Washoe County School District. The school mascot is the Husky, and the school's colors are red and blue. Their teams are known as the "Reno Huskies."-History:...
game at Sparks High School
Sparks High School
Sparks High School is located in 15th street, Sparks, Nevada 89431currently serves about 1150 students. It is currently ranked in the top-1000 schools based on the number of AP exams.- Athletics :...
. The kick measured 68 yards, and was longer than any that had ever been successfully kicked in the NFL or the NCAA. Borgognone was thereafter relegated solely to kicks of over 50 yards after his kick and missing all eight of his subsequent attempts, not kicking a single successful field goal the rest of his high school career. He would convert three field goals in a subsequent all-star game, being named the game's MVP. After high school, Borgognone attended Truckee Meadows Community College before transferring to the University of the Pacific. Borgognone's college career, however, was derailed by a 1988 change to the NCAA rule books that banned kicking off tees for field goal attempts. This not only reduced the general range for field goals (the record off a tee was 67 yards, without, only 65), but Borgognone had always kicked off a tee and was unprepared for the change. Frustrated, Borgognone left college early to pursue an NFL career as a kickoff specialist.
Much like Ove Johansson
Ove Johansson
Ove Claes Johansson, born March 31, 1948, in Gothenburg, Sweden, is a former American football placekicker and the current holder of the record for the longest field goal ever kicked during an American football game, at ....
, whose 69-yard field goal in the NAIA in 1976 is the only field goal on record to have bested Borgognone's kick, Borgognone struggled to make the National Football League. He spent many years bouncing between NFL training camps, mainly as a kickoff specialist (the NFL had prohibited the use of kicking tees for field goals and extra points for decades). He received unsuccessful tryouts from the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in 1990, the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1991, 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...
in 1992, and the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in 1993. Both 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...
and Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
gave him a tryout during the 1994 NFL season
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
, but neither team signed him. He was picked up by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
for the 1995 season
1995 Green Bay Packers season
The 1995 Green Bay Packers season was the 75th in the club's history. The Packers obtained an 11-5 mark in the regular season and won the NFC Central, their first division title since 1972. In the playoffs, the Packers defeated the Atlanta Falcons at home and the defending champion San Francisco...
and was on the roster for two games before being cut. Borgognone became upset and after a poor tryout for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in 1996, never played professional football again. He briefly considered a comeback in 1999 at the request of Ray Pelfrey
Ray Pelfrey
Ray Pelfrey is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for three seasons for the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cardinals, Dallas Texans, and New York Giants.-References:...
, but, despite feeling physically able to do so, decided against making another run at the NFL.
Borgognone currently lives in Reno, and is a widower; his wife, Nevada Highway Patrol
Nevada Highway Patrol
Nevada Highway Patrol is a division of the Nevada Department of Public Safety that is responsible for law enforcement across the entire state of Nevada...
officer Kara Kelly-Borgognone, was killed in a car accident while on duty in March 2008. She was driving at high speed to the scene of a false report of a bomb. He has two children.