Mason Crosby
Encyclopedia
Mason Walker Crosby is a professional
American football
placekicker
for the Green Bay Packers
in the National Football League
. During his playing days at the University of Colorado
, Crosby was widely considered the best kicker in college football
, as evidenced by ESPN
draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.'s Top 5 Seniors by position in 2006. Crosby was a unanimous selection as a First Team All American
by the Associated Press
, the Football Writers Association of America
, The Sporting News
, and Walter Camp Football Foundation
for the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
. He was the runner-up for the Lou Groza Award
, despite being heavily favored to win.
During his senior season at Colorado, Crosby became the first player in Big 12 Conference
history to be named player of the week eight times. In late 2006, he also became Colorado's all-time leading scorer, with 308 career points. The previous record holder was Eric Bieniemy (1987–1990) with 254.
While enrolled at Colorado, Crosby displayed extraordinary leg strength, making a school record 60-yard field goal
against Iowa State
in 2004. Crosby’s 58-yard field goal against Miami
in 2005 was the longest ever kicked in NCAA
Division I-A football at sea-level without a tee. In all, Crosby holds 31 school records. Crosby connected on 66 of 88 field goals in total during his college career, and 30 of 34 inside 40 yards.
During college, Crosby developed a reputation for kicking in the clutch
, making 12 of 13 field goals in the fourth quarter, and a perfect 10-10 in the final 8½ minutes of games. This bent was most evident when Crosby played rival Colorado State University
, against which Crosby made kicks of 55 (2004), 48, and 47 yards (2005) in consecutive years to win the Rocky Mountain Showdown
.
Crosby also served as the Buffaloes' kickoff specialist
, where his knack for forcing touchback
s after touchdown
s made him a fan favorite. Overall, 138 of Crosby's 203 career kickoffs were touchbacks, including an 87-yard kickoff touchback from the 20-yard-line against Iowa State in 2004. The Sporting News
named Crosby to its All-Decade team for the first nine years of the 2000s.
Note: Average Starting Yardline: Onsides, short squibs and free kicks are omitted in figuring the above - out-of-bounds are not.
with the 19th pick of the sixth round (193rd overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft
, the last of three consecutive picks for the Packers, and the third kicker overall. Crosby entered training camp in a battle with incumbent placekicker Dave Rayner
. During Green Bay's first pre-season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, Crosby kicked a 52-yard field goal, the longest field goal in the history of Heinz Field
. Crosby won the starting job during the final roster cut.
In his first regular season game, Crosby converted all three field goals he attempted, including a 53-yarder and a 42-yard kick with two seconds left on the clock to help the Packers defeat the visiting Philadelphia Eagles
. The kick was the first game-winner by a rookie on opening weekend since 1979 (when Matt Bahr
achieved the same feat). Crosby was the first player in NFL history to kick a 50-yard field goal and a game-winning field goal with under a minute remaining in his NFL debut. Crosby was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (the first rookie kicker to receive this honor on opening weekend).
Crosby was awarded the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November 2007. He led all NFL kickers with 54 points and tied for the lead with 12 field goals as the Packers posted a 4-1 mark. Crosby converted 12 of 15 field goals during November and was a perfect 18-for-18 on PATs. He had at least one field goal in every game, including four in the Week 9 win at Kansas City
. His longest field goal of the month was a 52-yarder in the Week 13 contest at Dallas
. For the 2007 season
, Crosby led the NFL with 130 points scored and his 24 field goals ranked first in the NFC. Crosby finished second for most points scored in a season by a rookie (Kevin Butler
had 144 points for Chicago
in 1985). Crosby finished 2007 with the highest-scoring season by a kicker in franchise history and third-highest season point total by any Packers player.
In the first game of the 2010 regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles
, Crosby kicked a field goal from 56 yards in the last seconds of the first half, his career long and a franchise record. He equaled this record distance on October 9th, 2011 in the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons.
On July 27, 2011, the Packers re-signed Crosby to a 5-year, $14 million deal.
On October 23, 2011, Crosby set the franchise record when he drilled a 58-yard field goal in the third quarter as part of a four-field-goal game. The 58 yard field goal had about 6 yards to spare. He also was good from 39, 45 and 24 yards and has made all 15 of his field goals as of week 9.
. He attended Georgetown High School
in Texas
, where he played football and soccer. He is a Houston Astros
fan and an avid golf
er. Mason's father, Jim, was a running back in college for the UTEP Miners
and graduated from Texas Tech
. Crosby married the former Molly Ackerman on June 28, 2008.
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
American football
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 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...
in 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...
. During his playing days at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, Crosby was widely considered the best kicker in 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...
, as evidenced by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.'s Top 5 Seniors by position in 2006. Crosby was a unanimous selection as a First Team All American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
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...
, the Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
, The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
, and Walter Camp Football Foundation
Walter Camp Football Foundation
The Walter Camp Football Foundation is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA. The organization also presents various awards.-Awards:*Walter Camp Player of the Year*CT Player of the Year...
for the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
. He was the runner-up for the Lou Groza Award
Lou Groza Award
The Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns player Lou Groza.-Winners:...
, despite being heavily favored to win.
College career
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
history to be named player of the week eight times. In late 2006, he also became Colorado's all-time leading scorer, with 308 career points. The previous record holder was Eric Bieniemy (1987–1990) with 254.
While enrolled at Colorado, Crosby displayed extraordinary leg strength, making a school record 60-yard field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
against Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
in 2004. Crosby’s 58-yard field goal against Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
in 2005 was the longest ever kicked in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I-A football at sea-level without a tee. In all, Crosby holds 31 school records. Crosby connected on 66 of 88 field goals in total during his college career, and 30 of 34 inside 40 yards.
During college, Crosby developed a reputation for kicking in the clutch
Clutch (sports)
In American sports terminology, "clutch" means performing well under extreme pressure. It often refers to high levels of production in a critical game, such as Game 7 of a best-of-seven series, the last hole of a Major Championship golf tournament, or the final minute in a close match...
, making 12 of 13 field goals in the fourth quarter, and a perfect 10-10 in the final 8½ minutes of games. This bent was most evident when Crosby played rival Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
, against which Crosby made kicks of 55 (2004), 48, and 47 yards (2005) in consecutive years to win the Rocky Mountain Showdown
Rocky Mountain Showdown
The Rocky Mountain Showdown is an an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Colorado Buffaloes football team of the University of Colorado and the Colorado State Rams football team of Colorado State University. The winner of the game receives the Centennial Cup. The series...
.
Crosby also served as the Buffaloes' kickoff specialist
Kickoff specialist
A kickoff specialist is a seldom-used position in American and Canadian football. Kickoff specialists are members of the special teams. They are responsible to kick the ball in the kickoff...
, where his knack for forcing touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
s after touchdown
Touchdown
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:...
s made him a fan favorite. Overall, 138 of Crosby's 203 career kickoffs were touchbacks, including an 87-yard kickoff touchback from the 20-yard-line against Iowa State in 2004. The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
named Crosby to its All-Decade team for the first nine years of the 2000s.
Statistics
| Kickoffs | Scoring / Field Goals | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Total | Touch Backs | Inside 20 | Over End Zone | Opponent Avg. Start | PAT | 10-19 | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60+ | FG-FGA | Pct. | Long | Points |
| 2003 | 37 | 26 | 2 | 17 | 23 | 31-37 | 0-0 | 4-4 | 0-0 | 3-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 7-9 | 77.8 | 44 | 52 |
| 2004 | 59 | 41 | 6 | 26 | 21 | 28-30 | 1-1 | 5-5 | 5-5 | 3-5 | 4-6 | 1-1 | 19-23 | 82.6 | 60 | 85 |
| 2005 | 61 | 43 | 4 | 33 | 22 | 31-31 | 0-0 | 3-4 | 5-6 | 8-11 | 5-7 | 0-0 | 21-28 | 75.0 | 58 | 94 |
| 2006 | 46 | 28 | 8 | 12 | 22 | 11-11 | 0-0 | 5-6 | 7-8 | 5-5 | 2-6 | 0-3 | 19-28 | 67.9 | 56 | 76 |
| TOTALS | 203 | 138 | 20 | 88 | 22 | 100-108 | 1-1 | 17-19 | 17-19 | 19-25 | 11-20 | 1-4 | 66-88 | 75.0 | 60 | 308 |
Note: Average Starting Yardline: Onsides, short squibs and free kicks are omitted in figuring the above - out-of-bounds are not.
Collegiate awards
- 2005
- Walter Camp All-American2005 College Football All-America TeamThe 2005 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
- Lou Groza AwardLou Groza AwardThe Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns player Lou Groza.-Winners:...
runner-up
- Walter Camp All-American
- 2006
- Walter Camp All-American2006 College Football All-America TeamThe 2006 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, CBS Sports, ESPN, College...
- All-Big 12 Conference
- Walter Camp All-American
Green Bay Packers
Crosby was chosen by the Green Bay PackersGreen 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...
with the 19th pick of the sixth round (193rd overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
, the last of three consecutive picks for the Packers, and the third kicker overall. Crosby entered training camp in a battle with incumbent placekicker 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...
. During Green Bay's first pre-season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Crosby kicked a 52-yard field goal, the longest field goal in the history of Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
. Crosby won the starting job during the final roster cut.
In his first regular season game, Crosby converted all three field goals he attempted, including a 53-yarder and a 42-yard kick with two seconds left on the clock to help the Packers defeat the visiting Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The kick was the first game-winner by a rookie on opening weekend since 1979 (when Matt Bahr
Matt Bahr
Matthew David Bahr is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League. He attended Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania where he excelled in both football and soccer...
achieved the same feat). Crosby was the first player in NFL history to kick a 50-yard field goal and a game-winning field goal with under a minute remaining in his NFL debut. Crosby was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (the first rookie kicker to receive this honor on opening weekend).
Crosby was awarded the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November 2007. He led all NFL kickers with 54 points and tied for the lead with 12 field goals as the Packers posted a 4-1 mark. Crosby converted 12 of 15 field goals during November and was a perfect 18-for-18 on PATs. He had at least one field goal in every game, including four in the Week 9 win at Kansas City
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. His longest field goal of the month was a 52-yarder in the Week 13 contest at Dallas
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. For the 2007 season
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
, Crosby led the NFL with 130 points scored and his 24 field goals ranked first in the NFC. Crosby finished second for most points scored in a season by a rookie (Kevin Butler
Kevin Butler (American football)
Kevin Gregory Butler is a former professional American football placekicker. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, and then played professionally for the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League...
had 144 points for Chicago
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1985). Crosby finished 2007 with the highest-scoring season by a kicker in franchise history and third-highest season point total by any Packers player.
In the first game of the 2010 regular season against the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Crosby kicked a field goal from 56 yards in the last seconds of the first half, his career long and a franchise record. He equaled this record distance on October 9th, 2011 in the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons.
On July 27, 2011, the Packers re-signed Crosby to a 5-year, $14 million deal.
On October 23, 2011, Crosby set the franchise record when he drilled a 58-yard field goal in the third quarter as part of a four-field-goal game. The 58 yard field goal had about 6 yards to spare. He also was good from 39, 45 and 24 yards and has made all 15 of his field goals as of week 9.
Professional awards
- 2007
- NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 1)
- NFC Special Teams Player of the Month (November)
- 2010
- NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 1)
- 2011
- NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Weeks 5 and 7)
Personal information
Crosby graduated in December 2006 from the University of Colorado, majoring in communicationCommunication studies
Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
. He attended Georgetown High School
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where he played football and soccer. He is a Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
fan and an avid golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er. Mason's father, Jim, was a running back in college for the UTEP Miners
UTEP Miners
The UTEP Miners is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Texas at El Paso. Informally, the UTEP Miners have also been referred to as the Miners, UTEP, or Texas-El Paso. UTEP was a member of the Western Athletic Conference from 1967 to 2005, when they joined Rice, Tulsa, and SMU in...
and graduated from Texas Tech
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
. Crosby married the former Molly Ackerman on June 28, 2008.
Related Pages
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