Garrett Hartley
Encyclopedia
Garrett Hartley is an American football
placekicker
for the New Orleans Saints
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Denver Broncos
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football
at Oklahoma
.
in Southlake, Texas
, where he was coached by former North Texas
coach Todd Dodge
. He set a state record with 90 PAT's in 2002 (surpassed by Carroll Dragon, Kevin Ortega, in 2004 and then another Carroll Dragon, Cade Foster
, in 2009). Coming out of Carroll, Hartley was rated as the 2nd best placekicker in the country, by Rivals.com.
in 2004. He spent most of his first season redshirt
ed, but after inconsistent play from the current placekicker, head coach Bob Stoops
decided to pull Hartley's redshirt and start him. He only played in three games during his abbreviated first season and finished 1-for-1 on field goals and 12-for-12 on extra points with his only field goal coming in the 2005 BCS National Championship Game
. Hartley struggled during his sophomore year, missing eight of his 22 field goal attempts despite making two field goals from beyond the 50-yard line. Although he was more consistent with extra points, missing only one in 38 attempts.
Hartley broke out during his junior season going 19-for-20 in field goals and 49-for-50 in extra points. Hartley's .950 field goal percentage was among the highest during the season and earned him a nomination for the Lou Groza Award
which goes to the nation's best placekicker. Hartley's only miss of the season came during a controversial loss to Oregon when a 44-yard kick was blocked after Hartley had already successfully made four field goals. Hartley's senior season did not quite match the level of performance of the year before. He finished going 13-for-15 in field goals and 71-for-77 in extra points.
. However, he was released on July 21 just before the start of training camp.
on October 29, 2008 to replace Taylor Mehlhaff
, who was released. He played in his first game on November 9, 2008 against the Atlanta Falcons
. Hartley came out strong, booting 13 for 13 field goal attempts for the 2008 season. He was expected to be the Saints starting kicker for the 2009 season. However, Hartley was given a 4-game suspension after testing positive for a banned stimulant, Adderall.
Hartley remained inactive (while longtime Saints kicker John Carney handled the kicking duties) until the Saints' twelfth game of the season, against the Washington Redskins
. Hartley then kicked four field goals, including the game winning kick in overtime that allowed the Saints to preserve their undefeated record. On January 24, 2010 he made a 40-yard field goal in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings
in the NFC Championship game to send the New Orleans Saints to their first Super Bowl
. He continued in Super Bowl XLIV
, going 3-for-3 with field goals of 46, 44, and 47 yards. He became the first kicker in Super Bowl history to convert three field goals of 40 yards or more.
The 2010 season
began erratically for Hartley. He missed 2 field goal attempts in the Saints' Week 1 home win over Minnesota, then made 3 kicks despite windy conditions in a Week 2 win at San Francisco
. In a Week 3 match with Atlanta
, he made a last-second field goal to send the game into overtime, but then missed a 29 yard field goal attempt in overtime that would have won the game. In response, the Saints re-signed John Carney, and Hartley was inactive for the next 2 games. With injuries mounting at other positions, however, the Saints decided not to continue carrying 2 kickers, cutting Carney and returning Hartley to his starting position. He has since signed a contract extension that will make him the highest paid kicker in the game.
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 New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of 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 Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played 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 Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
.
Early years
Hartley prepped at Carroll High SchoolCarroll Senior High School (Southlake, Texas)
Carroll Senior High School is a public secondary school in Southlake, Texas. It is located in the Carroll Independent School District.-History:...
in Southlake, Texas
Southlake, Texas
Southlake is a city in northeast Tarrant and southeast Denton counties, Texas. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 26,575. A suburb of Fort Worth and Dallas, Southlake is known for exemplary public schools, Southlake Town Square, and Carroll High School's 7-time state champion football...
, where he was coached by former North Texas
North Texas Mean Green
North Texas Mean Green is the team name used for both men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas....
coach Todd Dodge
Todd Dodge
Todd Dodge is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the quarterbacks coach at the University of Pittsburgh, a position he has held since January 2011. Dodge was the head football coach at the University of North Texas from 2007 to 2010...
. He set a state record with 90 PAT's in 2002 (surpassed by Carroll Dragon, Kevin Ortega, in 2004 and then another Carroll Dragon, Cade Foster
Cade Foster
Cade Foster is an American football placekicker for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Foster was considered one of the best placekickers of his class.-High school career:...
, in 2009). Coming out of Carroll, Hartley was rated as the 2nd best placekicker in the country, by Rivals.com.
College career
Hartley began his college career at OklahomaOklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in 2004. He spent most of his first season redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ed, but after inconsistent play from the current placekicker, head coach Bob Stoops
Bob Stoops
Robert Anthony "Bob" Stoops is the head coach of the University of Oklahoma football team. During the 2000 season, Stoops led the Sooners to an Orange Bowl victory and a national championship....
decided to pull Hartley's redshirt and start him. He only played in three games during his abbreviated first season and finished 1-for-1 on field goals and 12-for-12 on extra points with his only field goal coming in the 2005 BCS National Championship Game
2005 Orange Bowl
The 2005 Orange Bowl represented the BCS National Championship Game of the 2004 season and was played on January 4, 2005 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida....
. Hartley struggled during his sophomore year, missing eight of his 22 field goal attempts despite making two field goals from beyond the 50-yard line. Although he was more consistent with extra points, missing only one in 38 attempts.
Hartley broke out during his junior season going 19-for-20 in field goals and 49-for-50 in extra points. Hartley's .950 field goal percentage was among the highest during the season and earned him a nomination 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:...
which goes to the nation's best placekicker. Hartley's only miss of the season came during a controversial loss to Oregon when a 44-yard kick was blocked after Hartley had already successfully made four field goals. Hartley's senior season did not quite match the level of performance of the year before. He finished going 13-for-15 in field goals and 71-for-77 in extra points.
Denver Broncos
Hartley was not drafted during the 2008 NFL draft but he signed as a free agent with the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. However, he was released on July 21 just before the start of training camp.
New Orleans Saints
Hartley was signed by the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
on October 29, 2008 to replace Taylor Mehlhaff
Taylor Mehlhaff
Taylor Mehlhaff is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin....
, who was released. He played in his first game on November 9, 2008 against 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...
. Hartley came out strong, booting 13 for 13 field goal attempts for the 2008 season. He was expected to be the Saints starting kicker for the 2009 season. However, Hartley was given a 4-game suspension after testing positive for a banned stimulant, Adderall.
Hartley remained inactive (while longtime Saints kicker John Carney handled the kicking duties) until the Saints' twelfth game of the season, against the 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,...
. Hartley then kicked four field goals, including the game winning kick in overtime that allowed the Saints to preserve their undefeated record. On January 24, 2010 he made a 40-yard field goal in overtime against 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 the NFC Championship game to send the New Orleans Saints to their first Super Bowl
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
. He continued in Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
, going 3-for-3 with field goals of 46, 44, and 47 yards. He became the first kicker in Super Bowl history to convert three field goals of 40 yards or more.
The 2010 season
2010 New Orleans Saints season
The 2010 New Orleans Saints season was the 44th season for the franchise in the National Football League and city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and was the 35th to host home games in the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints entered their season for the first time as defending Super Bowl and National...
began erratically for Hartley. He missed 2 field goal attempts in the Saints' Week 1 home win over Minnesota, then made 3 kicks despite windy conditions in a Week 2 win at San Francisco
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 a Week 3 match with Atlanta
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...
, he made a last-second field goal to send the game into overtime, but then missed a 29 yard field goal attempt in overtime that would have won the game. In response, the Saints re-signed John Carney, and Hartley was inactive for the next 2 games. With injuries mounting at other positions, however, the Saints decided not to continue carrying 2 kickers, cutting Carney and returning Hartley to his starting position. He has since signed a contract extension that will make him the highest paid kicker in the game.