Nick Folk
Encyclopedia
Nicholas "Nick" Alexander Folk (born November 5, 1984) is an American football
kicker
who currently plays for the New York Jets
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys
in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Arizona
.
Folk was selected to be the NFC
kicker in the Pro Bowl
as a rookie
in 2007
.
in Sherman Oaks, California, and was named an "All-CIF" player.
at the University of Arizona
. The longest field goal of his college career, 52-yards, came in 2005 against USC
. During his senior year at Arizona, Folk took over the punting duties in addition to his kicking duties. Folk would be recognized for his efforts as he earned All-Pac 10 honors.
Folk was selected by the Dallas Cowboys
in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft
. Folk made the longest kick of his career to that point, a 53-yard game winner against the Buffalo Bills
on Monday Night Football
during his rookie season. That season, he became the first Cowboys rookie Pro Bowl
kicker, after being selected to serve as the NFC
's kicker during the 2008 Pro Bowl
, having gone 26-31 in field goal attempts and making all 53 extra points he attempted during the season. Folk also broke the Cowboys single-season record for most points by a placekicker (131) during his rookie season.
In 2008, Folk continued his strong performance as he made 91% of his kicks and once again made all of his extra point attempts. Following the 2008 season, Folk discovered an issue with his hip that the Cowboys medical personnel identified as a issue with his flexor, but the prescribed treatment did not resolve the matter. After conducting more tests, it was discovered that Folk had a torn labrum and underwent surgery in May 2009. The proper recovery time would have had Folk returning sometime at the beginning of training camp but Folk rushed his rehab and as a result his hip did not heal properly. Consequently, Folk struggled as he entered his third season with the Cowboys in 2009. His kicks were erratic, evidenced by the fact that he only made 64.3% of his field goals, going 18-28. On December 19, 2009, Folk attempted a 23 yard field goal against the New Orleans Saints
that would have increased the Cowboys lead to ten and ensure their victory. However, Folk missed the kick, requiring Dallas' defense to thwart the Saints offense once again. Although the Cowboys won the game, the team lost faith in Folk and waived him on December 21, 2009.
. Head coach Rex Ryan
mocked Folk's early performances during the team's offseason workouts however after working out with special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff
, who helped refine Folk's kicking technique after allowing his hip to fully recover, Folk began to gain consistency once again.
On October 11, 2010, Folk became the first Jets kicker to kick five field goals in a home game since Pat Leahy achieved the feat in 1984. Folk set a franchise record for the longest kick, making a career long kick of 56 yards against the Denver Broncos
on October 17, 2010.
As time expired, Folk kicked the game winning field goal against the Indianapolis Colts
in the Jets wildcard match-up on January 8, 2011. On Sunday Night Football, during the opening weekend of the 2011-12 season, Folk kicked a 50-yard field goal with 27 seconds left to give the Jets a 27-24 victory over his former team, the Dallas Cowboys
.
as William Bradford was his "mother's umpteenth-great grandfather." Folk is also a dual citizen of the United States and Germany, where his father grew up before immigrating to the United States.
Folk has two younger brothers Erik and Gregory. Erik
is currently the placekicker for the University of Washington
Huskies Football team. Greg was a standout soccer player for UCLA and has spent time playing with Los Angeles Galaxy
in Major League Soccer
. Folk's cousin, Blake Robinson, was diagnosed with NF
when he was only eighteen months old. Folk partnered with the Children’s Tumor Foundation to support the research of NF.
Folk majored in marketing at Arizona.
Folk is an avid soccer fan. He has attended New York Red Bulls games and is a member of the Viking Army Supporters Club.
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...
kicker
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 plays for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member 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 drafted by the Dallas Cowboys
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...
in the sixth round 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...
. 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 Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...
.
Folk was selected to be the NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
kicker in the 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...
as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
in 2007
2008 Pro Bowl
The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
.
Early years
Folk played high school football at Notre Dame High SchoolNotre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks)
Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, is a co-ed Catholic college preparatory high school founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1947. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Notre Dame is known for an outstanding college-prep academic program,...
in Sherman Oaks, California, and was named an "All-CIF" player.
College career
Folk played college footballCollege 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 Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. The longest field goal of his college career, 52-yards, came in 2005 against USC
2005 USC Trojans football team
The 2005 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the college football season of 2005–2006, winning the Pacific-10 Conference , and playing for the NCAA Division I-A national championship...
. During his senior year at Arizona, Folk took over the punting duties in addition to his kicking duties. Folk would be recognized for his efforts as he earned All-Pac 10 honors.
Dallas Cowboys
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...
in the sixth round (178th 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...
. Folk made the longest kick of his career to that point, a 53-yard game winner against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
during his rookie season. That season, he became the first Cowboys rookie 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...
kicker, after being selected to serve as the NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
's kicker during the 2008 Pro Bowl
2008 Pro Bowl
The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
, having gone 26-31 in field goal attempts and making all 53 extra points he attempted during the season. Folk also broke the Cowboys single-season record for most points by a placekicker (131) during his rookie season.
In 2008, Folk continued his strong performance as he made 91% of his kicks and once again made all of his extra point attempts. Following the 2008 season, Folk discovered an issue with his hip that the Cowboys medical personnel identified as a issue with his flexor, but the prescribed treatment did not resolve the matter. After conducting more tests, it was discovered that Folk had a torn labrum and underwent surgery in May 2009. The proper recovery time would have had Folk returning sometime at the beginning of training camp but Folk rushed his rehab and as a result his hip did not heal properly. Consequently, Folk struggled as he entered his third season with the Cowboys in 2009. His kicks were erratic, evidenced by the fact that he only made 64.3% of his field goals, going 18-28. On December 19, 2009, Folk attempted a 23 yard field goal against 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 ....
that would have increased the Cowboys lead to ten and ensure their victory. However, Folk missed the kick, requiring Dallas' defense to thwart the Saints offense once again. Although the Cowboys won the game, the team lost faith in Folk and waived him on December 21, 2009.
New York Jets
On February 23, 2010, Folk signed a one-year contract with the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Head coach Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League . After serving as an assistant coach for twenty-two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009...
mocked Folk's early performances during the team's offseason workouts however after working out with special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff
Mike Westhoff
Mike Westhoff is a special teams coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League. Westhoff is considered a "pioneering special teams coach" and his special teams units are generally ranked very highly in the NFL.-New York Jets:...
, who helped refine Folk's kicking technique after allowing his hip to fully recover, Folk began to gain consistency once again.
On October 11, 2010, Folk became the first Jets kicker to kick five field goals in a home game since Pat Leahy achieved the feat in 1984. Folk set a franchise record for the longest kick, making a career long kick of 56 yards against 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...
on October 17, 2010.
As time expired, Folk kicked the game winning field goal against 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 the Jets wildcard match-up on January 8, 2011. On Sunday Night Football, during the opening weekend of the 2011-12 season, Folk kicked a 50-yard field goal with 27 seconds left to give the Jets a 27-24 victory over his former team, the Dallas Cowboys
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...
.
Personal
Folk was born to Anton and Kathryn Folk. His father Tony, who was born in Austria to Bavarian parents, works as an accountant while his mother is a pediatrician. Folk is a direct descendant from the MayflowerMayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
as William Bradford was his "mother's umpteenth-great grandfather." Folk is also a dual citizen of the United States and Germany, where his father grew up before immigrating to the United States.
Folk has two younger brothers Erik and Gregory. Erik
Erik Folk
Erik Folk is an American college football player who is the current placekicker of the University of Washington and mostly remembered for kicking a 22 yard field goal to beat 3rd ranked USC on September 19, 2009 with just three seconds remaining and again in 2010, leaving the University of...
is currently the placekicker for the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
Huskies Football team. Greg was a standout soccer player for UCLA and has spent time playing with Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. Folk's cousin, Blake Robinson, was diagnosed with NF
Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis is a genetically-inherited disorder in which the nerve tissue grows tumors that may be benign or may cause serious damage by compressing nerves and other tissues...
when he was only eighteen months old. Folk partnered with the Children’s Tumor Foundation to support the research of NF.
Folk majored in marketing at Arizona.
Folk is an avid soccer fan. He has attended New York Red Bulls games and is a member of the Viking Army Supporters Club.