Todd Peterson
Encyclopedia
Joseph Todd Peterson is an American football
placekicker
who most recently played with the Atlanta Falcons
in the National Football League
. His contract expired on March 11, 2006 and he was not re-signed by the Falcons. He was drafted by the New York Giants
from the University of Georgia
with the ninth pick of the seventh round (177th overall) in the 1993 NFL Draft
.
during Peterson's senior year, Peterson led the SEC
in field goal
percentage, and was named a GTE Academic All-America
n.
, but didn't debut until 1994 with the Arizona Cardinals
, where he only appeared in 2 games that season, before going to the Seattle Seahawks
. Peterson went through his prime years as a Seahawk, from 1995-1999 until he got picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs
, where he spent two years, when he then became a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers
for the 2002 season. He then went to the San Francisco 49ers
, where he spent two years. After the 2004 season, the Atlanta Falcons
picked up Peterson, where he spent one season before his contract expired. He has not been re-signed since, although he nearly made it to training camp with the Washington Redskins
.
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...
who most recently played with 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 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...
. His contract expired on March 11, 2006 and he was not re-signed by the Falcons. He was drafted by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
from the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
with the ninth pick of the seventh round (177th overall) in the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
.
College
At GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
during Peterson's senior year, Peterson led the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
in 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...
percentage, and was named a GTE Academic 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.
NFL
Peterson was drafted with the 9th pick in the 7th round of the 1993 NFL Draft1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
, but didn't debut until 1994 with the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he only appeared in 2 games that season, before going to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. Peterson went through his prime years as a Seahawk, from 1995-1999 until he got picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs
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...
, where he spent two years, when he then became a member of 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...
for the 2002 season. He then went to 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...
, where he spent two years. After the 2004 season, 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...
picked up Peterson, where he spent one season before his contract expired. He has not been re-signed since, although he nearly made it to training camp with 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,...
.
Career stats
These statistics are mostly accurate as of December 9, 2006.| Season | PAT | PAT Pct. | 1-19 !! 20-29 !! 30-39 !! 40-49 !! 50+ !! FG-FGA !! FG Pct. !! Long !! Points | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 4-4 | 100% | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 50% | 35 | 10 |
| 1995 | 40-40 | 100% | 3-3 | 3-3 | 9-10 | 8-10 | 0-2 | 23-28 | 82.1% | 49 | 109 |
| 1996 | 27-27 | 100% | 5-5 | 6-8 | 7-7 | 8-11 | 2-3 | 28-34 | 82.4% | 49 | 111 |
| 1997 | 37-37 | 100% | 4-4 | 5-5 | 7-10 | 5-7 | 1-2 | 22-28 | 78.6% | 52 | 103 |
| 1998 | 41-41 | 100% | 3-3 | 4-4 | 4-5 | 5-5 | 3-7 | 19-24 | 79.2% | 51 | 98 |
| 1999 | 32-32 | 100% | 5-5 | 6-6 | 8-11 | 14-16 | 1-2 | 34-40 | 85% | 51 | 134 |
| 2000 | 25-25 | 100% | 3-3 | 3-3 | 7-9 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 15-20 | 75% | 42 | 70 |
| 2001 | 27-28 | 96% | 5-5 | 4-6 | 9-10 | 8-12 | 1-2 | 27-35 | 77.1% | 51 | 108 |
| 2002 | 25-26 | 96% | 2-2 | 1-2 | 6-10 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 12-21 | 57.1% | 46 | 61 |
| 2003 | 22-23 | 96% | 3-3 | 2-4 | 3-3 | 4-4 | 0-1 | 12-15 | 80% | 48 | 58 |
| 2004 | 23-23 | 100% | 2-2 | 2-2 | 7-8 | 5-6 | 2-4 | 18-22 | 81.8% | 51 | 77 |
| 2005 | 35-35 | 100% | 5-5 | 4-5 | 11-11 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 23-25 | 92% | 43 | 104 |
| TOTALS | 338-341 | 99% | 44-44 | 37-45 | 79-95 | 65-89 | 10-23 | 235-296 | 79.4% | 54 | 1043 |
Trivia
- Peterson led the SEC in field goal percentage during his senior year at Georgia.
- Graduated from Valdosta High SchoolValdosta High School Valdosta High School is a public high school located in Valdosta, Georgia, United States. The school colors are gold and black. The school mascot is the "Wildcat".-School:Valdosta High School serves grades 9-12 in the Valdosta City School District...
in Valdosta, GeorgiaValdosta, GeorgiaValdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
. Valdosta is the nation's most winningest football team on the high school level. He was inducted as a member of the Valdosta High School Hall of Fame in 2007.