The longest field goal ever made in an NFL game (and in football history for that matter) is 64 yards. What a kick. This incredible feat was accomplished by Matt Prater in 2013 which is when he was playing for the Denver Broncos.
Although the record-breaking kick didn’t really have any impact on the result of the game, it’s still very impressive. The Broncos went on to beat the Tennessee Titans 51-28 in the game, which took place on December 8, 2013.
Who is Matt Prater?
Prater went to high school in Estero, Florida, where he converted 56/58 extra points and hit a 49-yard field goal. He then went on to kick for UCF from 2002-2005 where he tied the school record by making 50 field goals.
Over his four-year career at UCF, Matt Prater hit 108/117 extra points and 50/74 field goals. This got him signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in May of 2006. In his 14 year NFL career, Prater has made 300 field goals at a clip of 84% success rate.
Next Longest Field Goal in NFL History
There are six different NFL kickers that have made a field goal of 63 yards. Four of the six kicks were made in the past decade, showing how impressive kickers have become in the league. Below is the list of players who have accomplished this feat.
| Kicker | Team | Distance | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dempsey | New Orleans Saints | 63 yds | November 8, 1970 |
| Jason Elam | Denver Broncos | 63 yds | October 25, 1998 |
| Sebastian Janikowski | Oakland Raiders | 63 yds | September 12, 2011 |
| David Akers | San Francisco 49ers | 63 yds | September 9, 2012 |
| Graham Gano | Carolina Panthers | 63 yds | October 7, 2018 |
| Brett Maher | Dallas Cowboys | 63 yds | October 20, 2019 |
Both Tom Dempsey’s and Graham Gano’s 63-yard field goal were game-winning field goals as time expired. Talk about having the clutch gene, even if it wasn’t the longest field goal of all time (kudos to Prater).
Along with Matt Prater’s 64-yarder, Jason Elam and Sebastian Janikowski both hit their long kicks in Denver. With the air in Denver being thinner at 5,200 feet, kickers have a bit of an advantage. Sound like kicking for the Broncos is quite an advantage.
