Mason Crosby life and biography

Mason Crosby, is a professional American football kicker for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League.

• His 397 career points are the most in NFL history by a player in his first three seasons, second-most in the league spanning 2007-09 behind only New England’s Stephen Gostkowski (410), most in franchise history by a kicker over a three-year stretch, and second-most in franchise history by any player over three-year period behind RB/K Paul Hornung (416, 1959-61).
• Captured the league scoring title with 141 points in 2007, becoming the first rookie to do so since Chicago K Kevin Butler in 1985 and setting Green Bay records for points by a kicker, and by a rookie (any position), in a single season.
• His 17 touchbacks in 2008 were the most by a Packers kicker since 1972 (Chester Marcol, 28). His 43 touchbacks the last three years rank ninth in the league over that span.
• Came up just a yard or two short of a potential NFL-record 69-yard field goal on a free kick in the 2008 finale.
• Established a total of 31 game, season and career records at Colorado. His field goals made, attempted and percentage also set Big 12 Conference records.
• Made a 58-yard FG at Miami in 2005, the longest field goal at sea level in NCAA Division I-A history without a tee. Had a 65-yard FG attempt fall less than a yard short in 2006 vs. Iowa State.
• Had made 100 consecutive PATs as a pro, and 168 overall dating back to his sophomore season in college, when he missed one in 2009 at St. Louis (Sept. 27). His previous PAT miss came on Nov. 6, 2004, at Kansas.

PRO CAREER:
Fourth-year kicker known for his strong leg and level head, will look to bounce back from his first true “slump” as a pro... Endured a four-game stretch in 2009 during which he missed a field goal from 43 yards or closer in each contest, preventing him from reaching the 80-percent efficiency threshold once again (27-of-36, 75.0 percent) after narrowly missing in his first two seasons (79.5 in 2007, 79.4 in 2008)... Still managed to score 129 points in 2009 to push his three-year total to 397, an NFL record for a player in his first three seasons and the second-most in the league from 2007-09 behind New England’s Stephen Gostkowski (410)... That scoring total also ranks as the most in franchise history by a kicker for a three-year span and second in the team’s record books for any player, trailing only Paul Hornung, who posted 416 points from 1959-61 as a kicker and running back... Needs 117 points in 2010 to break Gostkowski’s mark (513) for the most points in a player’s first four seasons... Remains productive on kickoffs, following up a career-best 17 touchbacks in 2008 -- the most by a Packers kicker since Chester Marcol’s 28 in 1972 and since kickoffs were moved back to the 30-yard line in 1994 -- with 12 more in 2009, bringing his three-year total to 43, which ranks ninth in the league from 2007-09... Also produced two successful onside kicks last season, including one in the NFC Wild Card playoff contest... Overall in three seasons has made 85-of-109 field goals (78.0 percent) and 142-of-143 PATs, his lone miss coming at St. Louis this past season (Sept. 27) and breaking a string of 100 straight (108 including playoffs) to begin his pro career... That miss ended a string of 168 consecutive PATs overall dating back to his sophomore season in college at Colorado, with his previous miss coming on Nov. 6, 2004, at Kansas.

Decorated rookie year began by winning the kicking job from incumbent Dave Rayner during 2007 training camp as a sixth-round draft pick... Captured the league scoring title with 141 points, becoming the first rookie to lead the league since Chicago K Kevin Butler in 1985... Finished just three points shy of tying Butler’s NFL record for points in a season by a rookie kicker (144)... Also set franchise records for points in a season by a kicker, surpassing Ryan Longwell’s 131 points in 2000, and for points by a rookie, joining Marcol (1972), Chris Jacke (1989) and Longwell (1997) as the only kickers in Packers history to score more than 100 points as a rookie... His 141 points in 2007 rank third behind Hornung (176 in 1960, 146 in 1961) on the team’s single-season scoring list... Also earned ‘NFC Special Teams Player of the Month’ for November, when he made 12-of-15 field goals over a five-game stretch, including five from 45 yards or longer... Booted a 53-yard FG and a 42-yard game winner in his first professional contest, vs. Philadelphia (Sept. 9, 2007), and his season took off from there, earning recognition on the Dallas Morning News All-Rookie team... A good athlete who has made 12 tackles on special teams in his career and could serve as emergency punter if needed... In college, already had proven his kicking prowess was not simply a product of kicking in the mountain air of Colorado, having hit a 58-yard field goal at Miami in 2005, the longest field goal at “sea level” in NCAA Division I-A history without a tee... The only players in football history, college or pro, to kick longer field goals at sea level without a tee were a pair of New Orleans Saints – Tom Dempsey (63 vs. Detroit in 1970) and Morten Andersen (60 vs. Chicago in 1991)... Established a total of 31 game, season and career records at Colorado, where he holds the all-time records for points scored (307), field goals made (66) and attempted (88), extra points made (109) and attempted (117), field goal percentage (75.0) and longest field goal made (60 yards)... His field goals made, attempted and percentage also set Big 12 Conference career marks... Earned various first-team All-American honors his final two seasons and was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award his final three years.

2009 SEASON: Led team with 129 points, the third-highest single-season point total without a TD in team history... Connected on 27-of-36 field goal attempts (75.0 percent) and 48-of-49 PATs...Ranked fourth among NFL kickers in scoring and tied for sixth in FGs made...Posted 12 touchbacks on kickoffs and two tackles on special teams... Vs. Chicago (Sept. 13): Made 2-of-3 field-goal attempts, including seventh 50-plus yard FG of his career when he drilled a season-long 52-yarder in the second quarter... Vs. Cincinnati (Sept. 20): Connected on 45-yard FG late in the fourth quarter, with onside kick on the ensuing play recovered by CB Tramon Williams, the first successful onside attempt by the Packers since Dec. 3, 2006... At St. Louis (Sept. 27): Posted 12 points, connecting on all three FG attempts (48, 38, 25), but missed the first PAT of his career early in the fourth quarter, snapping a streak of 100 consecutive made, the fourth-longest streak in team history... Vs. Detroit (Oct. 18): Matched his career high with four FGs, connecting on kicks of 46, 28, 31 and 26 yards, and posted season-high 14 points... At Cleveland (Oct. 25): Posted two touchbacks on kickoffs plus a tackle on special teams, and connected on 18-yard FG in the third quarter, but missed on 55-yard attempt earlier in the quarter as kick sailed wide left...Vs. Minnesota (Nov. 1): Made FGs from 37 and 26 yards, but 51-yarder in fourth quarter sailed wide right... At Tampa Bay (Nov. 8): With all coming in the first half, matched career high with three touchbacks on kickoffs (also at Detroit, Sept. 14, 2008; vs. San Diego, Sept. 23, 2007)...Vs. Dallas (Nov. 15): After missing wide left from 52 yards in the first quarter, connected on 48-yard FG as time expired in the first half, the only points scored in the game in the opening half...At Detroit (Nov. 26): Connected on 2-of-3 FG attempts, missing wide right from 43 yards in the first quarter... Vs. Baltimore (Dec. 7): Made 2-of-3 FGs again, with 38-yard attempt early in the fourth quarter sailing wide right... At Chicago (Dec. 13): Connected on 2-of-3 FG attempts for third straight game, as 42-yarder with just over six minutes left went wide right... At Pittsburgh (Dec. 20): Made four extra points, but pushed his only FG attempt, from 34 yards in the second quarter, wide right, his fourth straight game with a miss from 43 yards or closer... Vs. Seattle (Dec. 27): Scored 12 points (2 FG, 6 PAT), which included matching his season-long FG with 52-yarder in the fourth quarter, the eighth 50-yarder of his career... At Arizona (NFC Wild Card, Jan. 10): Perfectly executed an onside kick midway through the third quarter, the first by a Packers kicker in the postseason since Josh Bidwell (at St. Louis, Jan. 20, 2002). With the Packers trailing 31-17, his one-bounce kickoff was recovered in the air by CB Brandon Underwood at Green Bay’s 43; the offense utilized the field position by scoring a TD in eight plays to narrow the Cardinals’ lead to 31-24. Matched his own team playoff record with six PATs (vs. Seattle, Jan. 12, 2008) and made 1-of-2 FGs, connecting on 20-yarder as time expired in first half but missing 54-yard kick wide right early in the second quarter. Added a special teams tackle.

COLLEGE:
Established a total of 31 game, season and career records at Colorado, where he holds the all-time records for points scored (307), FGs made (66) and attempted (88), PATs made (109) and attempted (117), FG percentage (75.0) and longest FG made (60 yards)... His FGs made, attempted and percentage also set Big 12 Conference career marks... Earned various first-team All-America honors his final two seasons and was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award his final three years, finishing runner-up after superb 2005 campaign... Hit a 58-yard FG at Miami (Sept. 24) that season, the longest FG at “sea level” in NCAA Division I-A history without a tee, and one of four 50-plus FGs he made on the road that year... Made 10-of-14 FGs from 50-plus his sophomore and junior seasons combined before falling off that pace as a senior when he missed seven of nine from 50-plus, including attempts from 63 (vs. Montana State) and 65 (vs. Iowa State), the latter falling less than a yard short... Made two FGs of 50-plus in one game three times in his career... Missed only two PATs over his final three years in college, making 78 of 80, including 60 straight to conclude career... Noted for his booming kickoffs as well, on 203 career kickoffs recorded 138 touchbacks, including 88 that went through the end zone... Majored in communication... Senior season (2006): Was an All-American first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report, Pro Football Weekly and the Walter Camp Foundation, adding third-team honors from The Associated Press... All-Big 12 Conference first-team choice for the third consecutive year, only the seventh player in school history to achieve that... Scored 76 points on 19-of-28 FGs and 19-of-19 PATs... Six of his misses were on long-range attempts (three from 50-59 yards, three from past 60 yards)... Only 15 of his 43 kickoffs were returned, with 11 of 27 touchbacks out of the end zone... The opposition’s average starting point after kickoffs was the 22-yard line... Tried first and only punt of his career in season opener vs. Montana St. (Sept. 2), good for 43 yards... Converted a 40-yard FG in second quarter vs. Colorado St. (Sept. 9), his 49th FG to surpass Jeremy Aldrich for the most FGs in a CU career... With two FGs and one PAT at Missouri (Sept. 30), became school’s all-time leading scorer, besting previous record holder Eric Bieniemy (254 points)... Closed his career by becoming the first Colorado placekicker to play in the Senior Bowl, where he helped the North to a 27-0 win with nine points on three PATs and two FGs of 38 and 21 yards... Junior season (2005): Became the first Colorado placekicker to earn consensus All-American first-team honors (The Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News, The NFL Draft Report, SI.com, Walter Camp and Rivals.com.)... Runner-up for the Lou Groza Award by just six points to Oregon State’s Alexis Serna... Unanimous All-Big 12 first-team choice and named Special Teams Player of the Year by the league’s coaches... Led the team in scoring with 94 points, converting all 31 PATs and 21-of-28 FGs... Was 5-of-7 from beyond 50 yards, with four of the five made ones coming on the road, and 8-of-11 from 40 to 49 yards... Also led the nation in FGs made from 50 yards or more for the second straight year, and led the nation in average distance per field goal made at 41.2 yards... Only 18 of his 61 kickoffs were returned, with 33 of his 43 touchbacks out of the end zone... Earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors four times (vs. Colorado State, at Miami, at Kansas State and Missouri), joining Texas Tech QB Kliff Kingsbury (2002) as the only other Big 12 player to receive the honor at least four times in a season... Opened the season vs. Colorado State on his 21st birthday (Sept. 3) by booting a 48-yard FG to tie the score at 21 with 2:32 left and then hitting the first of two game-winning kicks in his career, a 47-yarder with just four seconds left... Had the other game-winner at Kansas State (Oct. 29), a 50-yarder with six seconds left in swirling winds for a 23-20 victory; that came after already making a 52-yard kick in the second quarter... Sophomore season (2004): Named a unanimous All-Big 12 first-team selection and semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award... Earned second-team All-American accolades from NFL Draft Report and Rivals.com, adding honorable mention from Sports Illustrated...

PERSONAL:
Given name Mason Walker Crosby... Born in Lubbock, Texas... Married the former Molly Ackerman on June 28, 2008, and spent honeymoon in the Bahamas; the couple is expecting its first child... Father, Jim, was a running back in college at Texas-El Paso (UTEP) and graduated from Texas Tech... Received the male career athletic achievement award at Colorado’s annual CUSPY awards ceremony (Colorado University Sports Performers of the Year)... Is in Colorado’s Folsom Field’s Ring of Fame... Filmed an NFL.com fantasy football ad spot that showed him booting three footballs into the local Brown County Courthouse bell tower... Also partnered with the famous Radio City Rockettes dance team as part of an advance promotional event prior to their visit to Green Bay for a performance during the 2008 regular season. Well known for a routine that features their trademarked kicking steps, the dancers joined Crosby at Ray Nitschke Field to receive instruction on football-kicking techniques...

High school:
As a junior and senior at Georgetown (Texas) High School, earned first-team All-District 13-5A honors as a K, P and FS, adding All-Central Texas region recognition at K... PrepStar named him to its All-Midlands team, while Rivals.com ranked him as the third-best placekicker in the nation... During his final two seasons, converted 15-of-21 FGs (long of 59) and 40-of-45 PATs... Owned a 38.2-yard average for 100 punts (64 long), with 18 punts downed inside the 20-yard line, including five inside the 5... At FS those two years, recorded 136 tackles (51 solo, 18 for loss) with six INTs, seven passes broken up, three forced fumbles and four recoveries... Vs. Cedar Park High as a senior, made the longest FG in Texas prep football in eight years and tied for the third-longest in state history with a career-best 59-yarder... Also had a 61-yard punt in the game... Vs. Round Rock, had seven tackles and two INTs, returning one for a TD and kicking the PAT following the score... Also earned two letters in soccer (defense/midfielder), receiving All-District honors as both a sophomore (14 goals) and junior (17 goals)... Community involvement: Took part in the Beyond the Lights Celebrity Golf Classic charity tournament featuring several members from the Friday Night Lights movie and television show; proceeds go to support spinal cord injury research... Also serves on the board of directors for a charity based in his hometown called Eagle Locker, an organization that aims to raise awareness of the homeless teen problem in Georgetown and to obtain city funding to build a center for homeless teens that would provide shelter, counseling and academic assistance. In the past, has paid for a group of Eagle Locker teens to go on a shopping spree for shoes and other needed clothes... Served as a celebrity bartender at a House of Hope event in Green Bay.

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