Nate Kaeding life and biography

Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American football placekicker who plays for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft in the 3rd round with a pick acquired from the Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade. He played college football at Iowa.

Nate Kaeding is about as steady as they come. A Pro Bowler in 2006, Kaeding is sure-footed and has earned a reputation as one of the NFL’s best young kickers. He comes into 2008 off another outstanding season, one where his 24 of 27 (.889) success rate on field goals was fifth-best in the NFL.

The highlight of Kaeding's '09 season took place on Dec. 20 when he hit a 52-yard field goal with just three seconds left to guide the Chargers to a 27-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. It became even more special a few minutes after the game ended when Oakland defeated Denver at Invesco Field to clinch a fourth-straight AFC West championship for the Chargers. Coincidentally, Kaeding’s game-winning field goal was the 147th of his career, and it vaulted him past Rolf Benirschke and into second place on the team’s all-time FGs list.

Kaeding is an avid golfer. Looking to improve his leg swing several years ago, he enlisted the services of local golf pro, Derek Uyeda, to videotape and analyze his kicking. The idea was born while golfing with fellow special teamers David Binn and Mike Scifres. Uyeda attends Kaeding’s workouts and films his kicking. After he's finished, the two review the tape so that Nate can improve his kicking mechanics. Looking to do whatever he can to get a leg up, Kaeding also struck up a friendship with Jan Stenerud, one of the greatest NFL kickers of all-time. And he’s trained at St. Vincent’s in Indianapolis, where professional trainers worked with him on maximizing his physical strengths, and worked with a sports psychologist to help him with his mental approach to the game.

One of the beneficiaries of Kaeding’s success has been the Ronald McDonald House Charities in San Diego. Since 2008, fans have been able to make pledges to the Ronald McDonald House based on the number of successful kicks Kaeding makes, and fans who made donations were entered into a drawing for a chance to win prizes. Kaeding has also served as a spokesperson and made personal appearances on behalf of Ronald McDonald House Charities. The RHMC provides a comfortable place to stay for families whose children face and are being treated for lifethreatening illnesses.

Kaeding is still renowned in his native Iowa. In July 2009, the Cedar Rapids Kernels minor-league baseball team invited Kaeding to a game and had him kick autographed footballs to the crowd between innings. He is part-owner of the Short's Burgers and Shine restaurant in Iowa City. And in college, Bob’s Your Uncle Pizza and Cafe, named a pizza after the former Hawkeye standout. Kaeding and wife, Samantha, have two sons, Jack and Wyatt. Samantha is a former school teacher. Nate earned a teaching certificate in secondary education from the University of Iowa and completed the Character Education Certification Program at the University of San Diego.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: Third-round pick (65), April 24, 2004...signed three-year contract July 26, 2004 and six-year extension through 2012, Sept. 25, 2006.

2009: Pro Bowl...AP first-team All-Pro, PFW/PFWA All-NFL, Dallas Morning News All-NFL... Game Ball after GW PAT, his 244th consecutive, in 21-20 win at NYG Nov. 8...55-yard FG Nov. 29 vs. KC, longest at Qualcomm Stadium...Game Ball after 52-yard FG with :03 of 4Q for 27-24 win over CIN and DEN loss to OAK gives Chargers fourth-straight AFC West title...AFC Special Teams POW after 3-of-3, including 45 and 47-yarders, Jan. 3 vs. WAS...32-of-35 for season, team-record 91.4%...DNP Pro Bowl (groin).

2008: Career-high six TBs and 3-of-3 FGs Wk 2 at DEN…first-career GW Wk 4 in OAK, 47-yarder with 1:51 in 4Q…GW erased 15-0 deficit and broke 18-18 tie…late 4Q 47-yard game-tying FG Nov. 23 vs. IND… end 2Q at TB Dec. 21, team-record and career-long 57-yard FG…game-tying 26-yard FG with 0:31 in 4Q sent Jan. 5 Wild Card game vs. IND to OT, where Bolts won, 23-17.

2007: Season-long 51-yard FG Wk 4 vs. KC and first FG of 50+ at Qualcomm…season-high four TBs at DEN Oct. 7…Game Ball after 4-for-4, incl. three 40+ FGs vs. BAL Nov. 25…hit from 46 and 41 (2x) for most 40+ FGs in game and first home game with two 40+ FGs…4-of-4 in AFC Championship Game at NE when temp at KO was 23 degrees with wind gusts of 17-22 mph for nine degree wind chill factor.

2006: Pro Bowl…second-team AP All-Pro…All-AFC by PFW and PFWA…season-long 54-yarder ties team record Oct. 1 at BAL…Chargers Alumni POW after team-record 88th-straight PAT at KC Oct. 22…46 and 40 FGs in 20-17 win at SEA on 47-degree, rainy day with 18 MPH winds…nine points vs. ARI Dec. 31, raising season total to team-record 136…GW 21- yard FG at 0:00 4Q for AFC 31-28 win in Pro Bowl.

2005: FOXSports.com Very Special Teams POW and Chargers Alumni POW after GW, season-long 49-yarder Dec. 18 with 6:41 left in 4Q vs. previously-unbeaten IND.

2004: PFW and ESPN. com All-Rookie…team rookie record and led NFL rookies with 114 points...season-long 53-yarder at ATL Oct. 17…GW 43-yarder with 2:24 in 4Q at KC Nov. 28…40-yard FG with 2:06 in 4Q iced 31-24 win over TB Dec. 12…50-yarder at IND Dec. 26...seven points vs. Colts to raise season total to 108 for new rookie record.

COLLEGE: School-record consecutive FGs (22) and PATs (60), and career FGs (67) and PATs (166)…school and Big Ten record 373 career points…24 of 29 FGs of 40+…20 of 21 as senior…
All-America as junior and senior…Lou Groza Award as nation's top kicker in 2002…three-time All-Big Ten…two-time Academic All-America and All-Big Ten…five-time Big Ten ST POW…two-year team captain and three-time ST POY…Hayden Fry "Extra Heartbeat" Award as senior…National Honor Society student…served on school's Leadership Council… played at Iowa from 2000-03…degrees in history and secondary education.

PERSONAL: Born in Iowa City, Iowa…all-state and all-conference kicker at West HS in Iowa City…state record for pts (93), PATs (63) and TBs (53) as senior…26-0 state champions as jr
and sr…lettered in basketball and soccer…starting PG on state championship basketball team as senior…clinched state championship in soccer as senior with GW goal in OT shootout.

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