Rian Lindell life and biography

Rian Lindell is an American football kicker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League.

PRO
Joined the NFL as a non-drafted rookie free agent by Dallas in April of 2000 but was released following training camp…signed by Seattle on 9/26/00 four weeks into the season…remained Seattle’s place-kicker for the next three seasons and appeared in all 44 games during that stretch…a restricted free agent, he signed an offer sheet with Buffalo on 3/17/02 and officially became a Bill a week later when Seattle opted not to match it…played in all 96 games for Buffalo since 2003.

NFL AWARDS:
* AFC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK, Week 13 – 2007
* AFC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK, Week 2 – 2009

CAREER:
* Holds the following Buffalo Bills records:
o Field goal percentage – career: 83.34
o Consecutive PATs – career: 210
o Field goal percentage – season: 92.00 (23-25 in 2006)
o Consecutive field goals made: 18 (10/21/07 – 12/9/07)
* 175 successful field goals as a Bill ranks second in team history (Steve Christie, 234)

* Has not missed an extra point attempt in his career making all 306 attempts; streak is longest in NFL history to start career breaking a record set from 1959-65 (Tommy Davis, 234). Is only player in NFL history to begin career with streak of 300+

* Ranks second in team history behind Steve Christie (1,011) with 735 points.
* Connected on 69.8 percent of FG attempts beyond 40 yards since 2005 (44-63)
* Has seen action in every game over the past seven seasons – one of two current Bills to accomplish that feat (Moorman)
* Set new career highs in 2008 with 30 successful field goals and 124 total points.

2009:
* Vs. NE (9/14) … Scored six points
* Vs. TB (9/20) … 15 pts… most points since career-high 18 at K.C., 11/23/08
* Vs. MIA (10/4) … Played in 100th game for Bills … becomes 61st player in team history to reach milestone
* Vs. NYJ (10/18) … Connected on a 47-yard field goal to give Buffalo a 16-13 overtime road victory over the NY Jets. The kick was his 11th game-winning kick and third in overtime in his career … finished with 10 points by connecting on three of four field goals and an extra point … produced two touchbacks on kickoffs
* Vs. CAR (10/25) … Surpassed Scott Norwood (670) to move solely into second on Bills career scoring list with 674 points
* Vs. MIA (11/29) … Was successful on four PATs … kicked a career-long 56-yard FG to give Bills 17-14 lead … second longest FG in club history, behind only 59-yarder by Steve Christie, 9/26/93 vs. MIA
* Vs. KC (12/13) … made three of four FGs, one from 41, 24, and 36 yards and had a successful PAT. Career streak of successful PATs stands at 302, the longest streak to start an NFL career … is only player in NFL history to begin career with streak of 300
* Vs. IND (1/3) … Scored 12 points moving into 43rd on the NFL’s all-time scoring list (1,005) … made three of three field goal attempts (31, 33, and 36 yards respectively) … was three of three on PATs increasing his record to 306 straight PATs

2008:
* Posted a career-high 124 points on the year, his fifth career 100-point season
* Scored 10 points in season-opener vs. Sea. (9/7), setting a personal-best in an opening game… recovered a fumble on kickoff coverage in third quarter, setting up a touchdown on the following play.
* Hit the game-winning field goal vs. Oak. (9/21) as time expired. It was his 10th career game-winning field goal…by the end of the season, he was 10 of 12 in his career on game-winning field goals (83.3%).
* Scored 10 points with three field goals and one extra point vs. Mia. (10/26) to mark his 20th game with 10 or more points
* Tied Scott Norwood for second on the team’s field goal list with 133 vs. NYJ (11/2) on a 53-yard field goal… kick marked the fifth longest in team history
* Scored career-high 18 points on 4 FG and 6 PAT at KC (11/23)
* Posted sixth game of the season with 10+ points at Den. (12/21), scoring 12 points.

2007:
* Passed O.J. Simpson (420) to move into fifth place on the Bills’ all-time scoring list hitting three PATs and one-of-two FG tries vs. Dal. (10/8)
* Vs. Bal. (10/21), made all four field goal attempts… Marked the 25th time in Bills history a kicker had 4+ FGs… Was his 19th game with 3+ FGs and 14th with Buffalo
* Extended successful streak of PATs to 234 to tie an NFL record as the longest streak to start a career at NYJ (10/28)
* Vs. Cin. (11/4), established an NFL record by kicking all three extra point attempts, extending streak to 237 to start career… Also booted four field goals, his second game with 4+ FG of the year and also scored a season-high 15 points
* Connected on a 34-yard field goal with 46 seconds left to give Buffalo a win at Mia. (11/11)… Was his eighth career game-winning FG
* Posted a 52-yard field goal and one extra point vs. NE (11/18)
* Registered a 36-yard field goal with four seconds left for his second game-winning FG of the year at Was. (12/2)… Was five-for-five on FG attempts, marking the eighth time in team history a kicker has made 5+ FG… Marked the first 5-FG game by a Bill on the road since Steve Christie’s club record of six at NYJ (10/20/96)… Extended successful FG streak to 17, a new career-long and tied the longest streak in Bills history…. Moved into 75th place on the NFL all-time scoring list with 753 points … Named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week
* Extended field goal streak to a club record of 18 consecutive made tries vs. Mia. (12/9) before missing a 46-yard attempt
* At Cle. (12/16), did not score … snapped a scoring streak of 52 games, the fourth longest in team history

2006:
* Posted over 100 points for the fourth time in his career (102)
* Finished season 23-25 (92%) on field goals, the most accurate season in Bills history and tied for third best in the NFL
* At NE (9/10), hit his career long field goal as a Bill, a 53-yarder in the first quarter
* At Det. (10/15), 53-yard FG to end first half tied as 5th longest in Bills history, it was his 12th career FG from 50+ yds
* Vs. Jac. (11/26), hit game-winning field goal from 42 yards as time expired, his seventh career game-winning field goal
* vs. Ten. (12/24), made five field goals (21, 36, 45, 21, 24) to tie career high …seventh time in Bills history a kicker had 5+ field goals in a game … 17 points in a game were a their career-high … 13th game with 10+ points in Bills career, third of season … topped the 100 point mark for the fourth time in his career

2005:
* Set a career-best with 29 field goals, ranking second in the AFC … connected on all three 50+ yard field goal attempts … connected on all 26 extra point attempts … posted over 100 points for the third time in his career
* Set new career high with five FGs, which tied for 2nd most in Bills history vs. Hou (9/11);
* Recorded two field goals, including one for a long of 47 yards vs. Mia. (10/9); became the 135th player in NFL history with 500 plus points
* Posted two field goals, including one from 50 yards vs. NYJ (10/16) … FG was 8th of his career from 50+ yards
* Posted second longest FG of his career, 53 yards on the opening drive at SD (11/20)
* Registered 13 points at Cin (12/24), going 4-4 on PATs and 3-4 on FGs; 22-yd FG gave Bills the lead in fourth quarter; also recorded one tackle on special teams against the Bengals
* 4-4 on FGs and 2-2 on PATs at NYJ (1/1); also posted two tackles on special teams against the Jets … long FG of 52 yards was 3rd FG of 50+ yards in season, tying club record … 2nd Bill to kick 50-yard FGs in both games of season series against an opponent joining Steve Christie (in1992 vs. Ind.)

2004:
* Posted a career-high 117 points, the sixth highest season total in Bills history…converted 24 of 28 field goal attempts (85.7 %)
* Hit field goals from 43 and 20 yards vs. Mia. (10/17) in a 25 mph wind and connected on two PATs
* Scored Bills only points at Bal. (10/24) with field goals of 24 and 21 yards
* Totaled eight points vs. NYJ (11/7) with two field goals (20 & 30) and two PATs; recorded the first punt of his career on a pooch punt for 37 yards in the second quarter for a touchback
* Held scoreless for only the second time in his career at NE (11/14), with the first also coming against the Patriots (12/27/03); recorded an unassisted tackle on kickoff coverage
* Eclipsed 10 points for the first time in the season with 13 points on three field goals (21, 35, 33) and four PATs vs. StL (11/21)…it was his 7th three-FG game of career
* at Sea. (11/28), returning to play his former team, Lindell hit one field goal (25 yards) and five PATs while extending his streak of successful field goals to 11, matching a career-high…started the second half with an onsides kick which he recovered himself giving the Bills possession…also recorded a tackle
* Converted on field goal attempts from 23, 21 and 37 yards vs. Cle. (12/12), and coupled with four PATs, totaled 13 points for the second time in four weeks
* Had a career day at Cin. (12/19), totaling 15 points on four field goals (23,39,21,33) and three PATs; his 15 points and four field goals were career highs at the time…also added an unassisted special teams tackle

2003:
* Converted 17 of 24 field goal attempts and all 24 of his extra point attempts…
* Had his most productive game of the year vs. Cin. (10/5), tying a career high by connecting on three field goals (27,38,29); the last FG sent the game into overtime, and an extra point

2002 - SEATTLE:
* Ended season with 107 points…ended with a flourish by making 16 of his last 18 field goals (88.9%)…
* Scored all of Seattle’s points with field goals (42 and 27) at NYG (9/22)
* Was 100% accurate vs. Min (9/29) connecting on field goals from 35 and 21 yards and all 6 PATs
* Broke an 0-for-3 slump at Dal. (10/27) to kick his fifth-career game-winning field goal, this from 20-yards out with 25 seconds remaining
* Made both field goals (34, 43) and both PATs vs. Phi (12/8), adding two special teams tackles and a forced fumble
* Missed wide left from 52 yards in regulation but came back in overtime to hit a 24-yarder to win the last game of the season at SD (12/29)

2001:
* Connected on 20 of 32 field goal attempts and all 33 of his PATs in his second season with Seattle…opened the season on a high note with kicks from 49, 23 and the game-winning 52-yard field goal with :03 left on the clock at Cle. (9/9), giving Seattle a 9-6 win
* After missing two kicks in regulation, including the possible game-winner from 48-yards with only :07 left, defeated SD (12/2) at home for the second year in a row with a 24-yard kick in overtime…continued to be the thorn in the Chargers side, kicking the game-winning field goal for the 3rd time in short two year career against the California franchise; after missing his first attempt of 48 yards wide right, he boomed the game-winner from 54-yards as time ran out at SD (12/30)

2000:
* Signed as a free agent with the Seahawks in week five (9/26) leading up to the Monday Night match-up at KC (10/2)… kicked in 12 games connecting on 15 of 17 field goal attempts and was 25 of 25 on PATs…field goal percentage (88.2%) set a team record (previously held by Todd Peterson's 1999 performance - 34/40 for 85.0%)…his percentage was tops among rookies and was 8th in the NFL…was an impressive 10 of 11 (90.9%) from 40-plus yards, second only to Miami's Olindo Mare (12/13-92.3%)…was three of three from 50-plus yards…finished the season connecting on his final 11 field goal attempts…improved the Seahawks opponents average drive start from 12th (29.1-yd line) in the AFC when he signed to finish 4th (26.9-yd line)..
* Connected on his first career attempt from 27 yards on Monday Night at KC (10/2), also converted 2 PATs...
* Biggest kick of the season may have come vs. SD (11/5) as he nailed a 48-yard game-winner in driving wind and rain as time expired for a Seahawks 17-15 win, ending a five-game losing skid
* Made a then career-high three field goals (45, 46, 29) at Atl. (12/3), scoring 12 points…scored 10+ points for the first time in his career
* Connected on both attempts vs. Oak (12/16), which included a 40-yarder and a then career-long 52-yarder that gave the Seahawks a 13-10 lead as time expired in the first half.

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