Billy Cundiff facts for kids
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Cundiff in 2015
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| Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | March 30, 1980 Valley Center, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 212 lb (96 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Harlan Community (Harlan, Iowa) | ||||||||
| College: | Drake (1998–2001) | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2002 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
William Ambrose Cundiff (born March 30, 1980) is a former American football player. He was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). Billy Cundiff played college football for Drake University. The Dallas Cowboys signed him in 2002 as an undrafted free agent.
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College Football Journey
Billy Cundiff played for the Drake Bulldogs football team at Drake University. He set five career records in the Pioneer Football League (PFL). These records included most points (284) and field goals (49). He also had the most points after touchdown (137).
He kicked eight field goals from over 50 yards during his time with the Bulldogs. One of these was a 62-yard kick in 2000 against San Diego. This was a PFL record. Cundiff also played a little for the Drake University Men's Basketball team. He earned a degree in biology in 2003. In 2012, he received the Drake Double D Award, a top honor for student-athletes at the university.
Professional Football Career
Billy Cundiff had a long career playing for many NFL teams. He was known for his powerful kicks.
Starting with the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys signed Cundiff in 2002 as an undrafted free agent. He won the kicking job over the player who was already there, Tim Seder. As a rookie, he won the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. This was after he kicked a 48-yard field goal to win a game against the St. Louis Rams.
In 2003, he tied a record by making seven field goals in one game against the New York Giants. He was the second player in Cowboys history to win the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award twice in one season.
In 2005, Cundiff was injured during training camp. He was later re-signed by the Cowboys in November 2005. In his first game back, he kicked a 56-yard field goal. This set a new record for the longest field goal in Cowboys history. However, he was released in December 2005 after missing two field goals in a game.
Moving to Other Teams
Cundiff played for several teams after leaving the Cowboys. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006 but was released. Then he joined the Green Bay Packers in March 2006 but was cut before the season.
Later in 2006, the New Orleans Saints signed him as a kickoff specialist. This helped take some of the workload off their main kicker. In 2007, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons but was released after preseason.
In 2008, Cundiff signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he was released before the regular season began. In 2009, he joined the Detroit Lions briefly but was cut.
First Time with the Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns signed Cundiff in September 2009. This was after their kicker, Phil Dawson, got injured. In Week 5 of the 2009 NFL season, Cundiff kicked a game-winning field goal. This helped the Browns beat the Buffalo Bills 6–3. He was released by the Browns in November 2009.
Time with the Baltimore Ravens
Cundiff joined the Baltimore Ravens in November 2009. He replaced their previous kicker. He re-signed with the Ravens for the 2010 season.
Cundiff was chosen for the 2011 Pro Bowl as the AFC placekicker. He made 26 out of 29 field goal attempts. He also had a league-high 40 touchbacks, which tied an NFL record. He signed a five-year contract with the Ravens in January 2011.
In the 2012 AFC Championship Game, Cundiff missed a 32-yard field goal. This kick would have tied the game against the New England Patriots. The Ravens lost 23–20. Cundiff was released by the Ravens in August 2012.
Playing for Washington and San Francisco
The Washington Redskins signed Cundiff in August 2012. In Week 2, he tried a 62-yard field goal against the St. Louis Rams to send the game into overtime, but he missed. Two weeks later, he made a 41-yard field goal in the final seconds. This helped the Redskins win 24–22 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was released by the Redskins in October 2012.
Cundiff signed with the San Francisco 49ers in January 2013. He was there to compete for the kicking job. However, he was released later that month.
Back to the Browns and Final Season
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Cundiff returned to the Cleveland Browns in September 2013. He re-signed with them in March 2014. In 2014, he kicked game-winning field goals against the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. He was released by the Browns in December 2014 due to a knee injury.
Cundiff was signed by the Buffalo Bills in October 2015. He was released by the Bills just six days later.
Life Outside Football
Billy Cundiff is married to his college sweetheart, Nicole. They have three children together.
In 2007, Cundiff started a full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. He studied at Arizona State University's W. P. Carey School of Business. He earned his MBA and MRED degrees in May 2009.
