Ryan Longwell facts for kids
Longwell with the Green Bay Packers in 2004
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| California Golden Bears | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Senior analyst | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | August 16, 1974 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Bend Senior (Bend, Oregon) | ||||||||||
| College: | California (1993–1996) | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1997 | ||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||
Ryan Walker Longwell, born on August 16, 1974, is a former American football player. He was a special player called a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears. Then, he started his professional career with the San Francisco 49ers. But he never played a game for them. He played for the Green Bay Packers from 1997 to 2005. He then played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2006 to 2011. He also played a short time for the Seattle Seahawks in 2012.
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Early Life and College Football
Ryan Longwell grew up in Bend, Oregon. He went to high school there and played football for the Bend High School Lava Bears. He was a kicker for three years. He also played as a backup quarterback. Ryan was also good at baseball, playing third baseman. He earned awards in both sports.
In 1993, Ryan started college at the University of California, Berkeley. He played football there for four years. He was both a punter and a placekicker for his team. In his last year, he won awards for his kicking and punting skills. Ryan studied English and earned a degree.
Playing in the NFL
Time with the Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers picked up Ryan Longwell in 1997. He had been with the San Francisco 49ers before that. With the Packers, Ryan played in Super Bowl XXXII. He kicked one field goal and three extra points in that game. But his team lost to the Denver Broncos 31–24.
Ryan played for the Packers for nine seasons. He scored more than 120 points in six of those years. After seven seasons, he became the Packers' all-time leading scorer. He passed a famous player named Don Hutson. Another player, Mason Crosby, later passed Ryan. But Ryan is still second on the Packers' all-time scoring list.
Playing for the Minnesota Vikings
Ryan Longwell joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2006. In his second game with the Vikings, he had a great performance. He scored all 16 of the Vikings' points in a 16–13 win. This included three field goals, one of which won the game in overtime. He also threw a 16-yard touchdown pass on a trick play!
In 2008, in the last game of the season, he kicked a 50-yard field goal. This kick happened as time ran out. It helped the Vikings win 20–19 against the New York Giants. This win helped the Vikings win their division.
In 2010, Ryan was good friends with Brett Favre, another famous player. Ryan often spoke to the media about whether Favre would play again. When Ryan picked Favre up at the airport, TV helicopters followed his car! In 2018, Ryan was honored and joined the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.
Short Time with the Seattle Seahawks and Retirement
On January 8, 2013, Ryan Longwell joined the Seattle Seahawks. He was signed after their kicker, Steven Hauschka, got hurt. On August 12, 2013, the Green Bay Packers announced that Ryan would retire. He chose to retire as a Packer.
Amazing Records and Achievements
Ryan Longwell holds some impressive records:
- He is the second-highest scorer in Green Bay Packers history. He scored 1054 points.
- He has the second-most field goals in Packers history, with 226.
- He kicked the third-longest field goal in Packers history. It was 54 yards long.
- He has the second-most points (1,687) for a player who never made a Pro Bowl.
Family and Life Today
Ryan Longwell is related to Michael Orr, who was an Olympic athlete in 1992 and 1996. Ryan is married to Sarah Longwell. They have two children, Shaye and Reece. Shaye played college tennis. Reece graduated from Georgia Tech.
In 2023, Ryan went back to his old college, California. He joined the football team as a senior analyst. This means he helps the coaches with strategy and analysis.
Images for kids
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Longwell with the Green Bay Packers in 2004
See also
- List of most consecutive games played by NFL players
