Getty David Akers played 12 seasons in Philly and established team records in career points and field goals made.
David Akers wasn’t mincing words when describing his relationship with Philly fans. They helped change his life, for the better.
Akers credited the whole Eagles’ organization for taking a chance on him in a recent interview on the Pat McAfee Show. Three other teams had cut the young kicker before he received a one-year contract from the Eagles in 1998. He went on to play 12 seasons in Philadelphia and qualified for a franchise-record five Pro Bowls.
“First off, Philly changed my life,” Akers said. “The fans in Philly are just incredible because if you kind of buy into their mentality if you see what that family, meaning the small town of Philly is, they just suck you in. It’s a big city with a small-town feel.”
Akers retired from the NFL after the 2013 season following short stints in San Francisco and Detroit. He remains the Eagles’ all-time scoring leader (1,323 points) and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2017.
“David Akers embodies everything we look for in a player both on and off the field,” Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie said in 2017, via the team’s official website. “He was talented, reliable, tough, and of course clutch. He played a major role in the success of this franchise during his time here, but he also loved this city and our fans and he made a tremendous impact in the community.”
#Eagles Hall of Fame member @David2Akers reflects on his time in Philadelphia #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE
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Akers Recalls ‘Sucking It Up’ in Playoff Game
Akers was a reliable and clutch kicker for the majority of his career in Philly. He converted 294-of-357 field goal attempts (82.4%) while establishing a postseason team record in points (134). He was selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
But there is one game that sticks in his craw, that 2010 wild-card showdown against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers at Lincoln Financial Field. Akers missed two crucial kicks in the back-and-forth game — one from 41 yards and another from 34 yards.
“Those two kicks hit for me of really sucking it up,” Akers said. “It was a windy day and I’m not making excuses … the 34-yarder, I should’ve hit it in my sleep.”
#Eagles Andy Reid on David Akers 2 missed FG: “We can all count. Those points would have helped.” http://bit.ly/eaglesfall
The Eagles lost 21-16 and then-coach Andy Reid kind of threw the kicker under the bus after the game.
“Andy Reid said you can do the math. Because two kicks, six points, and there you have it,” Akers said. “It sucked. That was the last game I wore an Eagles uniform.”
The New Franchise Kicker in Philadelphia
The Eagles used the transitional tag on Akers in 2011 and he eventually signed with the San Francisco 49ers on a three-year deal worth $9 million. Philly never matched the offer and took Alex Henery in the fourth round of the draft.
For Akers, it was a subtle reminder of how the NFL is a business. For the Eagles, it started a long search to find a new franchise kicker. Henery was a bust and they cycled through a bunch of mediocre players during the post-Akers era. (Yes, “double-doink” legend Cody Parkey was one).
#Eagles have signed K Jake Elliott to a five-year contract extension through 2024.
Finally, Jake Elliott burst on the scene after the Eagles plucked him off the Bengals practice squad in 2017. The former fifth-round pick boomed that game-saving 61-yard field goal against the Giants in Week 3 and the rest is history. Super Bowl hero. Elliott inked a five-year extension worth $21.8 million last year that made him the third-highest paid kicker in the league.
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