Dan Bailey

At 36 years old, Dan Bailey has this physical status:

Dan Bailey (born January 26, 1988) is an American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. (NFL) is a member of the Minnesota Vikings.

Bailey grew up in the Oklahoma City area and played college football at Oklahoma State University.

Bailey was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent following the 2011 NFL Draft.

He spent seven years in Dallas, where he became the franchise's all-time leader in field goals and the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history.

Early Years

Bailey grew up in Mustang, Oklahoma, and attended Southwest Covenant School, where he was an all-state kicker and a first-team all-city punter (as selected by The Oklahoman) while playing eight-man football.

Bailey had 51 touches in 61 kickoffs as a senior. He holds the state record for longest field goal (50 yards), most field goals in a season (seven) and career (14). He was also a champion golfer for the individual state. Bailey graduated from Southwest Covenant and was named valedictorian of the class of 2007.

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College Career

Bailey had intended to leave University of Arkansas in order to receive an academic scholarship that would fund his tuition. He was approached by head coach Houston Nutt and told that he would have to pay his own way, so he would not count toward the team's scholarship fund. He was forced to leave the university one year early in college before marching on to Oklahoma State University.

Bailey made 20-of-20 point kicks as a true freshman in 2007, but only two-of-four field goals were achieved. Bailey made field goals from 27 and 28 yards, but he failed two attempts beyond 40 yards.

Bailey scored ten field goals in his second year (2008) before the 2008 Holiday Bowl. He was second in the Big 12 Conference in field goal conversion rate at 78.9% (for-19) on the season. In the 2008 Holiday Bowl, he was a career-long 45-yarder, defeating Oregon 42-31.

In 2009, Bailey met 46-of-46 extra point attempts and 13-of-18 field goals. He made 4-of-4 field goals, including a career-long 51-yarder, during a 33-17 win over Missouri in October 17.

Bailey made 24-of-28 field goals and 64-of-66 extra points in 2010. Following the season, he received the Lou Groza Award for the country's top kicker. He was named in the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year award. Oklahoma defeated Arizona 36-10 in December 2010, and Bailey made three of three field goals in the game: 40, 50, and 44 yards.

Professional Career

Following the 2011 NFL Draft, Bailey was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. At one point during preparation camp, he had to compete with three other place kickers, including David Buehler, Shayne Graham, and Dave Rayner. Bailey was named the team's kicker at the end of the season, with Buehler remaining on the roster as the kickoff specialist.

After missing a chip shot in the first quarter, the San Francisco 49ers' second game of the regular season, he made a 48-yard field goal to force overtime and the eventual game-winner from 19 yards.

Bailey converted six field goals in Week 3, an 18–16 victory over the Washington Redskins, setting a new rookie record (accounting for all of Dallas' points). It was the first time the Cowboys had won a game without scoring a touchdown and the sixth in club history. He became the third rookie in NFL history to score six field goals in a game, following Garo Yepremian's conversion of six-of-eight attempts on November 13, 1966 for the Detroit Lions and Jeff Reed, who made all six attempts on December 1, 2002 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He received the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award for his efforts this week.

Bailey will play in one of the best football seasons in franchise and league history by a rookie, with 32-of-37 (86.5%) field goals, second-highest field goals, and tied for the second-most consecutive field goals made in a game (6), tying Chris Boniol for the second consecutive field goals made in a season (32) and league history by a rookie, beating him for the second consecutive field goals made (26) in a season (196).

Bailey kicked his second game-winning field goal, a 39-yard kick in overtime, on Monday, assisting the Cowboys in defeating the Redskins 27-24.

During the December 4 (Week 13) game against the Arizona Cardinals, Bailey failed a potential game-winning 49-yard field goal. Bailey's kick was good, but with the game tied 13-13 and six seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett called a time-out before the snap. Bailey kicked the field goal short and left, angering many Cowboys fans who believed Garrett had just iced his own kicker. The Cardinals defeated 19-13 on a touchdown by LaRod Stephens-Howling in overtime.

Bailey's first attempt at a game against the Cowboys ended 37-34 on December 11 (Week 14), but with the Cowboys trailing 37-34, his first attempt at a game-tying 47-yard field goal was called off, effectively ending the game. Bailey's first kick did not go through the uprights, which was evident. After the Giants' timeout, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul blocked Bailey's kick.

In Week 3 (September 23), Bailey converted three field goals from 32, 26, and 22 yards, a 16-10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dallas led 16-7, a two-possession lead with 2:47 left, after his last field goal in the game. After Bailey missed a last-second, 51-yard field goal, Dallas lost the Week 6 (October 14) game 31-29 to the Baltimore Ravens. With 32 seconds to Dez Bryant, Tony Romo completed a four-yard touchdown pass but Bailey had to make an onside kick because the following two-point conversion failed. Dallas recovered the kick, but his 51-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right with six seconds remaining.

In Dallas' 19-14 victory, the following game (Week 7, October 21) was played: Bailey kicked 28 and 38-yard field goals within the final four minutes. He made the game tying 32-yard field goal in regulation and the winning 38-yard field goal in overtime on Week 11, November 18th (November 18).

Dallas beat Cincinnati 20-19 in Week 14 after trailing the Cincinnati Bengals 19-10 with 6:35 left. Romo's touchdown pass and Bailey's final-second 40-yard field goal completed the fourth quarter's comeback.

Following Brandon Carr's return to the Pittsburgh Steelers' 36-yard field goal in Week 15, Bailey scored a game-winning 21-yard field goal. The Cowboys won 27-24 in overtime. With this victory, the Cowboys' postseason hopes were revived.

Bailey kicked a field goal in every game in the 2012 season's final two weeks, but both games ended in defeats. The Cowboys will be ruled out of the playoffs.

After scoring two against the Minnesota Vikings, Bailey earned his third spot in franchise history with 77 career field goals. In addition, he set the franchise record for most field goals over 50 yards in a single season ((6) and a career (11).

Bailey and the Cowboys decided on a new seven-year deal on January 23. His latest deal was reported to be worth $22.5 million with a $4 million signing bonus and a total of $6.6 million in guarantees.

Bailey made a 42-yard field goal against the St. Louis Rams on September 21, setting a franchise record for the 28th straight field goal.

He missed a potential game-winning 53-yard field goal against the Houston Texans at the end of regulation on October 5, snapping a franchise record of 30 straight calls dating back to the previous season. In overtime, Bailey kicked the game-winning 49-yard field goal.

Bailey made field goal in the second quarter of the Cowboys' 30-23 eventual victory over the Seattle Seahawks on October 12, making him the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He has since ranked twelfth on the all-time list, in which the top six players are now active.

Bailey earned 182 points in his career, surpassing Mike Clark in the season opener against the New York Giants.

The Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins 19-16 on Monday Night Football after he made four of four field goals, including a game-winning 54-yard field goal with seconds remaining. This result earned him his second NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.

Bailey was selected in December for his first Pro Bowl appearance after posting a career-high 93.8%, with some even going farther (19-for-19). Since the NFL decided to move the extra point from the two-yard line to the 15-yard line, he responded by a spectacular record of 25-of-25.

Bailey scored four field goals in the 20-19 loss to the New York Giants in the 2016 season opener. He worked on field goals of 54 and 56 yards. He made three field goals against the Green Bay Packers on October 16. This was his 23rd game in his career with three or more field goals, the most in team history. On December 18, he kicked six field goals against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, scoring four and missing two. These misses marked his second time in his career that he had missed two attempts in a game; the previous was in 2011.

Bailey converted all four attempts in the season-opening 19-3 victory over the New York Giants on NBC Sunday Night Football, his 28th game of three or more made field goals. In a 42–17 loss to the Denver Broncos, he tied his career long with a 56-yard field goal. Week 3 in Bailey's career, this was his 10th game in which he did not attempt a field goal. Against the San Francisco 49ers in week 7, he injured his right groin.

He returned to play in the Thanksgiving game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thanksgiving, but the following weeks would be difficult. In a 30–10 victory over the New York Giants, he missed two field goals and one extra point. In a game where the Cowboys needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, he made a 51-yard field goal against the Seattle Seahawks, which may have helped the team stay closer in a season-ending 21-12 loss. In a 6-0 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the season finale, he missed one extra point and one field goal.

Bailey had been the most accurate kicker in NFL history before his injury, but he fell short of Justin Tucker. During the season, he converted 15-of-20 field goals (75%) and 26-of-28 extra point attempts (92.9%).

Despite Bailey's deteriorating season, the Cowboys' release on September 1 was nevertheless a surprise move, considering the team's decision to keep Canadian Football League journeyman Brett Maher, who had a good preseason (including a 57-yard field goal), but he had never kicked in a regular-season game. Bailey had made his first attempt in the preseason (a 35-yard field goal).

With the change, the team saved $3.4 million against the salary cap. (88.2%) He retired the Cowboys as the second-most accurate kicker in NFL history (88.2%). Bailey also holds the Cowboys' record for the most consecutive extra points earned (275), the most important field goals made (30) and career field goals (186).

After Carlson missed three field goals against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, the Minnesota Vikings signed Bailey to replace rookie Daniel Carlson. Bailey would have another bad season, convert only 21 of 28 field goal attempts (75%), with only 5 of 11 attempts (45.4 percent) from 40 yards or more – this reduced productivity equaled the previous year, as his percentage of overall field goals remained unchanged.

Bailey re-signed with the Vikings on March 19, 2019. During the preseason, he struggled, causing the Vikings to trade a fifth round draft pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for kicker Kaare Vedvik. Bailey would win the kicking tournament, while Vedvik was announced on August 31.

Bailey converted all four field goals and both extra points against the New York Giants in Week 5, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. In week 8, he scored four field goals and an extra point against the Washington Redskins, earning him their second NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.

Bailey had a good bounce back from a disappointing season, re-establishing himself as a top placekicker (93.1%), although he had a career-low average in extra points, scoring 40 of 44 attempts (90.9%).

Bailey re-signed with the Vikings on a three-year, $10 million contract on March 23, 2020. However, he suffered helically during the season, with just 15 of 22 on field goals for a career low of 68.1% and only 37 of 43 on extra points for a career low 86%. He had a field day within 40 yards, making 9 of ten (90%). He was released from the Vikings on March 9, 2021.

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