Jake Elliott

At 29 years old, Jake Elliott has this physical status:

High school career

Elliott, a Lyons Township High School football player in La Grange, Illinois, began playing football when a Lyons assistant coach noticed his ability at a Homecoming student field goal kicking tournament. He played tennis for three years at Lyons Township before this. He was an ESPNHS underclass and was named First-Team All-State by the Chicago Tribune prior to his junior year. He made a 52-yard field goal with no time remaining to defeat Oak-Park River Forest High School, 16-14, during his junior season. He made 15 of 21 field-goal attempts and was named second-team kicker for Kohl's All America List as a senior. Elliott was given a complete scholarship by the University of North Dakota and the University of Memphis after his senior year. He decided to play for the Memphis Tigers.

College career

Elliott played college football for Memphis from 2013 to 2016. He was a student at the University of Memphis under head coaches Justin Fuente, Darrell Dickey, and Mike Norvell.

Elliott was named the starting kicker after summer camp as a freshman. Elliott scored on 16 of 18 field goals in his 2013 season. He led the Tigers with 72 points scored (24/24 extra points and 16/18 field goals) during his freshman season. With his 56-yard field goal at USF, he tied for his first field goal, beating Stephen Gostkowski's 2005 record of 53 yards. He was named the week's most outstanding Academic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week and also one of three players to be named "Stars of the Week" by Lou Groza Award. Elliott was the American Athletic Conference's top scorer in his sophomore season, averaging 9.2 points per game. He was named First-Team All-Conference and Conference Special Teams Player of the Year for the second year in a row. During his season, he scored 120 points on 32 of 32 field goal attempts and converted all 57 extra-point attempts. The American Conference was led by his 21 highly successful field goals, 57 extra points, and 120 total points scored. Elliott kicked the fourth-longest field goal in bowl games history, a 54-yard attempt that pushed the game to a second overtime and resulted in a 55–48 win. He converted all 63 extra point attempts and 23 of 28 field goal attempts for a team-leading 132 points scored in the 2015 season. In the 2015 season, the conference was led by his 63 extra points and 23 field goals. He converted all 58 extra point attempts and 21 of 26 field goal attempts for a team-leading 121 points in the 2016 season. His 21 field goals tied him to Tulsa's Redford Jones for the conference lead. He converted all 202 extra point attempts and 81 of 104 field goal attempts during his collegiate career. His impressive academic career ended him first in total points, plus points, and field goals, while also placing third in conference scoring.

Professional career

Elliott was called to the 2017 NFL Draft on February 9, 2017.

Elliott was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round (153rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the first of three kickers chosen in 2017. For the Bengals' kicker position, he competed with veteran Randy Bullock. Bullock had won the job and dismissed Elliott on September 2, 2017, the team announced on September 2, 2017. The next day, he had been recalled to the practice squad.

After the Eagles' starting kicker, Caleb Sturgis, was injured, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Elliott off Elliott from the Bengals' practice squad on September 12, 2017, the Bengals' starting lineup was placed on injured reserve. Elliott made his first NFL appearance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 of the 2017 season. He converted both extra point attempts and two out of three field goal attempts in the game. Elliott kicked a 61-yard field goal to beat the New York Giants on the final play of the game, resulting in a 27–24 victory and NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the Week. At the time, it was tied for the 7th-longest field goal in NFL history. It was also the longest field goal in Eagles history, the longest in an NFL game, and the longest by an NFL rookie. He put together a good showing against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4, when converting all four field goal opportunities and scoring both extra points for a season-high 14 points. Elliott made a tackle during the Dallas Cowboys' Week 11 game. He will be forced to miss the game due to a head injury and will not return. The Eagles had a 13–3 record, won the NFC East, and received a first-round bye. In the 15–10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, he missed an extra point but converted three field goal attempts. In the 38–7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, he converted all five extra point attempts and one field goal attempt. Elliott missed his first two extra point attempts during Super Bowl LII on February 4, 2018, but he made all three of his field goal attempts, including a 46-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that helped seal the Eagles' first Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.

Elliott converted 33 of 35 extra point attempts and 26 of 31 field goal attempts during the 2018 season. He made the difference in the 25-22 victory over the New York Giants in Week 12. He converted a 35-yard field goal with no time remaining in Week 16, giving the Eagles a 32–30 victory over the Houston Texans. In the 16–15 victory over the Chicago Bears, he had one extra point and one field goal. In the Divisional Round against the New Orleans Saints, he had two extra points in the 20–14 loss.

Elliott attempted a pass on a fake field goal attempt that was intercepted by Everson Griffen in Week 6 of the 2019 season. Elliot signed a five-year, $21.8 million contract extension with the Eagles through the 2024 season, making him the third-highest paid kicker in the league.

Elliott had the least successful season of his career in 2020, with 19 field goals (converting 77.3%) and 26 extra points (converting 92.3%). This was in part due to HC Doug Pederson's being more conservative on 4th downs and 2-point conversions.

Elliott went 8-for-8 on kicks, four field goals, and four extra points in a 40-29 victory over the Saints, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 11 of the 2021 season. Elliott ended his first year of converting 100% of his extra-point attempts, and he set a new Eagle franchise record for the highest field goal percentage in a single season at 90.9%. Elliott was named to his first Pro Bowl on January 31, 2022, replacing Matt Gay, whose team had advanced to Super Bowl LVI.

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