Wilkins Retires

[Barry Waller]

Rams K Wilkins Retires



ST. LOUIS – After 14 years in the NFL, 11 with the Rams, K Jeff Wilkins will retire, the team announced today.



“I have not been here for most of his career, but Jeff has been one of the best kickers that I have ever seen,” said Rams Head Coach Scott Linehan. “We will miss him here, but we also wish him well in retirement.”



“Throughout my 11 years with the Rams, everybody in the organization has been fantastic—from top to bottom,” said Wilkins, “but my retirement is the best for me, my family and the Rams.



“Over the years, the Rams have become my family. I have been truly blessed to play this game for 14 years, and I have met some great players along the way that have not only been my teammates, but who have also become great friends. I have had a great relationship with Jay Zygmunt, and Coach Scott Linehan and Coach Al Roberts have been very supportive from Day 1. Those are some of the things that I will miss most. I wish the Rams the best this season and seasons to come.”



Wilkins finishes his career as the most prolific kicker in Rams history. He is the Rams all-time leader in scoring with 1,223 points, leading the Rams in scoring for nine consecutive seasons (1999-2007). He has made 307 career field goals, 265 as a Ram which ranks first in team history. He also is the franchise leader in field goals, field goals attempted (328) and field goal percentage (80.8 percent). Wilkins has made 39 of 50 field goal attempts from at least 49 yards and is 38 of 49 as a Ram. His 78.0 field goal percentage from 49 yards or more is the best among active kickers with a minimum of 20 attempts, and the best in the NFL history among kickers with at least 25 field-goal attempts from 49-plus yards.



Wilkins holds the Rams record for longest field goal in team history (57 yards vs. Arizona 9/27/98), and is tied with Tony Zendejas’ 1991 season for highest field goal percentage in a single season in league history (100%, 17-17, 2000).



His streak of 371 consecutive PATs is the Rams’ franchise record and tied for best in NFL history with Jason Elam’s 371 from 1993-2002.



Wilkins was named to the Pro Bowl in 2003 after leading the NFL in scoring, making all 46 PATs and 39 of 42 field goals. His 39 field goals tied Miami’s Olindo Mare for the second most in one season.



After making a game-winning field goal in overtime at Arizona 11/23/03, Wilkins became the only kicker in NFL history to make a field goal as time expired in the first half, second half and to end an overtime period since overtime was adopted by the NFL in 1974.



WILKINS’ NFL STATISTICS

Scoring

Year Team GP FG FGA Pct Lg Blk XP XPA Pct Blk Pts

1994 Philadelphia 6 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0

1995 San Fran 7 12 13 92.3 46 0 27 29 93.1 0 63

1996 San Fran 16 30 34 88.2 49 0 40 40 100.0 0 130

1997 RAMS 16 25 37 67.6 52 1 32 32 100.0 0 107

1998 RAMS 16 20 26 76.9 57 0 25 26 96.2 0 85

1999 RAMS 16 20 28 71.4 51 0 64 64 100.0 0 124

2000 RAMS 11 17 17 100.0 51 0 38 38 100.0 0 89

2001 RAMS 16 23 29 79.3 54 0 58 58 100.0 0 127

2002 RAMS 16 19 25 76.0 47 0 37 37 100.0 0 94

2003 RAMS 16 39 42 92.9 53 0 46 46 100.0 0 163

2004 RAMS 16 19 24 79.2 53 0 32 32 100.0 0 89

2005 RAMS 16 27 31 87.1 53 0 36 36 100.0 0 117

2006 RAMS 16 32 37 86.4 53 0 36 36 100.0 0 131

2007 RAMS 16 24 32 75.0 53 0 25 25 100.0 0 97

Total 200 307 375 81.9 57 1 495 498 99.4 0 1,416


Field Goals

Year Team 1-19 Pct 20-29 Pct 30-39 Pct 40-49 Pct 50+ Pct

1994 Philadelphia 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0

1995 San Fran 1/1 100.0 5/5 100.0 5/5 100.0 1/2 50.0 0/0 0.0

1996 San Fran 0/0 0.0 16/16 100.0 7/8 87.5 7/10 70.0 0/0 0.0

1997 RAMS 0/0 0.0 8/9 88.9 8/12 66.7 7/14 50.0 2/2 100.0

1998 RAMS 0/0 0.0 4/5 80.0 8/8 100.0 5/7 71.4 3/6 50.0

1999 RAMS 1/1 100.0 5/5 100.0 6/7 85.7 7/11 63.6 1/4 25.0

2000 RAMS 2/2 100.0 5/5 100.0 6/6 100.0 3/3 100.0 1/1 100.0

2001 RAMS 0/0 0.0 11/11 100.0 5/5 100.0 6/12 50.0 1/1 100.0

2002 RAMS 0/0 0.0 5/5 100.0 8/10 80.0 6/9 66.7 0/1 0.0

2003 RAMS 0/0 0.0 16/16 100.0 11/13 84.6 8/9 88.9 4/4 100.0

2004 RAMS 0/0 0.0 7/7 100.0 5/6 83.3 3/6 50.0 4/5 80.0

2005 RAMS 0/0 0.0 6/7 85.7 8/8 100.0 9/11 81.8 4/5 80.0

2006 RAMS 1/1 100.0 11/11 100.0 6/6 100.0 11/16 68.8 3/3 100.0

2007 RAMS 0/0 0.0 7/8 87.5 6/7 85.7 8/13 61.5 3/4 75.0

Total 5/5 100.0 106/110 96.4 89/101 88.1 81/123 65.9 26/36 72.2


POSTSEASON

Scoring

Year Team GP FG FGA Pct Lg Blk XP XPA Pct Blk Pts

1995 San Fran 1 1 1 100.0 21 0 2 2 100.0 0 5

1996 San Fran 2 0 0 0.0 0 0 4 4 100.0 0 4

1999 RAMS 3 4 7 57.1 29 0 9 9 100.0 0 21

2000 RAMS 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 2 2 100.0 0 2

2001 RAMS 3 5 7 71.4 50 0 10 10 100.0 0 25

2003 RAMS 1 5 6 83.3 51 0 0 0 0.0 0 15

2004 RAMS 2 3 3 100.0 55 0 5 5 100.0 0 14

Total 13 18 24 75.0 55 0 32 32 100.0 0 86


Field Goals

Year Team 1-19 Pct 20-29 Pct 30-39 Pct 40-49 Pct 50+ Pct

1995 San Fran 0/0 0.0 1/1 100.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0

1996 San Fran 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0

1999 RAMS 0/0 0.0 4/4 100.0 0/1 0.0 0/2 0.0 0/0 0.0

2000 RAMS 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0 0/0 0.0

2001 RAMS 0/0 0.0 2/2 100.0 1/1 100.0 1/1 100.0 1/3 33.3

2003 RAMS 0/0 0.0 3/3 100.0 1/1 100.0 0/0 0.0 1/2 50.0

2004 RAMS 0/0 0.0 1/1 100.0 1/1 100.0 0/0 0.0 1/1 100.0

Total 0/0 0.0 11/11 100.0 3/4 75.0 1/3 33.0 3/6 50.0


-RAMS-

[TekeRam]

Two years ago, I'd never had said this...but after last season:

Ding dong the witch is dead, which old witch, the wicked witch! Ding dong the wicked witch is dead!

The horrible part is, I hope we go after Vanderjagt, a kicker known for his blown kick in a dome and his inability to keep his job in Dallas last year. Never the less, he's still the most accurate kicker in history. Isn't Olindo Mare looking for work too?

[Rambos]

Thanks "money" good times. You made it look so easy, never a doubt thanks.

[laram0]

Originally Posted by TekeRam

Two years ago, I'd never had said this...but after last season:

Ding dong the witch is dead, which old witch, the wicked witch! Ding dong the wicked witch is dead!

The horrible part is, I hope we go after Vanderjagt, a kicker known for his blown kick in a dome and his inability to keep his job in Dallas last year. Never the less, he's still the most accurate kicker in history. Isn't Olindo Mare looking for work too?

Olindo Mare- maybe? Vanderjerk -no way!

[rammiser]

What about the kid that kicked for us in pre-season last year he looked pretty good?

[ramsplaya16]

yeah, kevin lovell i belive? i liked him alot

[jquarando]

I cant believe we went for two instead of letting him break the record now. Oh well, i guess if the cards can dump rolen and edmonds, the rams can dump money and sir isaac bruce.

[general counsel]

I feel like the dead guy that just got shot in the head. Another one of my favorites, jeff wilkins, leaving the team!

Say bye bye to dane looker, no shot of him returning.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[Mooselini]

Man. He was a good kicker in his prime. Thanks for the great playing Mr. Wilkins.

[Keenum]

All he needed was one more PAT to set the record I think.
Dang it, I really liked Wilkins.
Well, I wouldn't doubt he could come back next year or after that, kinda like that Anderson guy.
But for now, we've got another hole to fill.

[mikhal5569]

How much money does this save us in cap space if any?

[txramsfan]

I wish I could take credit for this but I read it on an email site. "With Wilkins retiring, there goes our best tackler on Special Teams".

Thought that was so right.

[RamDez]

another great loss to the Rams ............ Man the team sure is going to look different this season.

Thank you Jeff, you gave us a lot of good memories.

[PeoriaRam]

Thanks Money, for your excellent kicking and possibly under-appreciated ability to be automatic on extra points. Your cleats will be difficult to fill by whoever replaces you.

I too will also miss your skillful tackling.

--------------------------------

The receiver stable's going to be awfully bare at this point.

[Chris58]

Sorry to see him go. I always felt confident with Money as the Rams kicker these last 11 years. It will be years before we find the steady consistent leg that was Wilkins'.