Jason Hanson

Infobox NFLactive
name=Jason Hanson

---

width=200
caption=Jason Hanson kicked the game wining field goal in a Lions game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 16, 2007.
currentteam=Detroit Lions
currentnumber=4
currentposition=Placekicker
birthdate=birth date and age|1970|6|17
birthplace=Spokane, Washington
heightft=6
heightin=0
weight=190
debutyear=1992
debutteam=Detroit Lions
highlights=
* 2x Pro Bowl Selection (1998, 1999)
college=Washington State
draftyear=1992
draftround=2
draftpick=56
pastteams=
* Detroit Lions (1992-present)
statweek=17
statseason=2007
statlabel1=Field Goals Made
statvalue1=385
statlabel2=Field Goals Attempted
statvalue2=472
statlabel3=Field Goals %
statvalue3=81.6
nfl=HAN671834

Jason Douglas "Thunderfoot" Hanson (born June 17, 1970 in Spokane, Washington) is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League.

High school career

Jason Hanson attended Mead Senior High School in Spokane, Washington and lettered in football, soccer, and basketball. As a senior, he won All-Greater Spokane League honors as both a kicker and punter and was named a first team All-State honoree by the Washington Sportswriters Association.

College career

Hanson attended Washington State University, where he set or tied many NCAA records. At WSU he was a teammate of retired quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Hanson's percentage of 57.1 for field goals from 50 yards or greater is both a school and Pacific-10 Conference record. His long-range field goal accuracy earned him the nickname "Thunderfoot." He holds the record for most field goals from 50 yards or more (20), and 40 yards or more (39). His school records include most points scored (328), most games with two or more field goals (20), field goals (63), and PATs (139). In addition to his placekicking duties he also punted, and was named as an All-American by ESPN in his junior year.

Pro career

Hanson was selected in the second round (56th overall) of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Lions, for whom he still plays today. To put that into perspective, no other kicker currently kicking in the NFL has been with the same team as long as Hanson and is currently the longest-tenured active player with one team in the NFL; in addition, with the recent trade of Brett Favre as well as the recent retirement of Michael Strahan is the last player to have played for the same team they currently play for before the start of free agency and the salary cap in the NFL. In addition, he has only missed one game in his career, over 15 years. Known as "Thunderfoot" to Lions' fans, Hanson is the team's all-time leader in scoring, with 1,659 points, and in field goals with 385, and holds a variety of other team records for kicking and scoring. As of 2007, he has missed only seven extra points in his career, going 492-for-499. Hanson's kickoffs often result in touchbacksFact|date=December 2007. He represented the NFC in the Pro Bowl in 1998 and 1999, and was an alternate in 1997. He has scored 17 game-winning field goals in his career; eight in regulation and nine in overtime.

All-Time NFL scoring list

As of the end of the 2007 season, Hanson ranks as the tenth leading scorer all-time, with 1,659 points (385 field goals, 504 extra points).

Following his fourth successful field goal attempt in the December 3, 2006 game against the New England Patriots, Hanson is now the thirteenth player in NFL history to score more than 1,500 points.

Following his third successful field goal attempt in the November 4, 2007 game against the Denver Broncos, Hanson is now the eleventh player in NFL history to score more than 1,600 points.

Other

His brother Travis was a kicker for the University of Washington Huskies.

External links

* [http://www.detroitlions.com/bio.cfm?bio_id=37&season=7 Jason Hanson at the official Detroit Lions site]