Jay Feely

Infobox NFLactive


name=Jay Feely
|width=
caption=
currentteam=New York Jets
currentnumber=3
currentpositionplain=Placekicker
birthdate=birth date and age|1976|5|23
birthplace=St. Paul, Minnesota
heightft=5
heightin=10
weight=210
debutyear=2001
debutteam=Atlanta Falcons
college=Michigan
undraftedyear=1999
pastteams=
* Florida Bobcats (1999)
* Tampa Bay Storm (2000)
* Atlanta Falcons (2001-2004)
* New York Giants (2005-2006)
* Miami Dolphins (2007)
* Kansas City Chiefs (2008)*
* New York Jets (2008-present):*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
status=Active
highlights=
* Honorable mention All-Big Ten (1998)
* "Pro Football Weekly" All-Rookie Team (2001)
* Pro Bowl alternate (2005)
statweek=17
statseason=2007
statlabel1=Field Goals Made
statvalue1=177
statlabel2=Field Goals Attempted
statvalue2=219
statlabel3=Field Goal %
statvalue3=80.8
nfl=FEE461435

Thomas "Jay" Feely (born May 23, 1976 in city-state|St. Paul|Minnesota) is an American football placekicker for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was signed by the Florida Bobcats as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Michigan.

Feely has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Storm, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. He was a member of the "Pro Football Weekly" All-Rookie Team with the Falcons in 2001 and was a Pro Bowl alternate with the Giants in 2005.

Personal

A number of Feely's family members have also been involved in football. His father, Tom, is a football coach, and his brother Ryan kicked for Central Florida and Jacksonville University [cite news |author=Judy Battista |title=In Brother's Memory, Giants' Feely Perseveres |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/sports/football/07giants.html?pagewanted=all |work=The New York Times |date=2005-08-07 |accessdate=2008-04-07]

Feely and his wife, Rebecca, welcomed a new daughter, Abigail Pamela, on October 22, 2005. They also have two other children: Lexi and Jace. [cite news |author=Norman Y. Lono |title=Kicker and Wife Set for a Star to Be Born |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/11/sports/football/11giants.html |work=The New York Times |date=2005-10-11 |accessdate=2008-04-07]

Early years

Feely attended Jesuit High School in city-state|Tampa|Florida).cite web | title = TEAM: Roster Jay Feely Profile | work = MiamiDolphins.com | url = http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/team/roster/playerBio.asp?docid=27294 | accessdate = 4 July | accessyear = 2008 ] While there, he set Hillsborough County career and season records for field goals and extra points.

College career

Feely was a four-year letterman at the University of Michigan from 1995 to 1998. As a senior in 1998, he converted 17 of 22 field goal attempts and 40 of 41 point-after attempts on his way to an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten team. His longest career field goal was 51-yard kick against Baylor as a junior. He finished his career 20-for-26 in field goals and 43-for-44 in extra points.

Professional career

Florida Bobcats

After going undrafted in the 1999 NFL Draft, Feely kicked for the Florida Bobcats of the Arena Football League.cite web | title = ArenaFan Online: Jay Feely | work = ArenaFanOnline.com | url = http://www.arenafan.com/players/Jay_Feely-2093/ | accessdate = 4 July | accessyear = 2008 ] That season, he went 2-for-5 in field goal attempts and 8-for-13 in extra point attempts. He also added three tackles (two solo) and forced a fumble.

Tampa Bay Storm

Feely kicked for his hometown Tampa Bay Storm in 2000, converting one of six field goal attempts and three of four extra point attempts. He also returned one kickoff for 22 yards.

Atlanta Falcons

In March 2001, Feely worked out for the Washington Redskins but was not signed.cite web | title = KFFL - Jay Feely, PK | work = KFFL.com | url = http://www.kffl.com/player/95/nfl/news | accessdate = 4 July | accessyear = 2008 ] On April 12, he signed a one-year, $209,000 contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Although Jake Arians was expected to be the Falcons' placekicker during the 2001 season, it was Feely that won the job.

As a rookie with the Falcons in 2001, Feely converted 29 of 37 field goal attempts (78.4%) and all 28 extra point attempts. He also converted 14 of 15 field goals away from the Georgia Dome. His 115 points tied him with the Eagles' David Akers for second in the NFC behind only Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins. Feely converted a 55-yard attempt against the Arizona Cardinals on September 30. He also caught one pass for -2 yards from Falcons punter Chris Mohr on a fake field goal attempt. For his performance during the season, Feely was a consensus all-rookie selection.

An exclusive-rights free agent in the 2002 offseason, Feely was tendered a one-year, $300,000 contract by the Falcons on February 22.. He signed the deal on June 7. That season, he converted 32 of 40 field goal attempts (80 percent) and all but one of 43 extra point attempts. His 32 field goals tied him with Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Martín Gramática for most in the NFL. It also broke Morten Andersen's previous franchise record of 31 set in 1995. Feely earned NFL Special Teams Player of the Week honors after converting three field goals of more than 40 yards against the Carolina Panthers on October 20, and eventually earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors for converting 9 of 10 field goals and all nine PATs.

In 2003, Feely converted 19 of 27 field goal attempts (70.4 percent) and 32 of 33 extra point attempts.

On March 6, 2004, the Falcons re-signed Feely - a restricted free agent - to a one-year contract worth $628,000. That season, he achieved a field goal percentage of 78.3 by converting 18 of 23 tries. Feely also connected on all 40 of his extra point attempts that season. On September 19 against the St. Louis Rams, he recorded his own onside kick. In two playoff games, Feely was a perfect 2-for-2 in field goals and 7-for-7 on PATs.

New York Giants

An unrestricted free agent in the 2005 offseason, Feely signed a three-year deal with the New York Giants on March 12. The contract included base salaries of $540,000 (2005), $545,000 (2006) and $550,000 (2007). In a preseason game against the New York Jets that year, Feely scored all his team's points in a 15-14 victory by connecting on five field goals, including two over 50 yards. On November 27th 2005, Feeley missed 3 game winning field goals against the Seattle Seahawks, causing them to lose the game in overtime.

Miami Dolphins

A free agent in the 2007 offseason, the Miami Dolphins signed Feely to a three-year contract worth just under $5 million on March 8. The team subsequently traded incumbent placekicker Olindo Mare to the New Orleans Saints on April 3.cite web | title = Dolphins Acquire Saints Sixth-Round Pick For Olindo Mare | work = MiamiDolphins.com | url = http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/news/top_story.asp?contentID=5093 | accessdate = 4 July | accessyear = 2008 ]

During his first season with the Dolphins, experienced the most productive season of his career and in franchise history. He missed just two of his 23 field goal attempts, setting a new franchise record for field goal percentage at 91.3. The record had previously been 90.5 percent, set by Mare in 2001. Through the 2007 season, Feely had converted 164 straight extra point attempts and had created five recovered onside kicks.

Quote box
quote = "I am going to be the best kicker in the NFL this year. I don't know any guy on this team that worked harder than me this offseason."
source = Jay Feely, June 2008
width = 200px
align = Right

During the 2008 offseason, it was reported that new Dolphins Vice President Bill Parcells did not like Feely's outspoken nature and that he would not be assured a roster spot despite his 2007 success. The Dolphins released fellow kicker Dave Rayner on June 6, leaving only undrafted rookie Dan Carpenter (Montana) to challenge Feely for the team's placekicking job in 2008.cite web | title = Miami Dolphins cut kicker Dave Rayner | work = PalmBeachPost.com | url = http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/06/06/0606kicker.html?cxntlid=inform_sr | accessdate = 4 July | accessyear = 2008 ] Feely was released by the Miami Dolphins on August 12, 2008.

Kansas City Chiefs

On August 25, 2008, Feely was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, and released just a day later. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080827/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_chiefs_feely_2]

New York Jets

After New York Jets kicker Mike Nugent was injured in the team's Week 1 contest against the Miami Dolphins, Feely was signed by the team on September 8, 2008.

In the media

Feely and his wife, Rebecca, appeared on "A Baby Story" on TLC, which aired January 11, 2006. He has also appeared on "ESPN First Take and "Saturday Night Live".

After missing three field goals for the Giants in an overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks in 2005, Feely was the subject of a "Saturday Night Live" sketch.cite web | title = Season 31: Dane Cook | work = NBC.com | url = http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/segments/6712.shtml | accessdate = 4 July | accessyear = 2008 ] The NFL Films parody, entitled "The Long Ride Home: The Jay Feely Story," featured comedian Dane Cook as Feely on the Giants' five-hour flight home from Seattle, where he is forced to land the plane through two large radio towers that look like field posts.

References

External links

* [http://www.arenafan.com/players/Jay_Feely-2093/ ArenaFan bio]
* [http://www.newyorkjets.com/team/player/1400-jay-feely New York Jets bio]