One year ago, Jake Elliott was the starting kicker on the Memphis Tigers college football team. He would soon kick a 61 yard game-winning field goal in the NFL and have an NFL Quarterback offer give him a game check of $100,000. At Memphis Elliott never missed an extra point, his field goal percentage was at around 78%, and he ended his college career with a total of 445 points. These totals, compared to even NFL kickers, are high.

Elliott was eventually drafted in the fifth round of the NFL by the Cincinnati Bengals, however, throughout this year’s preseason he was in competition with veteran Bengals kicker, Randy Bullock. Elliott ended up falling short to Bullock after missing a 50-yard field goal and an extra point in a preseason game. Elliott was then waived by the Bengals and was resigned to the practice squad.

    However, soon arose an opportunity for Elliot in Philadelphia. After week one, the Eagles learned that their starting kicker, Caleb Sturgis, would be unable to play for several weeks with a hip flexor tear. This meant that the Eagles needed a replacement, and after a few days Elliott was signed by the Eagles and got his second chance.

“He had a great college career at Memphis and was drafted in the fifth round which is pretty remarkable because kickers do not really get drafted that often. Since he missed his first field goal against the Chiefs he has been great and has a big part of the Eagles winning streak,” commented Middle School Mathematics teacher, Jerry Taylor.

    A week following his NFL debut, the Eagles faced the Giants and this division match-up had been a close game until in the tail end of the fourth quarter. “He’s a hero if he makes this … I’ll give him my game check. I’ll give him my game check if he makes this,” vowed Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback, Carson Wentz before Elliott attempted the 61-yard, potentially game-winning field goal. Once he made this game clinching field goal, Elliott instantly became a hero to Philadelphia – it was the longest, game-winning kick since Matt Bryant of the Buccaneers kicked a 62-yard field goal against the Eagles on October 22, 2006.

After the game, Elliott and Wentz addressed Wentz’s promise. Elliott declined to accept Wentz’s game check and thought it would be better suited as a donation to a charity of Elliott’s choice. Elliot selected Canine Partners for Life, an organization that provides trained dogs to people with physical, developmental, and cognitive disabilities or who are in other situations of need. Wentz promptly donated $120,000 to the organization, which was actually more than his weekly game check. “It speaks to character of Wentz and Elliott as he declined to keep the game check for himself. It was a pretty admirable thing to do,” added Taylor.

    Jake Elliott may not be in Philadelphia for much longer since the Eagles’ original kicker, Caleb Sturgis, is expected to return in the upcoming weeks. This could mean the release of Elliott, but he has definitely left his mark in Philadelphia. “It was pretty incredible, as it was the Eagles’ longest kick ever in history of the team,” stated an anonymous student. The fans will clearly cherish his time with the Eagles as he continues his NFL kicking career in the years to come.