Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Just trying to remember Hall of Famers who held for placekicks at any point in their career. Please add to this list if you can:

Fran Tarkenton
Sonny Jurgensen
Paul Krause
Bart Starr
Joe Montana
Len Dawson
Ken Stabler
Bobby Layne
Roger Wehrli
Larry Wilson
Steve Largent

Supplemental kick-holder questions that I don't know the answer to, perhaps someone here does:

1. What kicker/holder combo stayed together the longest? (Possibly Stenerud-Dawson?)

2. What kicker had the most different holders over his career? (Possibly Lou Groza?)

Only one was a hofer but, in 1958, New York Giants Pat Summerall had four holders during the season.
His Giants career was only four years, but he had six previous years with the Cardinals and Lions.

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I'm pretty sure Sammy Baugh was a holder for much of his career. In broader terms, I believe most holders used to be quarterbacks, as late as the 1970s or '80s, so it might be a good bet that most of the Hall of Fame quarterbacks from that time were also holders -- guys like Van Brocklin, Graham, Tittle and so on. Maybe Luckman, too. I don't think Waterfield would qualify, though, since he was usually the kicker and that seems like kind of a tough double role for anybody, even a Hall of Famer.

Bob Gill wrote:I'm pretty sure Sammy Baugh was a holder for much of his career. In broader terms, I believe most holders used to be quarterbacks, as late as the 1970s or '80s, so it might be a good bet that most of the Hall of Fame quarterbacks from that time were also holders -- guys like Van Brocklin, Graham, Tittle and so on. Maybe Luckman, too. I don't think Waterfield would qualify, though, since he was usually the kicker and that seems like kind of a tough double role for anybody, even a Hall of Famer.

(Any guy who could handle Jane Russell could do just about anything.)

If not the QB, often the Punter.
Yale Lary, for example.

I bet Eddie Murray may have had the most different holders. He played for 7 or 8 different teams, and I think he's kicked for the most different teams of anyone. So you'd have to figure out how many different holders he had during his longest stint with the Lions, and take that into account.

in 1951, when Bob Waterfield was hurt, opening game, Elroy Hirsch held for Tom Fears and later in game, Fears held for Hirsch, who missed his PAT try. I think it happened more often, since both Fears and Hirsch would kick from time to time after Waterfield retired.

So, 2 HOF receivers holding for each other in same game. Kind of cool

oldecapecod11 wrote:Only one was a hofer but, in 1958, New York Giants Pat Summerall had four holders during the season.
His Giants career was only four years, but he had six previous years with the Cardinals and Lions.

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It's almost a shame with his announcing career that people forget Pat Summerall was a heck of a football player, and really could pressure the passer at times.