Sam Ficken

Samuel James Ficken (born December 14, 1992) is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He had a short stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL), before being cut before the beginning of the 2016 NFL season . He played college football at Penn State University.

Ficken, a former soccer player, was born in Valparaiso, Indiana, and attended Valparaiso High School, where he was named first-team Associated Press Class 5A all-state kicker. He also was a member of the all-area team. Ficken made 13 field goals during his senior year, including a school-record 52 yard kick. He also had 45 touchbacks on kickoffs.

2011

Ficken saw little action in 2011 behind veteran starting kicker, Anthony Fera. He hit a point after touchdown in the opener against Indiana State, as well as kicking off once. He missed his first collegiate field goal attempt in a game against Temple, but rebounded with a completed field goal against Eastern Michigan. Besides two more kickoffs, Ficken did not play for the remainder of the year.

2012

Ficken became the starting kicker in 2012. Ficken started the year off poorly, missing 7 of his first 11 field goals (including one from the one yard line in a game against Illinois, as well as missing 4 out of 5 in a one-point loss to Virginia). However, after being mentored by starting Chicago Bears placekicker Robbie Gould, he finished the year by hitting ten straight successful field goals, putting him 14 for 21 on the year. Ficken also completed 39 of 41 extra-point attempts (one was blocked, the other one was a miss). He was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on November 26, 2012, after a 3 for 3 game against the Wisconsin Badgers, one of which was the game-winning kick in overtime.

2013

Ficken broke the Penn State record for consecutive field goals made. He made 15 consecutive field goals from October 27, 2012 to September 14, 2013.

2014

To start the season, Ficken kicked a last-second, game-winning field goal in the 2014 Croke Park Classic. During the Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College, Ficken tied the game with a 44-yard field goal and kicked the game-winning point after touchdown in overtime.

2015

After being undrafted during the 2015 draft, Ficken attended the Kansas City Chiefs minicamp in May 2015, but was not signed.

2016

Ficken was signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars 90-man roster on July 25, 2016. On August 29, 2016, Ficken was waived by the Jaguars.