Evan McPherson

Evan McPherson (born July 21, 1999) is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida before being drafted by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the only kicker to be selected that year.[1][2][3]

Evan McPherson
McPherson with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021
No. 2 – Cincinnati Bengals
Position:Placekicker
Personal information
Born: (1999-07-21) July 21, 1999
Fort Payne, Alabama
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school:Fort Payne (Fort Payne, Alabama)
College:Florida (2018–2020)
NFL Draft:2021 / Round: 5 / Pick: 149
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
NFL records
  • Most field goals made in a postseason (14) (tied)
Career NFL statistics
Field goals made:28
Field goals attempted:33
Field goal %:84.8
Longest field goal:58
Touchbacks:55
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

During the Bengals' 2021 playoff run, McPherson tied Adam Vinatieri for most field goals made in a single postseason, with 14.[4] Due to his clutch kicking, McPherson is nicknamed "Shooter"[5] (after the Happy Gilmore character of a similar nickname) and "Money Mac."[6]

Early career

McPherson started his football career at Fort Payne High School in Fort Payne, Alabama, where he spent four seasons as the team's kicker and punter. At Fort Payne, he made a 60-yard field goal and an 84-yard punt, both kicks being one yard short of the Alabama High School record. He also made the first-team All-State in 2017.[7]

McPherson went on to play college football at Florida from 2018–2020 before choosing to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.[8][3] At Florida, McPherson was 51-of-60 (85.0%) on field goals, setting a Southeastern Conference record for career field goal percentage (minimum 50 attempts),[9] and 149-of-150 on extra points. He made 5 of 8 career field goal attempts from at least 50 yards.[7]

Professional career
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span
5 ft 11 in
(1.80 m)		 185 lb
(84 kg)		 29 in
(0.74 m)		 9+1⁄8 in
(0.23 m)
All values from Pro Day[10][11]

McPherson was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round, 149th overall, of the 2021 NFL Draft.[12] He signed his four-year rookie contract with the Bengals on May 17, 2021.[13]

2021
See also: 2021 Cincinnati Bengals season

McPherson was a perfect 5/5 on field goals during the Bengals' three 2021 preseason games, including a 57-yard kick. At the end of the pre-season, the Bengals released their only other kicker on the roster, Austin Seibert, and named McPherson the starter for the 2021 regular season.[14] McPherson became the first player from Fort Payne High School ever to play in an NFL regular season game.[15]

McPherson made his first regular-season field goal attempt, a 53-yarder, in the season-opener against the Minnesota Vikings on September 12, 2021. During overtime, McPherson kicked a 33-yard game-winning field goal to secure a 27–24 win, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[16][17] On November 21, McPherson tied an NFL record by making three field goals from over 50 yards in one game, going 4/4 on kicks from 54, 53, 51, and 47 yards in a 32–13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, securing his second AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award in the process.[18][19] He also set the franchise record for most 50-yard field goals made in a season, breaking the old record of 4 set by Horst Muhlmann in 1970. On December 19, McPherson set the franchise record for longest field goal for the Bengals with a 58-yard kick against the Denver Broncos.[20]

McPherson finished the season 28-of-33 on field goal attempts (84.8%), including being 9-of-11 on field goals (81.8%) from 50+ yards. In the Bengals' Wild Card game against the Las Vegas Raiders, McPherson was 4-of-4 on field goals, assisting the team to a 26–19 victory that gave them their first postseason win in 31 years. Subsequently, in the Divisional Round game, he again made 4-of-4 field goals, including two from over 50 yards. His 52-yard field goal as time expired gave the Bengals a 19–16 win over the Tennessee Titans to send them to their first AFC Championship Game since 1988. McPherson also became the first kicker in NFL history to kick at least 4 field goals in multiple games during the same postseason.[21] In the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, McPherson was again 4-of-4 on his field goal attempts, including a game winning 31-yard field goal in overtime in the 27–24 win, advancing the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI, where he kicked two more field goals in the 23-20 loss.[22] McPherson's 14-of-14 playoff field goals set the record for most field goals made by a rookie, as well as ties the all-time record for most field goals made in a single postseason.[23] His 12 combined 50+ yard field goals in the regular season and playoffs also set the NFL record for most combined regular season and postseason 50+ yard field goals made by one player in a single season.[24]

NFL career statistics
Legend
NFL record

Regular season
General Field goals PATs Kickoffs Points
Season Team GP FGM FGA FG% Blck Long XPM XPA XP% KO Avg TBs Pts
2021 CIN 16283384.8%058464895.8%9163.955130
Career16283384.8%058464895.8%9163.955130

Postseason
General Field goals PATs Kickoffs Points
Season Team GP FGM FGA FG% Blck Long XPM XPA XP% KO Avg TBs Pts
2021 CIN 41414100.0%05466100.0%2464.51648
Career41414100.0%05466100.0%2464.51648

Personal life

McPherson is a Christian.[25] McPherson is engaged to Gracie Groat.[26]

McPherson's older brother Logan was also an all-state kicker for Fort Payne High School and went on to play as a punter for Louisiana Tech University.[27] His younger brother Alex made an All-State as a kicker with Fort Payne in 2019, and as a punter in 2020.[28] In 2021, Alex announced his commitment to attend Auburn University.[29] Alex is currently the highest-ranked kicker in the 2022 class.[30]

References
  1. "Bengals take 2021 draft's lone kicker with fifth-round pick of Evan McPherson". NFL.com.
  2. "Florida's Evan McPherson is first kicker taken in 2021 NFL draft, going to Bengals in fifth round". sports.yahoo.com.
  3. Goodall, Zach. "Former Gators Kicker Evan McPherson Drawing Plenty of NFL Interest". Sports Illustrated Florida Gators News, Analysis and More.
  4. "Super Bowl: Evan McPherson dances to Dr. Dre before calmly tying Adam Vinatieri FG record". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  5. DeLetter, Emily (January 25, 2022). "How did Evan McPherson get his 'Shooter McPherson' nickname? Thank Clark Harris and 'Happy Gilmore' for that". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  6. Rice, Jake (January 23, 2022). "Playoff Quote Board: Money Mac; D Was The Key; The Right Mentality". bengals.com. Cincinnati Bengals. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  7. "Evan McPherson - Football". Florida Gators.
  8. Thompson, Edgar. "UF kicker Evan McPherson leaves Gators, declares for NFL draft". orlandosentinel.com.
  9. Minich, Matt (May 1, 2021). "Analyzing the Bengals' selection of Evan McPherson in Round 5". Cincy Jungle.
  10. "Evan McPherson Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  11. "Evan McPherson, Florida, K, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  12. LaPlaca, Michael (May 1, 2021). "In Round 5, Bengals Shore Up Kicking Game With Evan McPherson". Bengals.com. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  13. Ortenberg, Andrew (May 17, 2021). "NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/17/21". Pro Football Rumors. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  14. "Evan McPherson Wins starting job in Cincinnati - Fantasy Football News". Fantasy Footballers Podcast. August 31, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  15. Goldsmith, Charlie (September 18, 2021). "Bengals Xtra: What kicker Evan McPherson means to Fort Payne, Alabama". The Enquirer. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  16. Cincinnati Bengals [@Bengals] (September 12, 2021). "Evan McPherson's first career field goal attempt is good from 53" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Twitter.
  17. Gordon, Grant (September 15, 2021). "Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, Rams QB Matthew Stafford lead Players of the Week". NFL.com. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  18. Beighle, Nathan (November 22, 2021). "Bengals kicker Evan McPherson makes history vs. Raiders". Cincy Jungle. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  19. "NFL Players of the Week". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  20. Clark, Dave (November 21, 2021). "Evan McPherson breaks Bengals' franchise record for field goals of 50+ in one season". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  21. Patra, Kevin (January 22, 2022). "2021 NFL playoffs: What we learned from Bengals' win over Titans in Divisional Round". NFL.com. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  22. Zucker, Joseph. "Joe Burrow, Bengals Stun Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs in OT, Advance to 2022 Super Bowl". Bleacher Report. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  23. Kerr, Jeff (January 30, 2022). "Evan McPherson sends Bengals to Super Bowl: Rookie has most FGs in single playoffs without miss in NFL history". CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  24. "Evan McPherson sends Bengals to Super Bowl: Rookie has most FGS in single playoffs without miss in NFL history".
  25. Claybourn, Cole (January 23, 2022). "Bengals kicker Evan McPherson sports 'God is good' shirt after game-winning kick over Titans". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  26. "evan_mcpherson04". Instagram. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  27. Kassim, Ehsan. "Evan McPherson was clutch long before kicking Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl. Alabama town is proud of its hero". The Gadsden Times. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  28. "Fort Payne's Evan McPherson wants to be 1 of the 32". May 17, 2021.
  29. "Top Ranked Kicker Alex McPherson Commits to Auburn!". College and Magnolia. July 6, 2021.
  30. "2022 Top Kicker Recruits". 247Sports. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
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