The 5 best kickers in Washington Commanders franchise history

Special teams players matter, too. Kicker may not be a very valuable position in the NFL, but it certainly makes a significant difference in the crunch.

At the end of the day, field goals and extra points are still points added to the scoreboard. There’s always going to be moments when the game comes down to the wire and it’s up to the kicker to win the game. Some have thrived more than others throughout the Washington Commanders' illustrious franchise history.

Some great kickers have turned out for Washington over the years, especially during the glory days of the franchise in the 1970s and 1980s. Let’s take a minute to appreciate the best five kicking options who've ever worn the famous burgundy and gold.

Criteria for selection

For determining the best kickers in franchise history, there’s not a whole lot you can look at. However, there are a few very important statistics and accolades to utilize.

The first thing we looked at was their field goal percentage and field goals made during their tenure in Washington, along with their career-long field goal and extra point percentages.

If there were any franchise records held by a kicker, we took that into account. We also acknowledged accolades like Pro Bowls and team success.

Let's get to it.

The 5 best kickers in Washington Commanders franchise history

5. Kai Forbath

Kai Forbath’s time with Washington was short, only playing with the team from 2012 to 2015. Even so, he was a fan favorite during his time with the franchise.

Forbath was known by fans as an extremely clutch player, coming up in big moments for Washington. Once he departed the organization, he was never really the same and his NFL career slowly went away.

He still got a spot on an NFL roster every year up until 2020 but was never a full-time starter for another team aside from one season with the Minnesota Vikings. During his four seasons with Washington, Forbath made 60 of his 69 field goal attempts, good for 87 percent, and a long of 50 yards. He also made 93 of his 91 extra-point efforts for good measure.

4. Curt Knight

Curt Knight wasn't the best kicker that's ever suited up for Washington, but he was beloved among the fanbase over his five years with the organization. He played his best when it mattered most, which helped bring great success to the franchise.

Knight made just 101 of his 175 field goal attempts, good for 57.7 percent, with a career-long of 52 yards. He also went nearly perfect on extra points, making 172 of 175 extra points - a 98.3% success rate.

More importantly, Knight contributed to Washington reaching Super Bowl VII, which was unfortunately a losing effort to the Miami Dolphins. He also earned a Pro Bowl selection for his efforts during the 1971 season.

3. Dustin Hopkins

Dustin Hopkins is a kicker not very loved by the Washington fanbase. This was mainly down to the veteran not possessing the clutch traits needed when it matters. However, he is statistically one of the best kickers in franchise history.

He is still actively playing in the NFL but hasn’t been a part of Washington since 2021. In his seven years with the Commanders, Hopkins made 163 of 194 of his field goal attempts and nailed 94.2 percent of his extra points with Washington on 190 efforts. There was a solid enough leg, too, with his longest field goal coming in at 56 yards.

Hopkins is the only kicker in Washington history to have an 80 percent or better field goal percentage on 125 or more attempts. Even with his distasteful moments, he is one of the best kickers in Washington history. It's also been a steady decline in production since he was removed from the equation.

2. Chip Lohmiller

Chip Lohmiller's career lasted from 1988 to 1996, not bad for a kicker considering the volatility of the position. He played the first seven years of that span in D.C. after being drafted by Washington in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft.

Lohmiller made 175 of 245 field goal attempts for Washington, good for 71.4 percent. His career-long stands at 56 yards, which is not too shabby all things considered.

In 1991, Lohmiller was selected to the Pro Bowl and also earned second-team All-Pro honors. He was a key part of Washington bringing home their third Super Bowl that year, earning a victory over the Buffalo Bills by a margin of 37-24.

1. Mark Mosley

Mark Mosley had a long career for Washington. The prolific kicker was signed as a free agent and played for the team from 1974 to 1986 after starting his career in Philadelphia and Houston.

He finished his stint in the nation's capital with 263 successful field goal attempts from 397 efforts. His career-best was 54 yards, which was good for this era of the NFL. He also made 417 of 441 extra points, good for 94.6 percent.

Mosley holds Washington’s franchise record for both career field goals and extra points made. He earned two Pro Bowl selections in his career and made second-team All-Pro in 1979. His crowning jewel was in 1982.

He contributed to three Super Bowl appearances with Washington, including a victory in Super Bowl XVII over the Miami Dolphins. In the 1982 season where the now-Commanders won Super Bowl XVII, Mosley was one of the key factors in the season's success. He is the only kicker to ever win an NFL MVP and be selected first-team All-Pro in the same season.

A true franchise legend in every sense of the term.

The 5 best kickers in Washington Commanders history by field goals made

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