Matt Stover 471/563
Garrett Hartley 22/24

The Super Bowl 44 2010 coverage this week and next will surround the Saints and Archie Manning’s boy Peyton, but with 55 men on each roster there are plenty of other interesting sides to talk about. These are just two of those.

One man has made 471 regular season field goals in his career, the other only 22. When Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Stover kicked his first field goal, New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley was only in kindergarten. Now two athletes on different sides of their careers will face off in Super Bowl 44.

Stover broke into the league in 1991 with the Cleveland Browns, and he had played for the Browns V1.0 (Browns pre 1996, Ravens post 1996) his entire career. So it came as a bit of a surprise to Stover that the Ravens cut him earlier this season. However, the always-classy Stover said at the time "You knew they were going with Steve Hauschka, and I hope Steve has a good season," Stover said. "I haven't said anything during this entire process, and I won't because I have nothing but good things to stay about the Ravens and my career with that organization. I wish them nothing but the best."


That cut couldn’t have worked out more perfectly for the Colts, as they lost super-star kicker Adam Vinatieri for six weeks to a knee injury. The Colts quickly picked up the 41 year old kicker who has been every bit as accurate this season as he’s been the past 19 seasons. Kicking 9/11 field goals and a perfect 33 extra points. Stover will be the oldest player ever in the Super Bowl.

Just starting to make a name for himself is Garrett Hartley, the 23-year kicker for the New Orleans Saints. The Saints expected Hartley to be their full time kicker in the 2009 NFL season but after failing an off-season drug test, Hartley was suspended four games by the NFL. It took a shaky performance by veteran John Carney in week 12 before Hartley could return to a starting role in week 13. He’s been excellent, kicking 9/11 field goals in the regular season and is a perfect 2/2 in the playoffs. His last kick has been his most important kick of his career, in overtime the

Saints called on Hartley to kick a 40-yarder against the Vikings. The kick sailed through the uprights and the Saints are in the Super Bowl.

With seven of the past 43 Super Bowls settled by a field goal or less, the pressure will be on these men to kick their teams to victory. Will the aged veteran kick a Super Bowl winner to close out his career or will it be the second year kid still trying to find his way and ultimately finds glory?

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