Matt Bahr
![]() Bahr with theCleveland Brownsin 1988 | |||||||||||
No. 9, 10, 11, 3 | |||||||||||
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Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||
Born: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,U.S. | July 6, 1956||||||||||
Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||
Weight: | 175 lb (79 kg) | ||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||
High school: | Neshaminy(Langhorne, Pennsylvania) | ||||||||||
College: | Penn State | ||||||||||
NFL draft: | 1979/ Round: 6 / Pick: 165 | ||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Player stats atPFR |
Personal information | |||
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Date of birth | July 6, 1956 | ||
Place of birth | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | ||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1974–1977 | Penn State | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1978 | Colorado Caribous | 24 | (0) |
1978 | Tulsa Roughnecks | 2 | (0) |
1979 | Pennsylvania Stoners | 0 | (0) |
Total | 26 | (0) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Matthew David Bahr(born July 6, 1956) is an American former professionalfootballplacekickerin theNational Football League(NFL), and professional soccer player in theNorth American Soccer League.[1]He attendedNeshaminy High SchoolinLanghorne, Pennsylvania,where he excelled in both football and soccer.[2]He is the son ofNational Soccer Hall of FameinducteeWalter Bahr,and is the brother of NFL kickerChris Bahr;he and Chris are two of six players to have played in both pro soccer and the NFL.[3][4]
College and soccer career
[edit]As a senior atPenn State,in 1978, Bahr was a consensusAll-Americaselection. In 1978, he signed with theColorado Caribousof theNorth American Soccer League,for whom he made 24 appearances and made three assists. The Caribous traded him to theTulsa Roughnecksduring the season, and he made two appearances. On March 27, 1979, he signed with thePennsylvania Stonersof the second divisionAmerican Soccer League.
Professional football career
[edit]In 1979, he was selected by thePittsburgh Steelersin the sixth round of the1979 NFL draft.[2]His brotherChris Bahrfollowed a similar career path. Over his career, which spanned from1979to1995,he played for thePittsburgh Steelers,theSan Francisco 49ers,theCleveland Browns,theNew York Giants,thePhiladelphia Eaglesand theNew England Patriots.As arookie,he won aSuper Bowl ringwith the Steelers inSuper Bowl XIV.In 1981, Bahr signed with the 49ers, but was traded to theCleveland Brownsmidway through the season, thus missing out on a second Super Bowl ring (the 49ers went on the win the Super Bowl that year). After discovering he had been traded, Bahr left a note on his San Francisco locker stating, "See you in the Super Bowl."[5]While this did not happen (the Browns went 5–11 in 1981), Bahr did get some retribution against his former team when he kicked a game winning field goal to give the Browns a 15–12 victory over San Francisco in week 11.[6]
His longest tenure was with the Browns where he played for nine years and was cut during the 1990 preseason.[7][8]In late September of that season he was picked up by the New York Giants after a repetitious injury toRaul Allegre.[8]He is best remembered for his performance in the1990NFC Championship Gameon January 20, 1991, as he set an NFC Championship Game record with fivefield goals(including a 42-yarder as time expired) to lift the Giants past the 49ers 15–13. He also kicked what would prove to be the decisive field goal inSuper Bowl XXVon January 27, 1991, as the Giants beat theBuffalo Bills20–19, also recording atackleon the opening kickoff.
Bahr played the final seasons of his career with theNew England Patriots.In 1996, rookie kickerAdam Vinatieribeat him out for the starting kicker spot on the team, and he decided to retire after being cut by Patriots during the preseason.[9]
Bahr held the record for longest span for a player between Super Bowl victories at 11 years, untilRay Lewisof theBaltimore Ravenswent 12 years fromSuper Bowl XXXVin 2001 toSuper Bowl XLVIIin 2013.
Bahr finished his 17 seasons with 300 of 415 field goals and 522 of 534extra points.Overall, he scored a total of 1,422 points.[10]
At the time of his retirement, Bahr was the last active NFL player that played for the Steelers in at least one of their four Super Bowl wins in the 1970s. Coincidentally, his last year in the NFL saw the Steelers return to the Super Bowl that season inSuper Bowl XXX,their first Super Bowl appearance since his rookie season.
Career regular season statistics
[edit]Career high/bestbolded
Regular season statistics | ||||||||||||||||
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Season | Team (record) | G | FGM | FGA | % | <20 | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50+ | LNG | BLK | XPM | XPA | % | PTS |
1979 | PIT(12–4) | 16 | 18 | 30 | 60.0 | 0–0 | 5–5 | 6–11 | 7–13 | 0–1 | 46 | 0 | 50 | 52 | 96.2 | 104 |
1980 | PIT(9–7) | 16 | 19 | 28 | 67.9 | 2–2 | 8–9 | 7–10 | 2–6 | 0–1 | 48 | 0 | 39 | 42 | 92.9 | 96 |
1981 | SF(13–3) | 4 | 2 | 6 | 33.3 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 47 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 100.0 | 18 |
1981 | CLE(5–11) | 11 | 13 | 20 | 65.0 | 3–3 | 5–5 | 5–9 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 39 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 100.0 | 61 |
1982 | CLE(4–5) | 9 | 7 | 15 | 46.7 | 1–1 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 2–7 | 0–0 | 45 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 100.0 | 38 |
1983 | CLE(9–7) | 16 | 21 | 24 | 87.5 | 1–1 | 9–9 | 5–6 | 6–7 | 0–1 | 47 | 0 | 38 | 40 | 95.0 | 101 |
1984 | CLE(5–11) | 16 | 24 | 32 | 75.0 | 3–3 | 12–12 | 2–7 | 6–9 | 1–1 | 50 | 0 | 25 | 25 | 100.0 | 97 |
1985 | CLE(8–8) | 16 | 14 | 18 | 77.8 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 8–9 | 3–5 | 0–1 | 45 | 0 | 35 | 35 | 100.0 | 77 |
1986 | CLE(12–4) | 12 | 20 | 26 | 76.9 | 4–4 | 7–9 | 7–8 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 52 | 0 | 30 | 30 | 100.0 | 90 |
1987 | CLE(10–5) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 80.0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 31 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 90.0 | 21 |
1988 | CLE(10–6) | 16 | 24 | 29 | 82.8 | 1–1 | 10–12 | 8–10 | 5–6 | 0–0 | 47 | 0 | 32 | 33 | 97.0 | 104 |
1989 | CLE(9–6–1) | 16 | 16 | 24 | 66.7 | 0–0 | 5–5 | 6–8 | 4–9 | 1–2 | 50 | 0 | 40 | 40 | 100.0 | 88 |
1990 | NYG(13–3) | 13 | 17 | 23 | 73.9 | 2–2 | 7–7 | 3–3 | 5–9 | 0–2 | 49 | 0 | 29 | 30 | 96.7 | 80 |
1991 | NYG(8–8) | 13 | 22 | 29 | 75.9 | 0–0 | 6–6 | 6–8 | 9–12 | 1–3 | 54 | 1 | 24 | 25 | 96.0 | 90 |
1992 | NYG(6–10) | 12 | 16 | 21 | 76.2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 10–11 | 3–5 | 0–2 | 47 | 0 | 29 | 29 | 100.0 | 77 |
1993 | PHI(8–8) | 11 | 8 | 13 | 61.5 | 0–0 | 4–6 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 0–0 | 48 | 0 | 18 | 19 | 94.7 | 42 |
1993 | NE(5–11) | 3 | 5 | 5 | 100.0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 37 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 100.0 | 25 |
1994 | NE(10–6) | 16 | 27 | 34 | 79.4 | 0–0 | 14–14 | 9–12 | 4–8 | 0–0 | 48 | 0 | 36 | 36 | 100.0 | 117 |
1995 | NE(6–10) | 16 | 23 | 33 | 69.7 | 1–2 | 12–12 | 3–7 | 5–7 | 2–5 | 55 | 1 | 27 | 27 | 100.0 | 96 |
Career (17 seasons) | 235 | 300 | 415 | 72.3 | 22–23 | 113–123 | 93–131 | 66–115 | 6–23 | 55 | 2 | 522 | 534 | 97.8 | 1422 |
Personal life
[edit]He appeared in the 1980television movie,Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story.
He is now an electrical engineer inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
References
[edit]- ^Where are your former Browns now? 25 questions with K Matt Bahrdawgsbynature.com
- ^abThe Smallest Steeler of All
- ^Hill, Adam (August 1, 2020)."Sport change kicked Chris Bahr's career into high gear".reviewjournal.com.Las Vegas Review-Journal.RetrievedJune 9,2023.
Matt Bahr followed a similar path, making them two of only six men to play professional soccer and in the NFL.
- ^Collegian, Andrew Destin (September 7, 2020)."'A dream to coach' | How Penn Staters Matt and Chris Bahr carved out professional careers in two sports ".The Daily Collegian.RetrievedJune 14,2022.
- ^"BAHR STAYS HUMBLE – HE'LL TAKE THE FIFTH – Sun Sentinel".January 21, 1991.
- ^"Browns, Bahr Put an End to 49ers' 7-Game Win Streak – The Washington Post".The Washington Post.
- ^Spotlight – Matt Bahr
- ^abGiants Put Allegre on Injured Reserve
- ^"Cutting Bahr Even Hurts Parcells".August 21, 1996.
- ^"Matt Bahr Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College".Pro-Football-Reference.com.RetrievedMarch 10,2024.
External links
[edit]- 1956 births
- Living people
- Soccer players from Philadelphia
- North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players
- American men's soccer players
- Players of American football from Philadelphia
- Penn State Nittany Lions men's soccer players
- American football placekickers
- Cleveland Browns players
- Caribous of Colorado players
- New England Patriots players
- New York Giants players
- Penn State Nittany Lions football players
- Pennsylvania Stoners players
- Philadelphia Eagles players
- Pittsburgh Steelers players
- San Francisco 49ers players
- Tulsa Roughnecks (1978–1984) players
- Footballers who switched code
- Men's association football defenders
- Men's association football players that played in the NFL