For Garrett Hartley, three kicks set a Super Bowl mark
by Jon Saraceno
Article posted on 2/16/2010

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — It did not look like this season would become the proverbial happily-ever-after story for Garrett Hartley.

All that changed during the last two weeks, including his record-setting performance in Super Bowl XLIV.

The 23-year-old New Orleans Saints kicker, who was suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the league's banned-substance policy, became the first kicker to make three field goals of 40 yards or longer in the Super Bowl.

"It's amazing, really remarkable," he said after earning his first Super Bowl ring.

The 5-8 kicker from Oklahoma accounted for all of the Saints' points in the first half, when he was pin-point accurate from 46 and 44 yards.

"Whatever I could do to help my team win," he said of reducing a 10-0 deficit, "that's what needed to be done."

His 47-yarder in the third quarter pulled New Orleans to within 17-16.

Two weeks ago, Hartley made the game-winner in overtime as the Saints defeated the Minnesota Vikings 31-28.

After his suspension, Hartley returned, then lost his job to veteran John Carney. Given a second chance, Hartley made four of five field goals to help defeat the Washington Redskins 33-30 in overtime.

After Carney, 45, was waived in late December, though, Hartley nearly squandered his big opportunity.

He missed a potential game-winning 37-yarder against the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers as Saints owner Tom Benson triumphantly threw his arms in the air, mistakenly thinking his kicker had nailed it.

But he didn't miss another field goal attempt, going 6-for-6.

This time, Benson left the stadium all smiles.

Garrett Hartley Bio >

 

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