Morten Andersen was born on August 19, 1960, in Copenhagen, Denmark. He grew up in Struer and excelled in several sports, including gymnastics and soccer. In 1977, he came to the United States as a foreign exchange student. He enrolled at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. That year, he kicked a football for the first time. His talent earned him a scholarship to Michigan State University.
At Michigan State, he became one of the top kickers in college football. He kicked a 63-yard field goal against Ohio State. He was named an All-American in 1981.
Andersen was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 1982. He played 13 seasons there, scoring 1,318 points and earning six Pro Bowl selections. He later joined the Atlanta Falcons, where he had more success. In 1998, he kicked the game-winning field goal that sent the Falcons to the Super Bowl.
He also played for the Giants, Chiefs, and Vikings. He returned to the Falcons in 2006 and had one of his most accurate seasons. He retired in 2008 with 2,544 career points and 565 field goals.
He still holds the NFL record for most games played at 382. He is the all-time leading scorer for the Saints. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Andersen’s connection to Indianapolis was key. His football career began there, at Ben Davis High School. That single season led to a college scholarship and a long NFL career. Indiana was the start of everything.
Andersen is famous for his NFL-record 565 career field goals.
The New Orleans Saints selected Morten Andersen with the 86th overall pick in the 4th round of the 1982 NFL Draft.
