ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — When Sebastian Janikowski lined up for a record-tying 63-yard field goal attempt there was little doubt he had the leg to get it there in the thin air of Denver.
The Oakland Raiders ran the ball up the middle on the previous play for no gain just to set him up on the left hashmark. The Broncos didn’t even put a returner in the end zone in case the ball came up short.
It didn’t. The ball cleared the crossbar with a little room to spare, putting Janikowski’s name in the record book alongside Tom Dempsey and Jason Elam with the longest field goals in NFL history.
The most impressive part of all is that he didn’t hit the ball square so he could hit one even longer if the situation was right.