The 10 longest field goals in NFL history

This article was updated on Oct. 14, 2024.

Everyone loves when a team lines up for a field goal longer than 60 yards, and it may not be too long before we see a 70-yard kick.

But who had the biggest leg up to this point? Let’s take a look at the 10 longest made field goals in NFL history.

T4. Joey Slye, 63 yards (2024)

The most recent addition to this list occurred on Sept. 29. With the first half winding down in a miserable 20-0 game, rookie head coach Jerod Mayo had nothing to lose in trotting out the first-year Patriot with the ball on San Francisco's 45-yard-line.

Slye successfully bested his previous best of 61 yards from the previous season with the Commanders. 

T4. Graham Gano, 63 yards (2018)

Graham Gano was beloved in Carolina for his ability to hit field goals from just about anywhere on the field. In October 2018, he got the opportunity to hit one from 63 yards to win the game.

After a couple of plays by Cam Newton and Christian McCaffrey got the Panthers around midfield, the Scotsman got his chance for a career long in a clutch situation. He nailed it to give Carolina the 33-31 win over the Giants off his fourth field goal of the game.

T4. David Akers, 63 yards (2012)

Akers tied the record for longest made field goal at the age of 37.

In the 49ers' opening game of the 2012 season, Akers nailed this attempt at the end of the first half. It was his third field goal of the half and helped lead his team to a 30-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers.

T4. Sebastian Janikowski, 63 yards (2011)

Janikowski tied the record for longest made field goal made at Denver's Mile High Stadium.

It was the second game of the opening Monday Night Football doubleheader, and he nailed this kick right before the end of the first half to give the Raiders a 16-3 lead. Oakland went on to defeat the Broncos, 23-20.

T4. Jason Elam, 63 yards (1998)

So many remember this kick, because it was so rare at the time. It tied a 28-year-old record and was only one of three field goals of 60 yards or more dating back to 1980.

Much like the other 63-yarders, Elam's was at the end of the first half. It gave the Broncos a 27-10 halftime lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and they went on to win, 37-24.

T4. Brett Maher, 63 yards (2019)

Brett Maher was known for his kicks from distance in the Big D. After already nailing two 62-yarders in his career, the Cowboys kicker lined up for this 63-yarder against the rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football.

Maher drilled it with plenty of room to spare to put Dallas up 27-7 at half en route to a 37-10 victory. If given the opportunity that day, Maher may have been able to top this list.

T4. Tom Dempsey, 63 yards (1970)

This kick has some special meaning, for multiple reasons.

It stood as the longest made field goal for 28 years and was tied for the longest for another 15.

Before Dempsey's big boot, the longest made field goal was 56 yards, so even an attempt from the distance was unheard of. 

New Orleans was down, 17-16, to the Detroit Lions and instead of the usual Hail Mary attempt, the Saints decided to give Dempsey a shot at glory. He nailed the game-winner from a record distance and sealed his legacy for the Hall of Fame.

3. Matt Prater, 64 yards (2013)

Prater entered the record books in 2013 with his 64-yarder on a frigid December day in Denver.

The kick came — you guessed it — at the end of the first half. The field goal was part of a 41-7 run the Broncos went on to defeat the Tennessee Titans, 51-28.

2. Brandon Aubrey, 65 yards (2024)

The 29-year-old showed off his leg during his rookie year for the Cowboys, recording a 60-yarder, in a 36-for-38 campaign. In Week 3 of his second season, when Dallas was stopped at the Baltimore Ravens' 46-yard-line, the coaches were not afraid to call upon Aubrey with the team trailing 7-0 under a closed roof at AT&T Stadium.

However, this attempt was not at the end of a half or game. A miss from that spot would have given the visitors prime field position midway through the second quarter. 

Aubrey converted a 51-yarder with two seconds left in the half, but Dallas could not get him another attempt in a 28-25 defeat. The 65-yarder set a record for longest field goal in a loss.

1. Justin Tucker, 66 yards (2021)

We end our list with Justin Tucker, one of the greatest kickers ever. The six-time All-Pro made history on Sept. 26, 2021, when he booted an epic 66-yard field goal on the road against the Detroit Lions. Not only was it the longest field goal ever recorded, but it also sealed the win for the Baltimore Ravens as time expired.

"That one was more like a kickoff," Tucker told reporters after the game. "It's like you're a competitor in a long-drive contest. You just let it rip and hope it stays straight."

Ironically, Prater had a chance to one-up Tucker later that day to reclaim his record, but his 68-yard attempt against the Jacksonville Jaguars came up short.

This story was updated by Rick Seto.