Michael John Vanderjagt is a Canadian former professional football placekicker who played in the National Football League for nine seasons, primarily with the Indianapolis Colts.
23 Facts About Mike Vanderjagt
1.
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Mike Vanderjagt served as the Colts' placekicker from 1998 to 2005 and was a member of the Dallas Cowboys during his final NFL season in 2006.
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Mike Vanderjagt attended White Oaks Secondary School, where he was a four sport athlete.
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Mike Vanderjagt punted and played quarterback for AHC until returning to Division I football, as solely a punter and placekicker, at West Virginia University for the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
5.
Not playing in the league in 1994 or 1995, Mike Vanderjagt played for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League.
6.
Mike Vanderjagt played for the AFL's Minnesota Fighting Pike in the 1996 season before returning to the Toronto Argonauts for their 1996 season.
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Mike Vanderjagt led the CFL in yardage per punt in 1997.
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In 1998, Mike Vanderjagt returned to the United States to join the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, and was the team's placekicker through the 2005 season.
9.
Mike Vanderjagt questioned Manning's leadership skills and criticized Dungy for being "mild-mannered".
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In 2003, Mike Vanderjagt became the first kicker in the league's history to go an entire season, including the playoffs, without missing a field goal or point-after attempt.
11.
Mike Vanderjagt finished the regular season 37 for 37 in field goals and 46 for 46 in PATs.
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Mike Vanderjagt was perfect on three field-goal attempts and 12 PATs in the postseason.
13.
Mike Vanderjagt indicated in a radio interview during the season that he might not return to the Colts for 2005, as his cap number was $2.8 million and the Colts might not be willing to pick up his salary for that season.
14.
Shortly thereafter, on January 19,2006, Mike Vanderjagt appeared on a lighthearted segment of the Late Show with David Letterman, during which he successfully kicked a 46-yard field goal, outside Letterman's Manhattan studio.
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The appearance was said to be one of the reasons why Mike Vanderjagt was not re-signed in 2006.
16.
Mike Vanderjagt suffered a groin injury that kept him out of action for two weeks in preseason.
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Mike Vanderjagt returned for the final game against the Minnesota Vikings, but missed two field goals in overtime of 32 and 33 yards, forcing the contest to end in a tie.
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Mike Vanderjagt appeared in each of the Cowboys' subsequent games through Week 12.
19.
On May 31,2008, the Toronto Argonauts signed Mike Vanderjagt and traded their veteran kicker Noel Prefontaine to the Edmonton Eskimos.
20.
Mike Vanderjagt claimed he really wanted to return to Toronto and his hometown "regardless of what NFL team called" as he missed the sport, missed the area, and missed his friends and family, which include his wife Janalyn and their son Jay Michael.
21.
Mike Vanderjagt was released by the Argonauts on his request on May 28,2009.
22.
Mike Vanderjagt appeared in a Walt Disney film called The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon, where he was the stand-in during football scenes for Tony Danza as a placekicker for the Philadelphia Eagles.
23.
Mike Vanderjagt is currently the special teams coach for the Medina Mustangs in Medina, New York.