30 Facts About Sebastian Janikowski

1.

Sebastian Janikowski played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected 17th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Raiders, where he spent all but one season of his professional career.

2.

One of only three NFL placekickers to be selected in the first round of an NFL draft, Janikowski is the Raiders' all-time leading scorer and appeared in more games with the franchise than any other player.

3.

Sebastian Janikowski tied the then-NFL record for the longest successful field goal at 63 yards, which is the third-longest in league history.

4.

Sebastian Janikowski's father was a professional soccer player, and moved to the United States in the early 1980s in the hopes of reviving his career.

5.

Years after Sebastian Janikowski's father emigrated from Poland, his parents divorced and Henryk married an American citizen.

6.

Sebastian Janikowski spoke very little English, but learned quickly by taking a three-week night class and by watching television.

7.

Sebastian Janikowski played in only five games for the Orangewood Christian soccer team, but led them to the Class A State Championship game by scoring 15 goals, where they lost to Lakeland Christian on penalty kicks.

8.

Henryk agreed, but was unwilling to move, so Sebastian Janikowski moved in with Rossi's family.

9.

Sebastian Janikowski attended Florida State University, where he played for coach Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles football team.

10.

Sebastian Janikowski is currently the only player to win this award two years in a row.

11.

Sebastian Janikowski became popular with fans for being able to placekick a kick-off through the endzone uprights, having done it so often that the stadium monitors would display field goal graphics even though it was a kick-off and not an actual field goal attempt.

12.

Wide receiver Peter Warrick began calling him Seabass since he said the name Sebastian Janikowski was too long.

13.

That same year, the night after a season-ending win over rival Florida, Sebastian Janikowski got into a fight at a local bar and was charged with battery.

14.

In January 2000, Sebastian Janikowski was partying with a group of friends when his high school friend was arrested at a nightclub.

15.

Sebastian Janikowski was then arrested for attempting to bribe an officer, a charge that carried a $5,000 fine, up to five years in prison, and possible deportation.

16.

Sebastian Janikowski claimed that he thought he could pay a fine to have his friend released, but the officer interpreted the action as an attempted bribe.

17.

Sebastian Janikowski was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the 17th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.

18.

Shortly after the draft, Sebastian Janikowski was acquitted of his bribery charge.

19.

Sebastian Janikowski had testified on his own behalf, stating that he was simply trying to pay his friend's fine.

20.

In February 2010, Sebastian Janikowski extended his contract with the Raiders for $16 million over the next four years, including $9 million in guaranteed money, making him the highest paid placekicker in NFL history.

21.

In 2011 Sebastian Janikowski received an invite to the Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro honors.

22.

Sebastian Janikowski won the Seahawks starting kicking job after the team released Jason Myers on August 20,2018.

23.

Sebastian Janikowski was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance.

24.

On January 5,2019, Sebastian Janikowski missed a 57-yard field goal against the Dallas Cowboys in the 2019 Wildcard Round of the NFL Playoffs and suffered a hamstring injury on the same missed field goal kick.

25.

Sebastian Janikowski ended his career as the Raiders' all-time leading scorer, with 1,799 points.

26.

On October 16,2003, during the second quarter, Sebastian Janikowski tied the NFL record by completing 4 field goals in a single quarter.

27.

On September 28,2008, Sebastian Janikowski unsuccessfully attempted a 76-yard field goal against the San Diego Chargers into the heavy wind right before halftime.

28.

On December 26,2010, Sebastian Janikowski converted a 59-yard field goal in the second quarter of a home game against the Indianapolis Colts making him the second player with two 59+ yard field goals.

29.

On September 12,2011, as a rainy first half against the Denver Broncos came to a close, Sebastian Janikowski made a 63-yard field goal and tied the NFL record set by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and previously tied by Jason Elam and afterwards by David Akers, but which was broken by Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos and Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens.

30.

Sebastian Janikowski attempted a record-breaking 65-yard field goal on December 18,2011, against the Detroit Lions, but Ndamukong Suh blocked it to end the game.