Nate Kaeding
A remarkably accurate NFL kicker whose college excellence translated into a Pro Bowl career, though it was later shadowed by one infamous miss.
Born 1982 (age 44)·American football player·Birthday: March 26·Millennials
Biography
Nate Kaeding approached placekicking with the cool precision of an engineer, which he studied to become at the University of Iowa. His college career was near-perfect, capped by winning the Lou Groza Award as the nation's best kicker. The San Diego Chargers drafted him to bring that reliability to the NFL, and for years, he delivered. Kaeding led the league in field goal percentage twice, made a Pro Bowl, and became the Chargers' all-time leading scorer. His regular-season consistency was staggering. Yet, his legacy is complex, inextricably linked to postseason struggles, most notably a shanked potential game-winner against the New York Jets in 2010. That moment came to define a career of brilliant, yet cruelly timed, imperfection, showcasing the intense psychological burden of a job where you are only remembered for your last, most pressure-filled kick.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Nate was born in 1982, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nate Was Born
The biggest hits of 1982
#1 Movie
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Best Picture
Gandhi
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Nate's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1982Born
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1987Started school
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1995Became a teenager
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Could drive
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2000Could vote
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Turned 21
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2012Turned 30
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 40
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 44 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Lou Groza Award in 2002 as the nation's top collegiate placekicker at the University of Iowa.
- Led the NFL in field goal percentage in 2009 (91.4%) and 2010 (89.5%).
- Selected to the Pro Bowl in 2009 and was a First-team All-Pro selection the same year.
- Became the San Diego Chargers' all-time leading scorer during his tenure with the team.
Did You Know?
He majored in civil engineering at the University of Iowa.
Kaeding did not attempt a single field goal of 50+ yards during his entire college career.
He was a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection.
“My job is to make a 32-yard field goal look exactly like a 22-yard field goal.”
