Jeff Wilkins to retire from NFL

The former Fitch High and YSU standout has played 14 seasons, 11 with Rams.

STAFF/WIRE REPORTS

Jeff Wilkins, the St. Louis Rams’ career leading scorer and the best active long-range kicker in the NFL, announced his retirement on Friday after 14 seasons.

Wilkins is a native of Austintown who was a standout at Fitch High School and later at Youngstown State, where he was a member of the 1991 and 1993 national championship teams.

He continues to hold YSU career records for points (373), point-after kicks made (173) and attempted (177), and field goals made (66) and attempted (98). He held the record for consecutive PATs made (46) until it was broken by Nick Terracina in 2004.

“Throughout my 11 years with the Rams, everybody in the organization has been fantastic from top to bottom,” Wilkins said in a statement. “But my retirement is the best for me, my family and the Rams.”

Wilkins was so accurate, former Rams coach Mike Martz nicknamed him “Money.”

Wilkins, 35, had 1,223 points and 265 field goals with the Rams, finding a home after playing one season for the Eagles and two for the 49ers. He also leads the franchise in field goal attempts (328) and a success rate of 80.8 percent.

From 49 yards or longer, Wilkins was 39-for-50 for his career and 38-for-49 with the Rams. Among active kickers with 20 or more attempts, his 78 percent success rate from 49 yards or longer is the best in the NFL and his 25 field goals most in league history.

Wilkins hit a franchise-record 57-yard field goal in 1998 against the Falcons, and was perfect on 17 field goals in 2000, tying Tony Zendejas’ franchise record for field goal percentage in a season.

He retires having hit 371 consecutive extra-point kicks, a franchise record and tied for the best in NFL history with Jason Elam (1993-2002).

Wilkins went to the Pro Bowl in 2003 after leading the NFL in scoring with 163 points, going 39-for-42 on field goal attempts that season. He’s the only kicker in NFL history to make a field goal as time expired in the first half, second half and to end an overtime.