With room for just four, who would be on the Mount Rushmore of NFL kickers?A case can be made for Browns legend Lou Groza. He is part of the Pro Football Hall of Fames Class of 1974, largelyas the left tackle in Paul Browns Cleveland dynasty years, but also as The Toe, a kicker who led the NFL in career scoring when he retired.The other three are easy. They are the only NFL kicking specialists elected to the Hall Jan Stenerud (Class of 1991), Morten Andersen (Class of 2017) and Adam Vinatieri (Class of 2026).Theres some Groza grit in Vinatieri, to whom Bill Parcells declared, Youre a football player, not just a kicker, after he chased down former Heisman winner Herschel Walker and planted him during a return. The 6-foot, 200-pound Vinatieri was a high school linebacker.The other two on this Rushmore were only ever kickers in all of their football days.Stenerud played youth soccer in Norway and came to the USA on a skiing scholarship. Andersen grew up in Denmark and was a 17-year-old exchange student when Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis talked him onto the football team.Vinatieri hails from South Dakota, where his high school in Rapid City was a short drive from the real Mount Rushmore. He was a football quarterback and linebacker in addition to kicking. He wrestled, played basketball and ran track.His all-around scholar-athlete rsum earned an appointment to the United State Military Academy. He went to West Point but soon returned home, where for three years he was the punter and placekicker for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.The NFL wasnt interested in a talented but inconsistent prospect from NCAA Division II. Vinatieri spent 1995 without a team and in heavy training.He kicked and punted well in NFL Europe for the Amsterdam Admirals in the spring of 1996, earning a tryout with the New England Patriots. Parcells picked him over 39-year-old Matt Bahr, a former Browns kicker.Vinatieri was an entrenched Patriot by 1998, when Phil Dawson spent the season on the practice squad, prior to joining the Browns in 1999 and eventually breaking Grozas Cleveland scoring record.The Patriots replaced head coach Pete Carroll with Bill Belichick in 2000.In the Super Bowl capping Belichick's 2001 season, Vinatieri broke a 17-17 tie with the Rams with a 48-yard field goal as time expired.In a Super Bowl against Carolina two years later, he connected from 41 yards with four seconds left to break a 29-all tie.After he helped beat the Eagles in a third Super Bowl the next year, the Patriots made him their franchise player for 2005, costing them $2.5 million.In 2006, Belichick deemed the new franchise-tag price, $3 million, too high for a kicker and let Vinatieri walk after 10 seasons, at age 33.He went to the Colts as a free agent and instantly popped up in another Super Bowl, making three field goals in a 29-17 win over the Bears.Letting Vinatieri go worked out for Belichick as a business decision. Rookie fourth-round draft pick Stephen Gostkowski replaced Vinatieri in 2006 and spent 14 seasons with the team, kicking in three Super Bowl wins. Vinatieri stabilized the Colts placekicking position for a long, long time. At one point, he made an NFL-record 44 field goals in a row.Vinatieri announced his retirement on the Pat McAfee Show on May 26, 2021. It all started on a snowy day in Foxborough, Vinatieri says now, as if he has told his story before.A blizzard blew through the hills south of Boston on Jan. 19, 2002.Im sure it looked pretty, Vinatieri says. It was pretty hard to play in.Jon Grudens Raiders seemed to clinch a 13-10 playoff win when Tom Brady fumbled with 1:47 left. The call was overturned amid loud protests that led to the tuck rule. Still, Vinatieri had to make a 45-yard field goal in impossible conditions.We could barely run, let alone kick a field goal of that length, Vinatieris Patriots teammate Mike Vrabel said.When you watch it now, its amazing that he made it, said Dawson.The amazing make sent the game to overtime, when Vinatieri put through a shorter one for the win.His Super Bowls were indoors or in warm weather, in New Orleans, Houston, Jacksonville and Miami. He missed the Colts loss to New Orleans in Super Bowl XLIV because of injury, replaced by Matt Stover. It was the last career game for Stover, then 42.Stovers story is similar to Vinatieris. He was a high school receiver who kicked for the Browns for five years and then for the Ravens for 13 years after the move to Baltimore.The current top 10 in NFL career scoring is:1, Vinatieri, 2,673 points; 2, Morten Andersen, 2,544; 3, Gary Anderson, 2,434; 4, Jason Hanson, 2,150; 5, John Carney, 2,062; 6, Stover, 2,004; 7, George Blanda, 2,002; 8, Jason Elam, 1,983; 9, John Kasay, 1,970; 10, Robbie Gould, 1,961Blanda was a quarterback and kicker. The others were kickers exclusively.Browns fans saw Vinatieri kick against Cleveland 10 times.One was in Belichicks memorable return to Cleveland, before anyone suspected he would build a Patriots dynasty. Dawson kicked four field goals to Vinatieris one in a 19-11 Browns win. Vinatieri wound up 8-2 against the Browns.He didn't take himself too seriously, as reflected by one of his pet sayings: I never get to bake the cake. I get to put the icing on once in a while.Vinatieri, 53, treasures his time in New England and is still a Patriots fan, in addition to holding allegiance to the team that kept him longer, the Colts.He and his wife, Valerie, have three children. The oldest, A.J., is entering his senior year as a punter at Lindenwood University in Missouri. The family lives in Zionsville, Indiana, about 15 miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis.The three oldest players in NFL history were Blanda, 48; Morten Anderson, 47; and Vinatieri, 47.As I aged, I went from being the rookie to the vet, then the big brother, then the dad, and by the end probably the grandpa in the locker room, Vinatieri said.He was taken quite seriously by his peers, who entrusted him to a prominent role in the NFL Players Association. One of the most respected members of the expansion-era Browns was Dawson, who spent 14 seasons in Cleveland before kicking elsewhere. He was 44 when he ceremonially retired as a Brown in 2019.Dawson's role model was Adam Vinatieri.Reach Steve at steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.comThe Canton Repository sports department can be contacted via email at sports@cantonrep.com.This article originally appeared on The Repository: There was a little bit of Browns legend Lou Groza in Adam Vinatieri

Bayern have Yan Diomande transfer advantage as Hoene laughs off Real Madrid interest in OliseMichael Olise will not be for sale at Bayern Munich this summer under any conditions.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CF BAYERN INSIDER APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ONAPPLE&GOOGLE PLAYFor fans tracking Bayern Munich live scores, the clubs stance off the pitch is proving just as decisive as their performances on it.Bayern chief Uli Hoene set out the Bavarians stall clearly in comments relayed on X (formerly Twitter) by Fabrizio Romano.The France international is understood to be of interest to Real Madrid; however, the Spanish giants will not move for the right-sided winger without first informing Herbert Hainer and Co.Michael Olise will not sign for Real Madrid this summerA clear statement of intent from Bayerns godfather with regard to the futures of two of Bayerns most important assets.And a statement well (and rightly) made, we might add, given that the pair delivered 102 goal contributions between them in 2025/26 on all fronts a return that underlines their importance when analysing Bayern Munich stats, results, fixtures and transfers.Want more CF Bayern Insider coverage? Add us as apreferred source on Googleto your favourites list for news you can trustYes, the player himself is understood to have vaguely communicated an interest in life in the Spanish capital. However, Vincent Kompanys men, for their part, are in no immediate rush to capitalise on Olises value with a contract set to run for the better part of three years.Perhaps, of course, there may be a discussion to be had next summer, if the former Crystal Palace star hasnt put pen to paper on a contract extension by that point.Does Yan Diomandes impending arrival complicate matters?There will always be space for a player of Michael Olises calibre at Real Madrid, one might reasonably imagine Florentino Perez and Co. will argue.But it would be naive to assume that Yan Diomandes potential impending arrival (pending a deal being completed) in Madrid would complicate matters in that regard.The Ivorian can, of course, play across both flanks but has operated primarily as a right-sided winger for RB Leipzig. Perhaps theres room for creativity in team selections, however, given that Olise doesnt tend to stick exclusively to the right flank under Kompany at Bayern, and has communicated a willingness to play more centrally as a 10.Either way, the situation wont be quite as clear-cut in a years time if Diomande is wearing the famous white shirt, as many expect he will.

Borussia Dortmund confirm Karetsas signingBorussia Dortmund have confirmed the signing of Greek international Konstantinos Karetsas, who joins the club from KRC Genk.The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has signed a contract until 2031 with the Black and Yellows.With Kos, we are gaining a player for Borussia Dortmund who already possesses enormous ability at just 18 years of age," said Borussia Dortmund managing director for sport Lars Ricken."We are delighted that we were able to convince him of our path, and from the very first conversations we noticed that Kos was keen on joining BVB. Despite all the quality he already brings, we also see further potential in him that we want to unlock together.Karetsas, who made 92 appearances for Genk with six goals and 23 assists to his name, said:Borussia Dortmund is a special club and I am incredibly proud to now be able to wear the black and yellow shirt. I am really looking forward to meeting my new teammates and playing in this impressive stadium in front of our fans. I want to play my part in helping us achieve success together.

Czech goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek has joined Newcastle from Braga (Silas STEIN)ManagerlessNewcastle announced the signing of Czech goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek from Portuguese side Braga on Monday.Hornicek has agreed a five-year deal after the Magpies activated his 30-million-euro (25.7 million, $34.6 million) release clause, and he becomes the club's fifth signing of the summer."The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster from when I first heard about the move and now I'm so happy to be here," said the 24-year-old, who is expected to supplant Nick Pope as first-choice goalkeeper."I knowNewcastleis a huge football city, with 52,000 fans at St James' Park creating an incredible atmosphere and pushing the team every game. I can't wait to play in front of them."Newcastle sporting director Ross Wilson said Hornicek had "firmly established himself as one of Europe's top young goalkeepers".Eddie Howe left his position as Newcastle boss last week after five years at the club.The Magpies struggled to a 12th-place finish in the Premier League last season and have endured a difficult summer transfer window.Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali has moved to Tottenham and England forward Anthony Gordon has departed for Barcelona, while captain Bruno Guimaraes has been strongly linked with a move to Premier League champions Arsenal.Newcastle start their Premier League campaign at home to Liverpool on August 23.jw/pi

Ion Neculai has been capped four times by Italy, most recently in their defeat by Australia [Getty Images]Northampton Saints have signed Italian international tight-head prop Ion Neculai from Italian club Zebre. The 25yearold joins the Prem champions after five seasons with Zebre, where he made 51 appearances.Neculai joins former Zebre teammate Malik Faissal in moving to Franklin's Gardens this summer.Neculai has four senior Italy caps, earning his latest last month in Perth when he came off the bench during his side's 57-10 defeat against Australia in the Nations Championship.Having linked up with his new teammates for preseason last week, Neculai said he wants to make the most of being at a club of Saints' stature. "The quality of the coaching, the facilities and the players around me were all major factors in my decision," he said."I believe this is the right place for me to continue developing my game and challenge myself at the highest level."Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson described Neculai as a "very physical prop who enjoys the tough side of the game".

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