Highlighted Year: Mike Cofer, 1988

Placekicker, San Francisco 49ers

Age: 24

2^nd season in pro football, 1^st with 49ers

College: North Carolina State

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

In college, Cofer connected on 50 of 68 field goal attempts (73.5 %), topping the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1984 (18) and ’86 (13), and 97 of 108 PATs (89.8 %) for a total of 247 points. Undrafted in 1987, he signed with the Cleveland Browns and barely lost out to Jeff Jaeger in the preseason. He was a replacement player with New Orleans during the season and then signed with the 49ers in 1988 and won the placekicking job in the preseason, impressing with his leg strength.

1988 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 27 [3, tied with Nick Lowery, 1^st in NFC]

Most field goals, game – 3 at Phoenix 11/6, vs. New Orleans 12/11, vs. LA Rams 12/18

Field goal attempts – 38 [1]

Most field goal attempts, game – 4 at NY Giants 9/11, at Seattle 9/25, at Atlanta 12/4

Field goal percentage – 71.1 [17]

PATs – 40 [7, tied with Chip Lohmiller]

PAT attempts – 41 [7, tied with Chip Lohmiller]

Longest field goal – 52 yards vs. Washington 11/21

Scoring

Field Goals – 27

PATs – 40

Points – 121 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Postseason: 3 G

Field goals – 2

Most field goals, game – 2 vs. Cincinnati, Super Bowl

Field goal attempts – 5

Most field goal attempts, game – 4 vs. Cincinnati, Super Bowl

PATs – 10

Most PATs, game – 4 vs. Minnesota, NFC Divisional playoff; at Chicago, NFC Championship

PAT attempts – 11

Longest field goal – 41 yards vs. Cincinnati, Super Bowl

49ers went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC West while leading the conference in rushing yards (2523) and total yards (5900). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Minnesota Vikings (34-9), NFC Championship over Chicago Bears (28-3) & Super Bowl over Cincinnati Bengals (20-16).  

Aftermath:

Cofer followed up by connecting on 29 of 36 field goal attempts (80.6 %), with just one miss inside of 40 yards, and adding 49 PATs to lead the NFL with 136 points in 1989. He received first-team All-NFL recognition from the Associated Press and Newspaper Enterprise Association. Cofer spent a total of six years with the 49ers, with declining reliability, until being let go after the 1993 season. He joined the Colts in ’95 and, while he had a 52-yard game-winning field goal against the Jets, Cofer still lacked consistency and was released, ending his career. Overall, he was successful on 133 of 201 field goal attempts (66.2 %), with 128 of 191 coming with the 49ers. Cofer also booted 303 extra points and scored a total of 702 points (296 PATs and 673 points with San Francisco). He received first-team All-NFL honors once.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970