Sebastian Janikowski is a former Polish-American football player who played as a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He was born on March 2, 1978, in Wałbrzych, Poland, and moved to the United States with his family when he was a child.
Janikowski played college football at Florida State University, where he was a two-time consensus All-American and won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker in 1998. He was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft, making him the highest-drafted kicker in NFL history at the time.
Janikowski spent his entire NFL career with the Raiders, becoming one of the most successful kickers in league history. He holds numerous records, including the most field goals of 50 yards or longer (58) and the most games with three or more field goals (54). He also holds the record for the longest field goal in Raiders history, a 63-yarder in 2011.
Janikowski was known for his powerful leg and accuracy, as well as his ability to kick in adverse weather conditions. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s.
In addition to his success on the field, Janikowski also had some off-field issues during his career. He was arrested for DUI in 2011 and was involved in a lawsuit with a former teammate over a bar fight in 2015.
Janikowski announced his retirement from the NFL in April 2019, ending his career as one of the most accomplished kickers in league history. He finished his career with 436 made field goals and 1,940 points scored, ranking him 10th all-time in both categories.
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