Kicker Andersen, safety Easley to be inducted

Morten Andersen’s journey took him from Denmark to Canton and Kenny Easley finally made peace over his health issues. Both will be inducted in Canton.

NEW ORLEANS » Although Morten Andersen grew up with absolutely no notion of kicking an American football, he always had designs on playing sports at an elite level — albeit with his hands.

As he neared the end of high school in his native Denmark, he had an invitation to try out for his country’s junior national handball team. Instead, he heeded his parents’ wishes that he spend a school year abroad in the United States.

He opted to become a more well-rounded citizen of the world, and serendipitously put himself on a path to becoming one of the best at kicking a not-sowell-rounded ball.

“The safe bet would have been to say, ‘I’m just going to stay in Denmark, but I don’t think that was ever really in the DNA of our family to play the card that was always comfortable and safe,” Andersen said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Little did any of us know what kind of journey was ahead. And that’s what’s so interesting about life. If your ears and eyes are open to new possibilities and opportunities, they are right in front of you sometimes.”

Andersen, who began his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints in 1982, enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the leading scorer in NFL history with 2,544 points. He played in a record 382 games during his 25-year career.

He is only the second kicker elected to the hall. Both are Scandinavians who knew virtually nothing about American football when they arrived in the United States, but had been powerful and accurate kickers in their youth soccer days.

The first was Norwegian Jan Stenerud, who came to America after receiving a Nordic skiing scholarship from Montana State, where he was persuaded to give kicking a try. He later starred for Kansas City for 13 years before spending his last six seasons between Green Bay and Minnesota.

But while Stenerud helped revolutionize kicking in American football, Andersen’s all-around athleticism, competitiveness, calm under pressure and eagerness to embrace cutting-edge training techniques helped him to the NFL’s longest and most productive kicking career.

Andersen participated in team handball, soccer and gymnastics growing up, and contends his experience in each sport helped his kicking. Because of that, he is “not a fan,” of funneling kids into year-round specialization in a particular sport.

His kicking career began at an Indianapolis high school at 17. When first asked if he was interested in trying out, Andersen recalls saying, “Not really,” and then, “All right, I’ll try it,” after a little more prodding.

Less than a year later he was headed to Michigan State on a kicking scholarship.

After being selected in the fourth round of the 1982 draft, he had an injury-plagued rookie campaign during the strikeshortened 1982 season, Andersen blossomed in ‘83, hitting 75 percent of his field goals. He made four straight Pro Bowls (198588) and dipped below 71 percent accuracy only once more in his career, in 1989. He hired New Orleans fitness specialist Mackie Shilstone, along with a sports psychologist, massage therapist and chiropractor.

Jim Mora, who coached the Saints from 1986-96, said he always admired Andersen’s intangibles and competitiveness.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Morten Andersen, who played for four teams, enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the leading scorer in NFL history with 2,544 points.