Cardinals’ kicker for new year is a seasoned old-timer

Dawson enters 1st season with Cardinals at age 42

GLENDALE — Young defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche walks through the Arizona locker room and sees Phil Dawson pass by.

“Pops,” Nkemdiche yells then adds to no one in particular. “That’s my father, you know.”

Dawson raises his fist to acknowledge the jab. Entering his 19th NFL season, the 42-year-old kicker is just happy to still be a part of things.

“I just love football, and I know that’s weird for a kicker to say,” Dawson said, “but ever since I can remember I wanted to play football. To be my age now and get a chance to still do this, I mean how many guys get a chance to do that. It’s an honor to get to come here and do this.”

With several crucial missed field goals last season, including ones that would have beaten New England and Seattle at home, Arizona chose not to retain Chandler Catanzaro and signed the free agent Dawson to a two-year contract.

Dawson brings an impressive resume in his long career — 14 seasons with Cleveland and the last four with San Francisco.

His 404 field goals rank 10th on the NFL career list and his 1,698 points are 15th in scoring. In 279 games, he’s made 84.5 percent of his field goals. He is sixth in field goals of at least 50 yards with 38, 28 of them in the last six years.

To what does he attribute his longevity?

“I joke with people it’s the ‘mama plan’ I call it,” Dawson said. “If you eat right and go to bed when you should good things seem to happen.”

He said he notices no dete-