Biography of Morten Andersen

Morten Andersen began his sporting life as a boy in Copenhagen. As a student in Denmark, he was a gymnast and a long jumper, and barely missed becoming a member of the Danish junior national soccer team. He visited the United States in 1977 as an exchange student. He first kicked an American football on a whim at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. He was so impressive in his one season of high school football that he was given a scholarship to Michigan State University. He was named All-American in 1981 and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints.

Morten played thirteen seasons for the Saints, earning Pro-Bowl honors six times and the nickname “Mr. Automatic”. One of the most popular players in Saints’ history, Morten had his own television show, ran a charity called “Kicks for Kids” and was widely known for his charitable work in New Orleans. Cut in training camp in 1995 for “declining productivity”, he quickly signed with the rival Atlanta Falcons. On the season finale, Morten scored three field goals, including the game winner, of over fifty yards to eliminate the Saints from the playoffs. He went on to another Pro Bowl appearance and kicked the Falcons into their only Super Bowl with a dramatic game winning field goal in the NFC Championship vs. the Vikings.

After stints with the N.Y. Giants, K.C. Chiefs, and Minnesota Vikings, he found himself unemployed at age 46 with no teams interested. Instead of retiring after twenty-three seasons and heading to the golf course, Morten instead went to the gym where he embarked on an intense training schedule. With his trainer in tow, he also became a fixture at the local sandlot field and continued calling on clubs. His dedication and persistence paid off when the Falcons resigned him in 2006 and again in 2007. At age 46 he broke the all-time NFL scoring record and at age 47, he scored a 89.3 rating, remarkably the highest of his entire career!

Today, Morten lives in the Atlanta area with his wife Jennifer and their two young boys, Sebastian, and Aidan. He started Morten Andersen Global, Inc. which oversees his business ventures. His book “Life is a Kick” was a best-seller in his native Denmark, where it stayed at #1 for six weeks.