Donald G. Silvestri was an American football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 placekicker

Placekicker

Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...

 for various professional football teams and leagues including the New York Jets

New York Jets

The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 of the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...

, of the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

, as an undrafted free agent in 1993. He played college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 at University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

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Early years

Silvestri was a two-year football letterman at the University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

 from 1990 to 1991. Silvestri attended Pennridge High School in Perkasie, Pennsylvania

Perkasie, Pennsylvania

Perkasie is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia. Establishments in the borough early in the twentieth century included silk mills, baseballs, brickyards, lumber mills, tile works, a stone crusher, and manufacturies of cigars, tags and labels, wire novelties, etc. The...

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Professional career

Silvestri has been a member of the Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...

 (1993), Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 (1994), New York Jets

New York Jets

The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 (1995–1997), London Monarchs

London Monarchs

The London Monarchs were a professional American football team in NFL Europe and its predecessor league, the World League of American Football . The Monarchs played their final season in 1998 as the England Monarchs...

 (1995, 1997, 1998), Albany Firebirds (1998–1999), Florida Bobcats

Florida Bobcats

The Florida Bobcats are a defunct Arena Football League team. They had been previously known as the Sacramento Attack and the Miami Hooters.-Sacramento Attack :...

 (2000) and the Canadian Football League's American expansion team Baltimore Stallions

Baltimore Stallions

The Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...

 (1993).

NFL Europe

On May 7, 1995, Silvestri created history with the London Monarchs after kicking professional football's first four-point field goal, awarded for successful attempts from 50 yards or more in the NFL sanctioned World League of American Football

World League of American Football

The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...

 (WLAF).

National Football League

Silvestri established himself as one of the NFL's leading kickoff specialists in 1995. He led the AFC and finished 2nd in the NFL to Morten Anderson with 14 touchbacks. He had 8 games with at least 1 touchback and had 5 games with 2 or more.

Arena Football League

Silvestri is the only Arena Football League player in history to finish a season with a perfect extra point percentage with the Florida Bobcats in 2000.
Silvestri was a key member of the Arena League champion Albany Firebirds in 1999.

Personal life

Silvestri lives in South Florida and is very active in his local community. He is currently a member of the National Football League Alumni

National Football League Alumni

The NFL Alumni is a 501 charity that is composed of former NFL players and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of "youth through sports and sports through youth." The NFL Alumni advances its motto...

 Association and the South Florida Pitt Club, an Alumni club of the University of Pittsburgh, and participates in several local charities including the Boys and Girls Clubs and Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Fellowship of Christian Athletes

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...

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