Matt Bahr
Encyclopedia
Matthew David Bahr is a former professional American football
placekicker
in the National Football League
. He attended Neshaminy High School
in Langhorne, Pennsylvania
where he excelled in both football and soccer. He is the son of National Soccer Hall of Fame
inductee Walter Bahr
.
As a senior at Penn State, in 1978, Matt was a consensus All-America selection. In 1978, he signed with the Colorado Caribous
of the North American Soccer League
. The Caribous traded him to the Tulsa Roughnecks
during the season. On March 27, 1979, he signed with the Pennsylvania Stoners
of the second division American Soccer League
. In May 1979, he heard that he had been drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the sixth round of the 1979 NFL Draft
. His brother Chris
followed a similar career path. Over his career, which spanned from 1979
to 1995
, he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers
, the San Francisco 49ers
, the Cleveland Browns
, the New York Giants
, the Philadelphia Eagles
and the New England Patriots
. As a rookie
, he won a Super Bowl ring
with the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV
. He is best remembered for his performance in the 1990
NFC Championship Game
on January 20, 1991, as he set an NFC Championship Game record with five field goal
s (including a 42-yarder as time expired) to lift the Giants past the 49ers 15-13. He also kicked what would prove to be the decisive field goal in Super Bowl XXV
on January 27, 1991, as the Giants beat the Buffalo Bills
20-19.
Bahr finished his 17 seasons with 300 of 415 field goals and 522 of 534 extra point
s. Overall, he scored a total of 1,422 points.
Between college and his NFL careers, Bahr also played in the North American Soccer League
(NASL) for the Colorado Caribous
and the Tulsa Roughnecks
in 1978.
He appeared in the 1980 television movie
, Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story
.
He is now a design engineer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
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...
in 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 attended Neshaminy High School
Neshaminy High School
Neshaminy High School is a large public high school in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, located on Old Lincoln Highway.-Facilities:Neshaminy High School consists of one main hallway, with hallways branching off of the main by department, arranging classes of similar types in the same region of the...
in Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,622 at the 2010 census.The name "Langhorne" is used broadly to describe the majority of surrounding Middletown Township, which for the most part uses Langhorne's zip code of 19047...
where he excelled in both football and soccer. He is the son of National Soccer Hall of Fame
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
inductee Walter Bahr
Walter Bahr
Walter Alfred Bahr is a retired American soccer player, considered one of the greatest ever in his country. He was the long-time captain of the U.S. national team and played in the 1950 FIFA World Cup when the U.S...
.
As a senior at Penn State, in 1978, Matt was a consensus All-America selection. In 1978, he signed with the Colorado Caribous
Colorado Caribous
The Colorado Caribous was a professional soccer team based in Denver, Colorado, that played in the North American Soccer League...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. The Caribous traded him to the Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
-NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...
during the season. On March 27, 1979, he signed with the Pennsylvania Stoners
Pennsylvania Stoners
Pennsylvania Stoners is an American soccer team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2007, the team plays in National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Eastern Keystone Division.The team plays its home...
of the second division American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. In May 1979, he heard that he had been drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the sixth round of the 1979 NFL Draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
. His brother Chris
Chris Bahr
Chris Bahr is a former professional American football and soccer player. He was a placekicker in the National Football League and played midfielder in the North American Soccer League.-Soccer:...
followed a similar career path. Over his career, which spanned from 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
to 1995
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
, he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. As a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
, he won a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. He is best remembered for his performance in the 1990
NFL playoffs, 1990-91
The NFL playoffs following the 1990 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXV.The league expanded its playoff system from a 10-team to a 12-team tournament...
NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
on January 20, 1991, as he set an NFC Championship Game record with five field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
s (including a 42-yarder as time expired) to lift the Giants past the 49ers 15-13. He also kicked what would prove to be the decisive field goal in Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
on January 27, 1991, as the Giants beat the 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...
20-19.
Bahr finished his 17 seasons with 300 of 415 field goals and 522 of 534 extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
s. Overall, he scored a total of 1,422 points.
Between college and his NFL careers, Bahr also played in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL) for the Colorado Caribous
Colorado Caribous
The Colorado Caribous was a professional soccer team based in Denver, Colorado, that played in the North American Soccer League...
and the Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
-NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...
in 1978.
He appeared in the 1980 television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story
Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story
Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story was a 1980 made-for-television movie about the life of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier, starring Robert Urich. It was released on 7 December 1980....
.
He is now a design engineer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.