Ola Kimrin
Encyclopedia
Ola Fredrik Andreas Kimrin (born February 29, 1972 in Malmö
, Sweden
) is an American football
placekicker
who most recently played for the Miami Dolphins
in the National Football League
.
from ages 5–20. He won a World Championship bronze medal in 1999 playing for the Swedish national team. Kimrin received a scholarship at the University of Texas at El Paso
in 1996 and played three seasons for the Miners. He played 23 career games, primarily serving as kickoff
specialist, and was five-of-eight on field goal
attempts in 1997
.
in 2001 and 2002. In the 2002 season, he led NFL Europe kickers in scoring (57 points) for the Frankfurt Galaxy
, converting 12-of-24 field goals (long of 52) and 20-of-22 extra point attempts. He then signed a free agent
contract with the Denver Broncos
and kicked a 65-yard field goal in the final preseason game against Seattle. Had that kick taken place during the regular season, it would have eclipsed the NFL record shared by Tom Dempsey
, Jason Elam, and Sebastian Janikowski of 63 yards. Despite the kick, he was released at the conclusion of camp in favor of veteran Jason Elam
. He then competed for a job with the Dallas Cowboys
in 2003
during training camp but lost out to one-year veteran Billy Cundiff
near the end of the preseason. In 2004, he signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins
prior to training camp and was 4-of-4 on field goals during preseason, but lost the job to veteran John Hall
. Kimrin was then re-signed by Washington after Hall suffered a hamstring
injury and played in five regular season games, converting 6-of-10 field goals and all six extra point attempts. He was then released in November. Prior to the NFL season, Kimrin spent the 2004 NFL Europe campaign with the Cologne Centurions
, converting 4-of-4 field goal attempts and all 21 extra point attempts, good for 33 points on the season. He was with the Redskins again for some of the 2005 season, then with the Tennessee Titans
. Kimrin later signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was released on August 29, 2006 and retired afterward.
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) is 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...
who most recently played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
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...
.
Background and College
Kimrin kicked for the Limhamn Griffins club team from 1995-1996. He played soccer for the Vintrie IK club team in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
from ages 5–20. He won a World Championship bronze medal in 1999 playing for the Swedish national team. Kimrin received a scholarship at the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
in 1996 and played three seasons for the Miners. He played 23 career games, primarily serving as kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
specialist, and was five-of-eight on 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...
attempts in 1997
1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in early January 1998. The national championship was...
.
Professional career
Kimrin played for NFL EuropeNFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
in 2001 and 2002. In the 2002 season, he led NFL Europe kickers in scoring (57 points) for the Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
, converting 12-of-24 field goals (long of 52) and 20-of-22 extra point attempts. He then signed a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
contract with the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and kicked a 65-yard field goal in the final preseason game against Seattle. Had that kick taken place during the regular season, it would have eclipsed the NFL record shared by Tom Dempsey
Tom Dempsey
Thomas Dempsey is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints , Philadelphia Eagles , Los Angeles Rams , Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills . He attended high school at San Dieguito High School and played college football at Palomar College...
, Jason Elam, and Sebastian Janikowski of 63 yards. Despite the kick, he was released at the conclusion of camp in favor of veteran Jason Elam
Jason Elam
Jason Elam is a retired American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hawaii....
. He then competed for a job with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
during training camp but lost out to one-year veteran Billy Cundiff
Billy Cundiff
William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
near the end of the preseason. In 2004, he signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
prior to training camp and was 4-of-4 on field goals during preseason, but lost the job to veteran John Hall
John Hall (American football)
John Hall is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He kicked for Port Charlotte High School and played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. While at Wisconsin, Hall played and won three bowl games...
. Kimrin was then re-signed by Washington after Hall suffered a hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury and played in five regular season games, converting 6-of-10 field goals and all six extra point attempts. He was then released in November. Prior to the NFL season, Kimrin spent the 2004 NFL Europe campaign with the Cologne Centurions
Cologne Centurions
The Cologne Centurions were an American football team that played in NFL Europe. The Centurions began competing in the league in the 2004 season, having replaced the defunct Barcelona Dragons. They played their home games at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne....
, converting 4-of-4 field goal attempts and all 21 extra point attempts, good for 33 points on the season. He was with the Redskins again for some of the 2005 season, then with the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. Kimrin later signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was released on August 29, 2006 and retired afterward.