Gary Anderson made a lot of history as a Place Kicker, the first of which was becoming the first South African to play a game in the NFL. Anderson would not just play a game or two; he would play 353, which, as of this writing, places him third all-time.
Obviously, when you play that many games, you are a pretty good player, and Anderson was. Consistently considered among the better kickers since he debuted in 1982 (with Pittsburgh), Anderson would be a four-time Pro Bowl Selection. His best year (and as will be discussed, most infamous) came in 1998 when, as a Minnesota Viking, Anderson became the first Kicker to go perfect in both Field Goals and Extra Points in a season. Anderson played until 2004, and at the time of his retirement, he led the league in Points and Field Goals Made.
What hampers Anderson's Hall of Fame candidacy badly is that Place Kickers are known for their clutch kicks or critical misses. Despite the vast amount of field goal attempts he had, Anderson will always be remembered for missing a 38-Yard Field Goal in the 1998 NFC Championship (the year he was perfect in the regular season) that would have put them in the Super Bowl.
When you are a Kicker, that is all it takes to keep you out.
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