Mike Scifres (SIGH-furs) is among the top punters in the NFL today. He’s earned a reputation for pinpoint accuracy and high punts that are rarely returned by the opposition. Mike is coming off yet another banner season, one in which he was named a first-alternate to the AFC Pro Bowl squad after leading the league with a team-record 35 punts inside the 20 and only two touchbacks. Scifres put together a stretch in the middle of the season during which he connected on 38 consecutive punts without a touchback and his two touchbacks for the season tied for the fewest in team history. The ’06 season would become the third-straight that the Bolts punter was chosen as an all-star alternate. Scifres enters 2007 with a career average of 42.9 yards per punt, tied with Rolf Mojsiejenko for the second-highest in team history. Since taking over the punting duties in 2004, Scifres has backed that up with a 38.2-yard net punting average. Among active punters who’ve played in every game over the last three seasons, it’s the second-highest net average in the league behind Buffalo’s Brian Moorman, who posted a 38.4-yard net average. During that same time span (2004-06), Scifres has landed the most punts inside the 20-yard line (89); he’s allowed the fewest to be returned (76); the second-fewest return yards (624), and he’s had only 18 punts go for touchbacks, tied for the fourth-fewest in the league. Scifres lived in Bakersfield, California from ages 5-13 while his father worked for Shell Oil. He was born in New Orleans and returned there to attend high school. He went to college at Western Illinois upon referral from a close family friend, Dan Neal, who once coached at the school. At the time, Neal was an assistant coach with the New Orleans Saints and recently coached the tight ends for the Buffalo Bills. Mike is an avid golfer and one of the team’s best players. He plays golf frequently in San Diego with his special teams mates, David Binn and Nate Kaeding. He also likes to play golf in exotic locales like Hawaii and Mexico. Scifres currently plays to a 15 handicap. TRANSACTION HISTORY: Fifth-round pick (149) by San Diego, April 27, 2003 signed with Chargers, July 19, 2003 signed four-year contract extension through 2011, Nov. 3, 2005. 2006: Named first-alternate to AFC Pro Bowl squad...had banner night in Sept. 11 season opener at Oakland, punting five times for 43.8-yard average with two inside 20-yard line and two punts fair caught...Raiders returned other three punts for total of one yard...only called upon to punt two times against Tennessee Week 2, landing both punts inside 20-yard line and now allowing any returns as both were downed by Chargers...punted five times for 53.8-yard average and tied his career long with 71-yard effort Oct. 1 at Baltimore...landed two inside 20, but also had first touchback of season...did not allow any returns on three punts Oct. 22 at Kansas City, having two downed and one fair caught... against St. Louis Oct. 29, landed all three punts inside 20-yard line with long of 55 and allowed only one return for 0 yards...hit 66-yard punt in second quarter against Cleveland Nov. 5...late in third quarter of Browns game, hit 35-yard punt which was downed at two-yard line by Antonio Cromartie...proved to be big play as San Diego’s defense forced three-and-out and on first play after Browns’ punt, LT took run 41 yards for touchdown and 17-12 lead...allowed only 10 yards two punt returns Week 9 at Cincinnati...landed two of five punts inside 20-yard line...landed all three punts at Denver Nov. 19 inside 20-yard line, with all three resulting in fair catches at nine, 16 and 14-yard lines...dropped first three punts inside 20-yard line without allowing any returns on Dec. 3 at Buffalo...punts forced Bills to start first-half drives at their own 12, 17 and two-yard lines as Chargers jumped out to 17-0 first-half lead...last punt of day, 50-yarder in fourth quarter, rolled into end zone for touchback...only second TB of season (Oct. 1 at Baltimore), ending streak of 38 consecutive punts without one...netted 45.3 yards per punt against Denver Dec. 10...was third-highest of season and highest since Oct. 15 at San Francisco (47.0)...of three punts against Broncos, two landed inside 20-yard line and Denver managed only one return for -3 yards...landed three punts inside 20-yard line without any touchbacks against Kansas City Dec. 17, placing punts at four, six and 16-yard lines...only allowed two punts to be returned for total of six yards...punted career-high 10 times with three landing inside 20-yard line with no touchbacks in rainy Dec. 24 game at Seattle...hit long of 59 yards against Seahawks...landed all three of his punts in Dec. 31 season finale against Arizona inside 20-yard line without any touchbacks...tied team playoff record with seven punts in AFC Divisional Playoff game vs. New England...John Kidd also had seven on Jan. 10, 1993 at Miami...landed five punts inside 20-yard line, tied with Kidd for most in playoff game in team history...Kidd had five in AFC Wild Card Playoffs against Kansas City on Jan. 2, 1993. 2005: Second-alternate to Pro Bowl averaged 50.3 yards on three punts at New England Oct. 2 and had only one returned for eight yards averaged solid 48.3 yards on four punts with long of 52 yards and two inside 20-yard line in Oct. 10 Monday Night Football game Steelers only had one return for no yards and fair caught two other punts another solid effort with seven punts for 42.6-yard average and landed four of seven inside 20-yard line in 27-14 win at Oakland Oct. 16 allowed only three of seven punts to be returned for total of 15 yards mishandled fourth-quarter snap in end zone, but recovered and still managed to get off 33-yard punt averaged solid 49.2 yards per punt against Kansas City Oct. 30 averaged season-high 57.5 yards per punt on two attempts against New York Jets Nov. 6 attempted only one punt against Buffalo Nov. 20, which traveled 53 yards and was fair caught allowed only one of six punts to be returned for total of three yards in 23-17 overtime win at Washington Nov. 27 landed three punts inside 20-yard line and had four fair caught by Redskins bailed Chargers out of own 10-yard line with career-long 71-yard punt in ESPN Sunday Night Football game against Oakland Dec. 4 tied for third-longest punt in team history was second-longest punt in team history at sea level Paul Maguire, who was in broadcast booth as color analyst for ESPN, hit longest punt in team history at sea level with 82-yard effort against Dallas Nov. 19, 1961 71-yarder was downed at Raiders’ 19-yard line three of four punts on night landed inside 20-yard line Raiders had only one return for no yards had first punt of game against Miami on Dec. 11 go for touchback was first touchback since Nov. 6 at New York Jets, ending string of 13 straight quarters and 11 consecutive punts without touchback during stretch, landed 7 of 11 inside 20-yard line allowed only one punt return for six yards in win over Indianapolis Dec. 18 landed two of four punts inside 20-yard line and forced two fair catches landed three of seven punts inside 20-yard line with long of 56 in season finale versus Denver. 2004: First-alternate to Pro Bowl first-team All-Pro by Sports Illustrated and SportsIllustrated.com Chargers Special Teams Player of Year ranked third in NFL with 38.4-yard net punting average hit four punts against New York Jets Sept. 19 and had only one returned for two yards averaged 49.2 yards per punt on six attempts at Denver Sept. 26 hit 59-yarder against Broncos and did not allow any returns drilled 57-yard punt at sea level at home against Tennessee Oct. 3 and landed three punts inside 20-yard line two of four punts were returned for no yards against Titans landed all four punts inside 20-yard line against Jacksonville Oct. 10 with only one returned for one yard landed two of five punts inside 20-yard line at Atlanta Oct. 17 and allowed only one to be returned had two punts downed and two fair caught against Falcons punted five times at Carolina Oct. 24, allowing only one return for no yards while landing three punts inside 20-yard line and forcing other four punts to be fair caught averaged 48.7 yards per punt, including season-long 60-yard bomb against Oakland Oct. 31 landed one punt inside 20-yard line and had only one returned by Raiders lone punt against New Orleans Nov. 7 traveled 31 yards and was fair caught at 10-yard line averaged 43.3 yards and hit long of 57 on four punts at Oakland Nov. 21 landed three of four inside 20-yard line had only two returned for nine yards by Raiders, while one was fair caught and other was downed landed all three punts inside 20-yard line at Kansas City Nov. 28 two of the punts traveled 51 and 55 yards allowed only one return for one yard and two others were fair caught by Chiefs return man Dante Hall set career highs with eight punts and 372 yards against Denver Dec. 5 landed three inside 20-yard line hit timely 60-yard punt to tie career long and later added 52-yarder in fourth quarter against Broncos to help preserve victory had first punt go for touchback since Sept. 26 at Denver ending string of 36 consecutive punts without touchback 23 of 36 punts during stretch landed inside 20-yard line Chargers Alumni Player of Week after averaging 46.8 yards on four punts with long of 50 and three inside 20-yard line against Tampa Bay Dec. 12 allowed only three returns for five yards against Bucs tied season long with 60-yard punt at Indianapolis Dec. 26 season-high 49.8 yards per punt against Colts, landing one inside 20-yard line with two touchbacks on artificial turf landed one of four punts inside 20-yard line and allowed only one return against Kansas City Jan. 2 had pass intercepted by Chiefs on botched field-goal attempt and injured thumb on play averaged 36.4 yards per punt on five attempts against Jets in Wild Card Playoff game landed one punt inside 20-yard line with no touchbacks. 2003: Handled kickoffs Weeks 4, 7, 12-14 and 16 inactive Weeks 1-3, 5-6, 8-11 and 15. COLLEGE: First-team Division I-AA All-America selection by Football Gazette as sophomore and senior three-time first-team all-conference choice second-team All-America by Sports Network as sophomore only Division 1-AA punter to be named finalist to Ray Guy Award list in 2002 second in nation with 48.0-yard gross average as senior National Player of Week four times by Football Gazette and Special Teams Player of Week for Gateway Conference twice during senior campaign conference Player of Week three times and Sports Network National Player of Week three times as sophomore Division I-AA National Special Teams Player of Week after kicking school and conference record 89-yard punt against SW Missouri in 2000 school record 56-yard field goal against Northern Iowa as time expired in 44-41 win for 2000 conference title for ¬Western Illinois on first-career field-goal attempt Gateway Conference All-Newcomer selection as redshirt freshman in 1999 played at Western Illinois from 1998-2002 earned degree in communications and broadcasting. PERSONAL: Born Oct. 8, 1980 in Metairie, Louisiana all-district selection at Destrehan High School in Destrehan, Louisiana lettered in football, soccer and baseball. Standings Roster Depth Chart Team StatsTransactions Injury Reports Coaches Front Office Media Guide Career StatsMike Scifres Wallpaper:1024x768 | 800x600 | 640x480