Mac L. Percival (born February 26, 1940) is a former

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

placekicker In gridiron football, the placekicker (PK), or simply kicker (K), is the player responsible for attempts at scoring Field goal (football), field goals and extra points. In most cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist ...

in the

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(NFL) for the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

and

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

. He played

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Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...

Early years

Percival attended Vernon High School. He used a straight-away style as one of the kickers for the football team, but was only involved in kickoffs and

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s. He also lettered in

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

, which was his main sport. He accepted a

scholarship from

, but did not play football during his time in college.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys (first stint)

In the Sixties, the

employed a kicking caravan search to unearth potential kickers. Percival was signed as an

undrafted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

after the 1967 NFL/AFL draft, based on his performance in one of those searches, even though he never played a down of

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

and that he had spent four years after college as a high school teacher. On September 6, he was traded along with

tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...

Austin Denney to the

in exchange for a third round draft choice (#71- Ed Harmon).

Chicago Bears

In 1967, the

acquired Percival to replace kicker Roger LeClerc. In his rookie season, he made 13 out of 26 field goals after appearing in 14 games. In 1968, with the coaching help of Ben Agajanian, he refined his technique and went on to make 25 out of 36 field goals, while scoring 100 points and becoming only the third player in franchise history to achieve that mark in a season. He is also the last Bears kicker to make five field goals in a game, which he accomplished against the

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on October 10, during a 29–16 win. During his tenure with the Bears, he made 99 out of 182 field goals (54.4%) and scored 456 points.

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)

On September 10, 1974, he was acquired by the

to replace George Hunt. He only lasted three games before being replaced by Efren Herrera.

Free kick

1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...

, the Bears were facing their longtime

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Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...

. With :26 remaining in the game with the score tied at 10–10, Bears returner Cecil Turner fair-caught a Packers punt at the Packers 43-yard line. The Bears decided to kick the game-winning kick as a fair catch kick, which has rarely been done before. Percival was able to make the 43-yarder to win the game. The kick was Percival's second game-winner, as he kicked a 47-yarder with :03 left against their rival in

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to give the Bears a 26–24 win at

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the week before. Four years later in a 1972 exhibition game against the

Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston, Texas, from its founding in 1960 Houston Oilers season, 1960 to 1996 Houston Oilers season, 1996. The Houston Oilers began play as a charter member of the Ame ...

, Percival once again attempted a free kick. However, this time, the kick, which was 50 yards, missed. The Bears still won 20–17.Pierson, Don (Aug. 11, 1972). "Bears defeat Oilers 20-17". ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'', p. c1.

References

External links

Bears Getting a Boot Out of PercivalPercival is not hen-pecked, but he listens to his wife
{{DEFAULTSORT:Percival, Mac 1940 births Living people Sportspeople from Vernon, Texas Players of American football from Garland, Texas American football placekickers Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball players Dallas Cowboys players Chicago Bears players American men's basketball players 20th-century American sportsmen