Michael Badgley


Michael Badgley, nicknamed "The Money Badger", is an American football placekicker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami, and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts in 2018.

Early life and education

Born and raised in Summit, New Jersey to parents Chris and Leanne Badgley, Badgley attended Summit High School, where he played hockey and lacrosse, in addition to football. Badgley won at least one state championship in every sport he played in high school including consecutive group NJSIAA state lacrosse championships in 2010-2011 and a NJSIAA state hockey championship at the Prudential Center in 2012. Badgley had planned to play collegiate lacrosse and follow his older brother's footsteps until a coach convinced him that he could play football at the Division I level. Michael's older brother, Peter Badgley, is a former Division I lacrosse goalie at Providence College competing in the Big East Conference where he was selected first team and Big East Goalie of the year in 2015.
Summit High School
In addition to kicking for Summit, Michael started on both sides of the ball at DB and RB, he returned kicks, punts and filled in at QB due to injuries to starting QB and completed 18 of 33 passes with 7 TD passes for 448 yards. He set 12 Summit HS football records for the Summit Hilltoppers, including longest field goal of 49 yards, most kicking points in season with 84, most consecutive PATs with 67, most kicking points in career with 202. Scored in record 34 consecutive games for Summit with career total of 389 points, second to Willie Wilson’s 401 career all-time points scored for Summit, including record 181 total points scored in senior season. Career totals include: 3,198 total all-purpose yards, 1,320 rushing yards, 607 receiving yards, 1,271 return yards. Scored 31 TDs including 17 rushing, seven receiving, two by kickoff returns, four by punt returns and one pick-6. Varsity team captain, leading Summit to 12–0 season and N.J. State Football Championship at MetLife Stadium in 2012 playing for head coach John Liberato. Michael was selected as the Star-Ledger Player of the Year in Union County in 2012 and the Maxwell Football Club’s Top 50 players in NJ.
Fork Union Military Academy
After Summit he attended Fork Union Military Academy’s post-graduate program playing for head coach Col. John Shuman. At FUMA he was on the Dean's list and was No. 1 Ranked kicker in 247Sports Composite Rankings. His longest field goal at Fork Union Military Academy was 58 yards. Fork Union Military Academy School also produced former NFL players Vinny Testaverde and Eddie George.

College career

University of Miami Hurricanes
Badgley attended and played college football at the University of Miami. in Coral Gables, FL. Badgley is Miami's all-time leader scorer and was a 2017 all-ACC, first teamer. At the University of Miami, Badgley was named Team Captain, First team All-ACC, Lou Groza Semi-Finalist, Walter Kichefski Award recipient and U of Miami Special Teams MVP in 2017. Michael was the Miami Hurricanes starting kicker as a true freshmen in 2014 through his senior season in 2017, leaving Miami with six school records including the all-time leading scorer at The U. After graduating, Michael was invited to both the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL and the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN.
University of Miami Hurricane Football Team Records:
2017 : Served as Miami's starting kicker on kickoffs and field goals...Named Lou Groza Award semifinalist...Selected to All-ACC First Team, picking up third all-conference honor of career and first first-team recognition...Became Miami's all-time field goal leader with two field goals against Notre Dame on Nov. 11, moving past Carlos Huerta's prior school record of 73...Finished with 77 career made field goals...Moved past Huerta for the most points scored in Miami history with six points in final game of career in the Capital One Orange Bowl against Wisconsin...Ended career with 403 points scored.
2016 : Served as team's starting kickoff specialist and field goal kicker...Connected on 21 of 26 field goal attempts...Averaged 63.5 yards on 88 kickoffs with 52 touchbacks...21 field goals made tied for third-most in single season in program history...Moved into third place in program history in field goals made. Recorded 30-yard field goal in Russell Athletic Bowl victory over West Virginia.
2015 : Set school record with 25 made field goals, besting previous school record of 22 set in 2003 by Jon Peattie...Earned ACSMA All-ACC Honorable Mention recognition...Finished a perfect 40-for-40 on extra point attempts. Set career mark and school record with five made field goals against Nebraska, including 28-yarder in overtime to win game for Miami. Tied school record with 57-yard field goal against Georgia Tech...Tied own school record with five made field goals at Pittsburgh, connecting from 33, 48, 23, 45 and 29 yards...Accounted for 17 points against Panthers...Connected on a pair of extra points in the Hyundai Sun Bowl against Washington State.
2014 : Enrolled at Miami in May 2014...Made collegiate debut against Arkansas State. Connected on first career field goal against Nebraska, hitting from 34 yards. Went 4-for-4 on PAT attempts against Cornhuskers, and also handled kickoff duties. Went 2-for-3 in Duck Commander Independence Bowl against South Carolina, hitting from 27 and 26 yards.

Collegiate statistics

Professional career

Indianapolis Colts

2018 - After not being selected in the 2018 NFL Draft Badgley signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent. Badgley worked with kicker Adam Vinatieri during the pre-season with the Colts. Vinateri said “He’s a good kid, and he’s a really good kicker as well, He’s got a nice leg and he’s doing a good job picking my brain. We joke around that he’s always kind of in my back pocket all the time, and rightfully so.” The Colts ended up releasing Badgley before the start of the regular season in favor of Adam Vinatieri, but not before he had connected on all 5 of his field goal attempts in the preseason, with a long of 51 yards. On September 1, 2018, Badgley was waived by the Colts as part of the final roster cuts.

Los Angeles Chargers

2018 - Badgley was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers on October 11, 2018. In Week 6, he made his NFL debut against the Cleveland Browns. In the 38–14 victory, he converted all five extra point attempts and his one field goal attempt. In the next game, a 20–19 victory over the Tennessee Titans, he converted two field goal attempts and two extra point attempts. In Week 13, against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, Badgley missed a 52-yard try on the game's first possession. He rebounded from it to hit both his extra point tries, and then, after missing one attempt and having one blocked—both negated by defensive offside penalties—he hit the game-winner from 29 yards out to give the Chargers a 33–30 win.
The following week against Cincinnati, Badgley hit four field goals from 59, 31, 32, and 46 yards during a 26–21 win. The 59-yarder set a Chargers franchise record for longest field goal. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance. During the 2018 AFC Wildcard matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, Badgley went 4/4 from field goal range in the first half, becoming only the third kicker to do so. The Chargers went on to beat the Ravens with a final score of 23–17, he rewrote the record books with the most field goals and points in a postseason game in Chargers history. Post season accolades included Pro Football Talk recognizing Chargers kicker Michael Badgley as the league's top special teams rookie for the 2018 season.
2019 Season - Played in eight games, making 13-of-16 field goal attempts and all 19 extra points for a total of 58 points…Inactive the first eight games of the season due to injury…Set team marks for kickers through the first 16 games of a career with 122 points and 27 made field goals…vs. Indianapolis : Inactive …at Detroit : Inactive …vs. Green Bay : Made his season debut by nailing four out of five field goals and two extra points to total 14 points…at Oakland : Made three extra points and a 27-yard field goal for a total of six points…vs. Kansas City : Totaled 12 points, making three field goals on four attempts …at Denver :
Made both extra points and two field goals, reaching eight points to eclipse 30 on the year…at Jacksonville : Tied a single-game career high with six made extra points while also making his lone field goal attempt on the day…Set a team record by reaching 118 points in his 15th game, the most through the first 16 games of a career by
a kicker in Chargers history…vs. Minnesota : Made a field goal and an extra point…The made field goal marked the No. 27 of his career, setting a team mark for the most made field goals through the first 16 games of a career…vs. Oakland : Made a 27-yard field goal and both extra points…at Kansas City : Made all three extra point attempts on the day.
LA Chargers Franchise Records: