Morten Andersen Honored in Hometown of Struer, Denmark

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Enshrinee MORTEN ANDERSEN, who was inducted into the Hall last August, was honored in his hometown of Struer, Denmark on Monday. Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker was on hand to ceremoniously present Andersen with the three physical icons representing Andersen’s election to the Hall – his Hall of Fame Gold Jacket, Ring of Excellence, and his Bronzed Bust.

At a midafternoon ceremony Struer Mayor Niels Viggo Lynghøj in front of the children of Struer, dedicated a street in the City Sports Complex as “Morten Andersen Passage.” The street commemorates the journey made by Andersen as a high school exchange student originally going to the United States for ten months and, after making his high school football team as a kicker, returning to his hometown of Struer as the National Football League’s all-time leading scorer and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Thereafter, the Mayor and City Council hosted a private dinner with 200 dignitaries and many of Morten’s friends. The City presented Andersen with two special plaques that will be placed at Struer City Hall that cited the global coordinates of both Struer and the Pro Football Hall of Fame as where Andersen began and ended his career.

To conclude the evening, an audience of more than 1,800 that included family, friends, political leaders, and other dignitaries, gathered at the Struer Energi Park for an official celebration of Andersen’s election into the Hall. It marked the first time the Hall of Fame has taken part in an event outside the United States that featured the presentation of the three iconic symbols to a Hall of Famer.

“I’m so honored that my hometown of Struer has decided to celebrate my induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Andersen shared. “It is a thrill to welcome Hall of Fame President David Baker and his wife Colleen to Denmark to share the vision of the Hall and to mark the first time in the history of the Hall of Fame that such a ceremony has taken place outside the USA!”

Baker commented, “The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s values of commitment, integrity, courage, respect and excellence are exemplified by the career and life of Morten Andersen. He serves as great inspiration to generations of fans across the world. I thank Struer Mayor Niels Viggo Lynghøj for hosting the Hall of Fame for this celebration and to former Mayor Mads Jacobsen who invited us days after I knocked on Morten’s hotel door in Houston last February to tell him he had been elected to the Hall. I believe these celebrations today have inspired the children of Struer to greatness and excellence.”

Andersen originally received his Hall of Fame Gold Jacket on the eve of his induction last summer in Canton and unveiled his Bronzed Bust during the Enshrinement held in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. He received his Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence in New Orleans at halftime of the New Orleans Saints’ Week 15 matchup against the New York Jets on Dec. 17, 2017.

ANDERSEN’S BIO

Kicker … 6-2, 218 … Michigan State

1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings

25 seasons, 382 games … Selected by Saints in 4th round (86th player overall) of 1982 draft … Began career in strike-shortened 1982 season … Scored more than 90 points in 22 seasons … Topped 100-point total 14 times in career … First 100-plus season, 1985, connected on 31 of 35 field goals, 27 extra point conversions, for 120 points, earning first of seven Pro Bowl selections … Also named All-Pro five times … After 13 years with Saints and ranking as team’s all-time leading scorer, joined the Falcons in 1995 … Became Falcons career scoring leader … Spectacular 1995 season, scored a career-high 122 points, including then NFL-record for most 50-yard field goals in season (8) Dec. 10, 1995, became first kicker to convert three field goals of 50 yards or longer in single game … Set NFL records for career points (2,544), most field goals (565), games played (382) … His 40 field goals of 50-plus yards most in NFL history at retirement … Named to two NFL All-Decade Teams (1980s and 1990s) ... Converted 565 of 709 field goal attempts, 849 of 859 point-after-attempts … Led NFL in field goals, 1987 … Led NFC in scoring, 1992 and topped all conference kickers in most field goals in 1985, 1987, and 1995 … Born August 19, 1960 in Struer, Denmark.

ENSHRINEMENT SPEECH

A transcript and video of Andersen’s Enshrinement speech at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017 can be found on the Hall’s website at: http://www.profootballhof.com/players/morten-andersen/enshrinement/