Rolf Benirschke: NFL Kicker and Game Show Host
Rolf Joachim Benirschke (born February 7, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League. He played for the San Diego Chargers from 1977 to 1986 and is most known for kicking the game-winning field goal in overtime of the playoff game known as the “Epic in Miami” on January 2, 1982.
Early Life and Education
Benirschke was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but grew up in San Diego, California, where he attended La Jolla High School. His father, Kurt Benirschke, was a German immigrant and pathologist at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, as well as founder and director of the Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species at the San Diego Zoo. Rolf worked summers at the zoo during high school and college.
He majored in zoology at the University of California, Davis, where he played football under coach Jim Sochor. The Oakland Raiders selected him in the 12th round of the 1977 NFL draft, and he was then traded to the San Diego Chargers for his rookie year.
Career and Achievements
In the off-season before the 1978 season, Benirschke developed chronic fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease. His condition worsened during the 1979 season when he collapsed on the team plane returning from a road trip. He underwent two surgeries to remove his large intestine and spent weeks in intensive care, eventually weighing only 123 pounds and requiring two ostomy appliances. His ileostomy was later reversed through a Kock pouch procedure.
On November 18, 1979, Benirschke made a dramatic return to the Chargers in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though he did not play, he participated in the opening coin toss and was named honorary team captain for the sellout game, which the Chargers won 35–7. From 1980 to 1982, he also worked as a broadcaster for the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League.
Benirschke returned to kicking in 1980 and played seven more seasons with San Diego before his career ended in 1987. He retired as the team’s all-time scoring leader with 766 points and held 15 club records. His field goal percentage of .702 was the third most accurate in NFL history at that time, behind Eddie Murray and Nick Lowery.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining moment of Benirschke’s career came on January 2, 1982, in the playoff game later called the “Epic in Miami.” He initially missed a potential 27-yard game-winning field goal in overtime but got a second chance and connected from 29 yards fourteen minutes into overtime to win the game for the Chargers.
In 1983, Benirschke was named the NFL Man of the Year and was selected to the Pro Bowl after that season. In 1984, controversy arose when his kickoffs were deemed too short, and he gave a thumbs-up sign to Denver Broncos kicker Rich Karlis before a field goal that defeated the Chargers, leading to a meeting with Chargers owner Alex Spanos about Benirschke’s loyalties. The Chargers selected punter and kicker Ralf Mojsiejenko in the 1985 NFL draft to provide competition.
On August 31, 1987, Benirschke was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a draft pick after losing his job to rookie Vince Abbott. Dallas released him on September 7, and he formally announced his retirement in December. In 1997, he was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame as the twentieth player.
Awards and Honors
Benirschke received the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1983 and was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1983 season. He was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame in 1997.
Additional Resources
After leaving football, Benirschke hosted the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune from January 10 to June 30, 1989, replacing Pat Sajak before Bob Goen took over when the show moved to CBS. He founded and later sold a financial services company and has worked in venture capital and development. Benirschke published his autobiography, Alive and Kicking!, in November 1996 and has been a national spokesman for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America and for Hepatitis C awareness. He created the endangered-animal charity “Kicks for Critters” and currently works with Legacy Health Strategies, a strategic planning and marketing company. Benirschke is married to Mary Michaletz and has four children. He remains active in the San Diego area, volunteering with organizations including the San Diego Zoo, United Way, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County, and annually hosts the Rolf Benirschke Legacy Golf Invitational. More details about his life and career are available through Wikipedia and other biographical archives.
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