Ove Johansson

Who is Ove Johansson?

Ove Claes Johansson, born March 31, 1948, in Gothenburg, Sweden, is a former American football placekicker and the current holder of the record for the longest field goal ever kicked during an American football game, at 69 yards. He also holds the distinction of being the first Swede to play in the National Football League, twelve years before Björn Nittmo would achieve the feat. Johansson is also the oldest player to be drafted in the NFL Draft, being 28 years, 281 days old when he was selected in the 12th round of the 1977 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers.

Johansson was a junior at Abilene Christian University after being an all American soccer player at national power Davis and Elkins College, and performed this kick during ACU's 1976 homecoming game against East Texas State University at Shotwell Stadium, in Abilene, Texas. This record kick is longer than any other field goal kicked in organized football, one yard longer than the current high school record set by Dirk Borgognone in 1985, 2 yards longer than the NCAA record, and 6 yards longer than the current NFL record of 63 yards set by Tom Dempsey in the New Orleans vs. Detroit game of November 8, 1970.