Regardless of who wins the coin toss for the Packers vs. Raiders game in Week 5, we know exactly how the game will begin.
A kicker with the last name of Carlson will launch the ball off the kicking tee to his opponent.
Both Green Bay and Las Vegas have kickers with the last name “Carlson.” The Raiders employ Daniel Carlson, a 2022 All-Pro and one of the best kickers in the NFL, while the Packers are rolling with Anders Carlson, a rookie who is replacing Mason Crosby as Green Bay’s kicker.
Naturally, NFL fans will be wondering whether the two Carlson kickers are related or if Monday night’s matchup just happens to contain a massive coincidence.
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Here’s what to know about the connection that the Carlsons share as they do battle for the first time in their NFL careers.
Is Anders Carlson related to Daniel Carlson?
Yes, Anders Carlson is related to Daniel Carlson. Anders, a rookie for the Packers, is the younger brother of Daniel, who has been kicking for the Raiders since signing with the team in 2018 after his release from the Vikings.
Both Carlson brothers played at Auburn. Daniel, 28, kicked for the Tigers from 2013 to 2017; his tenure was immediately followed by that of Anders, 25, who was the team’s top kicker when healthy from 2018 to 2022.
Their time at Auburn spanned nine seasons but they overlapped for only one. Anders credits that season for helping to shape his development as a player.
“My experience at Auburn was incredible, all six years there. Part of that was being there with my brother for a year,” Anders told Raiders.com. “He showed me the ropes that first year, on and off the field. Auburn was great for a lot of reasons, but he was definitely one.
Daniel acknowledged that season at Auburn helped to strengthen the relationship between the two.
“We’re really close now, especially as we’ve gotten older,” he explained to Raiders.com. “I got to kind of show him some of the ropes [in college] and now get to show him some of the ropes in the NFL.”
The younger Carlson couldn’t be in a better situation with that type of mentorship. Daniel has been one of the best kickers in the NFL in recent seasons, being named an All-Pro second-teamer in 2021 before making the first team in 2022. He has made 111 of 119 field-goal attempts (93.3 percent) since the beginning of the 2020 season, making him one of the most accurate kickers in the league during that span.
As such, Anders has relished getting a chance to learn from his older brother when given the chance.
“He’s a huge resource on and off the field,” Anders said of Daniel, per Packers.com. “Whether it’s breaking down film a little bit together, just talking about kicks, whether we like them or not, just small little things that we can kind of go back and forth. It’s obviously a brother, so super close relationship. You can just be blunt and honest with each other. It’s been helpful.”
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Anders Carlson stats
Thus far, the younger Carlson brother has fared well in his quest to emulate his older brother. He has yet to miss a kick for the Packers, converting on all five of his field-goal attempts — including two from beyond 50 yards — and all nine extra points through the first four weeks of the season.
Below are the stats from his professional career to date:
Year
FGM
FGM
FG%
Long
XPM
XPA
XP%
2023
5
5
100
52
9
9
100
And while Anders didn’t quite challenge his older brother’s record of 480 points at Auburn, he still put together a great college career during his six seasons at the school.
Below is a look at Carlson’s stats from the five seasons that he played at Auburn.
Year
FGM
FGA
FG%
XPM
XPA
XP%
2018
15
25
60
44
44
100
2019
18
25
72
48
49
98
2020
20
22
91
24
25
96
2021
14
21
67
35
36
97
2022
12
17
71
22
22
100
While Anders was, at times, inconsistent, he still showed enough leg strength amid his hot streaks to deserve a shot to be an NFL kicker. That’s why the Packers made him a sixth-round pick (207 overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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Daniel Carlson stats
As mentioned, the elder Carlson has been one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL since the start of the 2020 season. However, that wasn’t always the case, as he struggled during his early days with the Vikings after being a fifth-round pick in 2018.
Daniel Carlson made just one of his first four field goals with the Vikings, and that prompted the team to cut him. After the Raiders scooped him up, Carlson was far more accurate, making 16 of 17 field-goal atttempts during the rest of his rookie season.
And since then, Las Vegas’ kicker has only continued to improve, minus a small blip on the radar in 2019.
Below is a look at Carlson’s stats from his NFL career with the Vikings and Raiders:
Year
FGM
FGA
FG%
Long
XPM
XPA
XP%
2018
17
21
81
50
24
24
100
2019
19
26
73
48
34
36
94
2020
33
35
94
54
45
47
96
2021
40
43
93
56
30
33
91
2022
34
37
92
57
35
36
97
2023
4
4
100
57
6
6
100
And here are Carlson’s stats from his time at Auburn, which made him one of the best college kickers in the nation.
Year
FGM
FGM
FG%
XPM
XPA
XP%
2014
18
24
75
57
57
100
2015
23
27
85
40
40
100
2016
28
32
88
44
44
100
2017
23
31
74
57
57
100
Carlson finished as the Tigers’ all-time points leader (480) and never missed an extra point in 198 tries.
Kicker brothers in the NFL
The Carlsons aren’t the only pair of brothers to kick in the NFL. In the league’s history, there have been several groups of brothers who have emerged as kickers.
Below are the most notable of the bunch:
Chris Bahr and Matt Bahr
Pete Gogolak and Charlie Gogolak
Martin Gramatica and Bill Gramatica
Steve Mike-Meyer and Nick Mike-Meyer
The Zendejas brothers (Luis, Max, Joaquin, Marty and Tony)
The Bahr brothers were both soccer players before they crossed over to the NFL and enjoyed quality careers. The Gogolaks were among the NFL’s first “soccer-style” kickers, and that helped Charlie become the highest-drafted kicker in NFL history.
Martin Gramatica enjoyed a solid, decade-long NFL career while Bill’s career lasted just four years. He has one of the most famous celebration fails in NFL history, as he suffered a torn ACL celebrating a game-winning field goal.
The Mike-Meyers played for a combined seven teams during their NFL careers despite each making just over 50 percent of their field-goal attempts. And the Zendejases saw a whopping five brothers make it to the NFL, though most lasted just a couple of seasons in the league at most.
The Carlsons may have a chance to stake their claim toward being the best brother kicker duo in NFL history. Daniel is off to a good start and if Anders can continue to perform well, they could at least become one of the most accurate duos among the bunch.