A two-time consensus All-American for Ohio State in 2002 and 2004, Mike Nugent had a goal to be the first kicker chosen in the 2005 NFL Draft. And he was.
By 35 50-yard field goals. Or in other words, by about a mile.
"I always had the attitude that I had absolutely no control over who drafts me or when it happens, whether it's early or late," Nugent said. "All I could really kind of keep under my control was just the fact of that in college, as long as I can do my job on the field, then hopefully I can work hard enough and be able to be the first kicker taken."
After trading their first-round pick to the Raiders for tight end Doug Jolley, the Jets made Nugent the highest kicker they ever drafted when they selected him with their first choice, which came in the second round, 47th overall.
"I think getting drafted is like, 'Hey, you know you're going to be the guy coming in,'" Nugent said. "Nothing was kind of out of the ordinary. It was really more about, 'We took you and you're our guy. We hope you're going to be here for the next 10-plus years.'''
In his rookie year, Nugent was 22-of-28 on field goals and 24-of-24 on extra points for 90 points. In his second, he had the most accurate season in Jets' history, 24-of-27 on field goals, 88.9 percent, and 34-of-35 on extra points for 106 points, helping earn a Wild Card Playoff berth.
"I actually had a really bad start in the first game at Tennessee. It was one of those days where it was nice weather, but I had kind of a tough day with the grass. I kept kicking the ground a ton and missed a few," Nugent said.
"So I really kind of started off slow, but then had a really, really, solid finish to the season. Obviously, Weeks 2 through 16 ended up going well, but I think it was that I really tried to focus on just taking it one day at a time, not worrying about what happened yesterday, or what's going to happen in this game coming up.
"I think it's one of those things, especially being in the NFL, you didn't all of a sudden, just overnight, become a lesser player. I always thought about that whenever you have a couple bad days in a row. It's like you didn't just go to bed last night and wake up and you're not as good at kicking as you were yesterday. You're just probably thinking about it too much."
After enjoying an even better season the following year with 29 field goals and 110 points, Nugent suffered a quad injury during the 2008 season opener in Miami and was replaced by eighth-year veteran Jay Feely for the rest of the year.
"That was tough because I had a really good training camp," Nugent said. "I didn't get put on IR, and was out for about seven weeks. And then the week I came back, I basically was told, 'Jay's kicking well, and we want to keep playing the player that's doing a good job. He's earned the position he's in, and so we need to support that.'
"Me and him kind of battled every practice against each other. Had a little competition each week. And it was just one of those things, he kept kicking well in games. So I, unfortunately, didn't get a chance to kick the rest of the season. But he definitely did a really good job and earned a spot on the team."
Becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2009, Nugent, who had attempted only one field goal before getting hurt the previous season, felt it was time to move on.
"The relationships continued to be great with myself and the Jets, but I think for me, it was basically only playing one game the season before, I felt like I wanted to test the waters and see what's out there," he said. "And fortunately, I got a good one-year offer from Tampa, and ended up going there."
In 49 regular-season games as a Jet, Nugent connected on 75 of 92 field goals and 83 of 85 extra points for 308 points. Which is still ninth all-time in team history.
"There're so many things that people say (are among their fondest memories), like the camaraderie you have in the locker room and the relationships you build," Nugent said. "But I'd say Jets-wise, there's actually a picture that I put on Instagram the other day after Nick Mangold passed away.
"It was him and I walking off the field in the 2006 season. We just ended up winning our last game and getting ready to go to the playoffs. I thought that was a pretty cool moment."
Going on to play for Tampa Bay, Arizona, Cincinnati, Dallas, Chicago, Oakland, New England, and Arizona again, Nugent had many cool moments during his 16 years in the league. What makes him most proud of his career?
"I don't want to put words in people's mouths, but I would like for my teammates and definitely my coaches to think this is the kind of guy who is a good example of how to be a pro," Nugent said. "To do what you're told, to be on time, and try to outwork everyone around you. Because at the end of the day, you can't beat talent. And that's one thing that every single person in the NFL has.
"But above all else, you've got to be able to be accountable for your own actions and your own game. And I feel like I was the same person every day mentally, that showed up and had the right attitude. Hopefully, I was a good teammate and a good guy to coach. I never wanted coaches to worry about me. I hope that they could all say that I was the same guy every day, and just a pro."
Just four months after kicking his 265th and final field goal, Nugent went from being a pro on the field to becoming the Director of Sales and Marketing for Michael Edwards Building & Design in Columbus, Ohio.
"We built a home about six years ago, and one day I was sitting with my wife just thinking, 'I wonder what I should do after football? I want to have another career that's something I'm going to do longer than I've done 16 years like I did in the NFL,'" Nugent said.
"And she suggested, 'You were really into the idea of building our house, very good specifics and the attention to detail.' And so I talked to who is now my boss and said, 'I'd love to work for you someday. I don't know the business really at all, but I'd love to learn it and maybe help in certain areas.' And he thought it was a great idea, and hired me a couple weeks later.
"On paper, I'm the Director of Sales and Marketing, but I'm also a realtor. So I'm kind of the guy that works with the clients the most. I'm the first point of contact from the clients to the overall build of their house. And then I'm also out trying to buy and sell real estate for the company.
"Usually, in a perfect world, we buy a lot, tear the house down, and have a client who's ready to go. Then we build from the ground up with them. I really like giving someone something that they've wanted for a very long time. It's just a really, really great experience to be able to build your own home from the ground up, and put together certain design aspects that's exactly how you want it to be."
Making their home near the Ohio State campus, Nugent and his wife, Emily, have three children.
"I feel like I am really happy with the hard work and dedication I put into the NFL that gives me the opportunity to do something I really enjoy now for a job," Nugent said. "And being able to have flexibility certain times, if someone's sick, or we need to go on a quick little vacation. It's great that I get the opportunity to be a dad as much as possible and be with my family as much as I can."
