Ponzied placekicker sets NFL records after hitting bottom: ESPN.com

Ponzied placekicker sets NFL records after hitting bottom: ESPN.com
With a sick daughter, a missing fortune and an uncharacteristic hiccup in a key playoff game, luck just wasn't with current San Francisco 49ers kicker David Akers this time last year. What a difference a year makes.
MAR 23, 2012
In what would be his final game as a Philadelphia Eagle — a wild-card matchup against the Green Bay Packers — the 37-year-old placekicker had a few things on his mind besides his job. According to a story on ESPN.com, Akers had found out the day before that doctors discovered a tumor on the ovary of his 6-year-old daughter, Halley. On top of that, Akers was feeling the weight of losing $3.7 million the year before in a $75 million Ponzi scheme run by Texan Kurt Barton of Triton Financial. Barton was sentenced in early November to 17 years in prison on all 39 counts brought against him. Akers' fortune was gone, though, so continued success was key to his family's security. No pressure. The normally very reliable Akers wound up missing a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter, then a 34-yarder in the fourth. The Eagles lost 21-16. A small bit of relief came soon after; while malignant, Halley's tumor was operable and was removed, but it would be months before they would know if she was in the clear. Then the Eagles drafted a new kicker. All of the sudden, Akers was out of a job, his savings was nearly gone and he had a sick kid to worry about. Fast forward to the present: Halley is doing well, Akers signed a $9 million contract and now holds two NFL kicking records; most field goals in a season (44) and most points (166). He even threw his first touchdown pass. And while the Eagles failed to make the postseason, Akers will face the New Orleans Saints on Saturday in the NFL Divisional Playoffs. What a difference a year makes.

Latest News

Newsom wants nationwide billionaires tax as presidential bid may loom on the horizon
Newsom wants nationwide billionaires tax as presidential bid may loom on the horizon

“It’s time for an economic reset,” wrote the California governor, in a post on X.

Maryland regulators spank fledgling art-focused RIA Masterworks over registration snafus
Maryland regulators spank fledgling art-focused RIA Masterworks over registration snafus

Masterworks was launched in 2017 but its RIA, Masterworks Advisers, is just three years old.

Investors allege Miami operator took over $1.5 million in EB-5 scheme
Investors allege Miami operator took over $1.5 million in EB-5 scheme

One 2017 form, no broker license, and a $42 million gap they say surfaced on a webinar.

Gen X, millennials lag in retirement confidence amid knowledge gap
Gen X, millennials lag in retirement confidence amid knowledge gap

Fewer than half of Americans in their peak earning years feel on track for retirement, while many say limited financial knowledge and access to professional guidance are holding them back.

Advisor moves: Veteran-led UBS team overseeing $460 million migrates to Merrill
Advisor moves: Veteran-led UBS team overseeing $460 million migrates to Merrill

Meanwhile, Wells Fargo hauled advisors overseeing $825 million in the West Coast, while Wedbush has welcomed a seasoned professional from Stifel in California.

SPONSORED Who builds the income when the pension disappears?

Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income

SPONSORED Why direct indexing stopped being optional

Direct indexing is on pace to outgrow ETFs and mutual funds. Northern Trust's Ken Lassner explains why the advisors who get it wish they had started sooner.