Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist (KOS) or, more rarely, punter (P), as well.

The kicker initially was not a specialized role. Until the 1960s, the kicker was almost always doubled at another position on the roster, George Blanda, Frank Gifford and Paul Hornung being some of the more prominent examples of players who were stars at other positions as well as being known for their kicking abilities. As the era of "two-way" players gave way to increased specialization, teams would employ a specialist at the punter or kicker position. Because of the difference in techniques needed, to avoid leg fatigue, and to reduce the risk of injury, on the professional level most teams employ separate players to handle the jobs. The placekicker usually will only punt when the punter is injured, and vice-versa. (One player often handles both jobs in the Canadian Football League, which has smaller active rosters than in the NFL.) A professional team will occasionally even have a "kickoff specialist" who handles only the kickoffs and serves as a backup to the kicker who handles field goals and extra points. This is typically done to further protect a premier point-scoring kicker from injury or if he, while accurate, does not have sufficient distance on kickoffs.

Dan Giancola (born January 28, 1970 in Thorold, Ontario) is a former placekicker in the Canadian Football League.

Giancola made his CFL debut with the Toronto Argonauts during the 1999 CFL season as a 29-year-old rookie. In his rookie season, Giancola kicked 48 field goals while going 28 for 28 on extra point converts.

In 2000, Giancola tried out with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League but was cut during training camp. Soon after, the Argonauts, who still owned his CFL rights, traded him to the BC Lions in exchange for defensive back Marcello Simmons and defensive tackle Tom Hipsz. Giancola would go on to win a Grey Cup Championship with the Lions.

In 2001, Giancola re-signed with the Toronto Argonauts. In his second tenure with the Argonauts, Giancola made 25 field goals. The team went on to miss the playoffs.

In 2002, Giancola was drafted by the Ottawa Renegades during their expansion draft. During that season, Giancola suffered what was believed to be a groin injury and was released by the Renegades while injured. He filed a grievance against the Renegades and won.

Travis Edward Dorsch (born September 4, 1979) is a former American college and professional football player who was placekicker and punter in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the early 2000s. He played college football for Purdue University, and was recognized as an All-American. He was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Bengals and Green Bay Packers of the NFL, Rhein Fire of NFL Europa, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Dorsch was born in San Diego, California. He attended Bozeman High School in Bozeman, Montana, and was a letterman in high school football, basketball, and track and field for the Bozeman Hawks. He also played four years of American Legion baseball for the Bozeman Bucks as a starting first baseman and pitcher. He holds several state records including the longest field goal in state history (fourth-longest in the national high school annals) at 63 yards.

Matt Prater (born August 10, 1984, in Mayfield Heights, Ohio) is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.

Prater attended Estero High School in Estero, Florida. During his tenure, he converted 56-of-58 extra point attempts and also booted 14 field goals, including one of 49 yards. Prater put 84 percent of his kickoffs in the end zone for touchbacks. He was named second-team All-State, first-team All-Conference and All-Southwest Florida. He was also selected to the second-team "Dream Team." Prater graduated from Estero High School in 2002. Prater transferred to Estero High school his sophomore year from Cypress Lake High School.

Prater showed significant improvement as a sophomore year in 2003, leading the nation in punting and setting school and MAC records with 47.9 yards per punt. He is known as the perfectionist of the Rugby punt, which is now well known through the NCAA and is used by several teams. As a kicker, he converted 10-of-13 field goal attempts and was a perfect 4-for-4 on attempts of 40 yards or longer. Prater had a career day against Virginia Tech on August 31. He punted six times and had a 55.7-yard average, including punts of 71 and 67 yards. He also went 4-for-4 on extra points and had three touchbacks on kickoffs.

Patrick "Pat" McAfee (born May 2, 1987 in Plum, Pennsylvania) is an American football punter for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was a placekicker, punter, and soccer player at West Virginia.

McAfee earned the starting job at West Virginia University as a freshman.

McAfee was 11 for 18 as a freshman on field goals. McAfee had 70 kickoffs for the season with 20 being touchbacks. McAfee's most memorable moment came against Louisville in a 46-44 triple overtime win. To get into overtime, the game was decided on a McAfee onside kick. The onside kick gave running back Steve Slaton the chance to tie the game with a 1 yard touchdown run.

Although they had losses to Louisville and USF, the Mountaineers pulled out a 10 win season and a Gator Bowl win over Georgia Tech.

McAfee started his junior season with a missed extra point against Western Michigan, ending his streak of 106 consecutive extra points. McAfee finished the season in the Fiesta Bowl with a 2 for 4 performance, having one kick blocked by Oklahoma. He was named to the ESPN All-Bowl Team following the bowl season.