CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- Morten Andersen, the NFL's career scoring leader, became just the second placekicker inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
Andersen played an incredible 25 pro seasons, a league record, mostly for the Saints. He also was with the Falcons, Giants, Chiefs and Vikings, playing 382 total games.
The left-footed kicker from Denmark -- his selection in February set off celebrations back home, where American football hardly is a sports staple -- scored 2,544 points (565 field goals, 849 extra points). He is the all-time scoring leader for both New Orleans and Atlanta and was a five-time All-Pro.
A member of the NFL's 1980s and `90s All-Decade Teams, Andersen retired in 2004 with 40 field goals of 50 yards or longer, then an NFL mark. He joined Jan Stenerud as the only placekickers in the hall, and paid tribute to Stenerud as a trail blazer.
Andersen was presented for induction by his son, Sebastian. A soccer and team handball player back home, Andersen then delivered an often hilarious speech emphasizing how strange the adjustment to kicking a ball that was not round could be.
He also paid homage to his two homes.
"Good evening, Canton, Ohio," he began. "Good morning Denmark.
"My story isn't only about my love for my country of Denmark and its people," he said, "but also my deep appreciation and respect for what I discovered here in the United States of America."
