Mark DeWayne Moseley (born March 12, 1948, in Livingston, Texas) is a retired American football placekicker whose professional career in the National Football League spanned 16 seasons. Moseley is best known for his long tenure with the Washington Redskins, for winning the NFL Most Valuable Player award in the strike-shortened 1982 season, and for being one of the few kickers to earn singular recognition among typically offense-focused awards.
Early life and college
Moseley grew up in east Texas and played collegiate football at both Texas A&M University and Stephen F. Austin State University. He began his college career as a quarterback before transitioning to kicking late in his college tenure. That change of position set the stage for his professional role as a specialist, a shift that was not uncommon in earlier eras when roster sizes and team needs prompted players to change roles.
Professional career and timeline
Moseley entered the NFL after being selected in the 14th round of the 1970 draft. He spent his rookie year with the Philadelphia Eagles, then moved to the Houston Oilers for two seasons. After a year away from professional football, he signed with the Washington Redskins in 1974 and became a fixture in their kicking game for more than a decade. His final professional appearances came with the Cleveland Browns in 1986 before he retired.
- 1970: Drafted and played with Philadelphia
- 1971–1972: Houston Oilers
- 1973: Out of professional football
- 1974–1986: Main tenure with Washington Redskins
- 1986: Brief stint with Cleveland Browns and retirement
Playing style and legacy
Moseley was regarded for steady, reliable kicking over a long career. He was part of an era of kickers who used a more traditional, straight-ahead kicking style rather than the soccer-style approach that later became dominant. His longevity and consistency made him a valuable special-teams performer and a frequent scoring contributor for his teams. Beyond routine field goals and extra points, his presence provided stability in close games and in periods when kicking conditions were challenging.
Honors and notable distinctions
Mark Moseley’s most prominent individual honor is the 1982 NFL Most Valuable Player award. That season, shortened by labor action, elevated his contribution to national notice and made him the only player whose primary role was on special teams to win the league MVP. He is also one of a very small number of players to receive the award despite not being a member of the offensive skill positions typically associated with MVP recognition.
His career is often noted in discussions about the evolution of kicking in professional football, roster construction, and the occasional rarity of specialists earning league-wide accolades. For readers seeking more context on placekicking techniques, rule changes, or team histories that intersect with Moseley’s career, consult general resources on kicking and NFL history via these references: career overview, historical league pages at the NFL, team histories for Philadelphia and Washington, and institutional pages for his colleges at Texas A&M and Stephen F. Austin, along with local biographical sources about his hometown and retrospective profiles including franchise archives like Cleveland.
While statistical specifics and game-by-game details are best verified through dedicated sports-reference compilations and team archives, Moseley’s career remains a clear example of how specialists can shape outcomes and receive rare recognition in a league that most often lauds offensive stars. His tenure with the Redskins and his unique MVP distinction ensure he is remembered in discussions of kicking history and NFL award lore.