In his time, Knute Rockne became the most well-connected man in the world of football. His office in the Main Building under the Golden Dome at Notre Dame served as the de facto “employment agency” for athletics across the nation. High schools, prep schools, colleges and universities were constantly asking him to recommend someone to be their next coach and athletic director.

And it wasn’t always a former Notre Dame player that Rock would direct to the job. He had developed relationships with literally hundreds of young coaches across the country, through his summer coaching schools. He’d pick a couple of candidates he felt were right for the job, and counsel them on how they might present themselves, even down to salary requests.

Today, John Carney plays a similar role for specialists—kickers, punters, and long snappers—looking for a college scholarship or pro football opportunity. The relationships formed during an illustrious 23-year NFL career, and the skills that made him currently the fifth leading scorer in NFL history, are vital to his work as a teacher and coach for the rising generation of specialists. College recruiters and NFL personnel managers have come to rely on John’s expertise in guiding and directing young specialists.

“I met John for the first time during my rookie year in the NFL,” says Younghoe Koo, the Atlanta Falcons kicker who has an 88.9% NFL field goal percentage. “His willingness to share his knowledge, experience, and time built the foundation for my career as an NFL kicker. He continues to be a mentor for me and many others on and off the field. I’m forever grateful for the time he spent with me to help me become the kicker and the person I am today.” 

John’s insight and passion have been instrumental in opening doors for specialists to compete at the highest levels of high school, college and professional football. He is a trainer for athletes becoming the best version of themselves. He opened Carney Training Facility in Carlsbad, Calif., for everyone from football players to everyday people wanting better health to be stronger, more flexible, more agile, more fit, and more whole.

Carney has come by his kicking bona fides through hard work and determination.

At Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, Fla., he earned All-State honors as a punter. John came to Notre Dame in 1983 as a preferred walk-on, earned a scholarship and became the regular kicker for the Irish in 1984-86. He connected on 51 of 69 field goal attempts and added 70 extra points for a total of 223 points before graduating in 1987.

His NFL career spanned parts of four decades, a feat he shares only with George Blanda. Kicking for the New Orleans Saints in 2010 at age 46, he became the third oldest player to take part in an NFL game. He is the fifth-leading scorer in the history of the league with 2,062 points.

Carney, who spent 1990-2000 with the then San Diego Chargers, finished his pro career with 478 field goals on 580 attempts, for an 82.4% conversion rate, and a career long of 54 yards. He added 628 extra points on 638 attempts. He was an All-Pro selection in 1994, when he led the NFL with 135 points, and again in 2008. He was chosen as the NFC’s starting kicker for the 2009 Pro Bowl. Carney was part of the Saints’ Super Bowl champions following the 2009 season.

John shares the NFL record for most games with six or more field goals, achieving the feat twice in his career. He’s the sole holder of records for: 

• Most games with 6 or more field goals in a season, doing it twice in 1993
• Most games with 5 or more field goals in a career (11)
• Most games with 4 or more field goals in a career (29)

He’s been named to the San Diego Chargers 50th anniversary all-time team, and Sports Illustrated’s All-Time Notre Dame Team, and has been inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame and the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. He is a five-time honoree as the Los Angeles Chargers’ NFL Man of the Year.

John is an inventor. His creative mind is always stimulated by questions such as, “What if I could help golfers keep their head down through the swing?” or “What if football teams could have goal posts no matter where they practice?”

John is an active Catholic. He lives as he believes: God first, then family, then everything else. He not only shares his faith with his wife Holly and children Luke, J.D., and Keely, but with the local church, through ministries that are important to him and the various parishes he calls spiritual home. As a businessman, he treats everyone that he encounters by recognizing their God-given dignity.