The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that kicker Connor Barth suffered a torn Achilles tendon on July 12 in his hometown of Wilmington, N.C. Barth will be placed on the Non-Football Injury list and miss the 2013 season after undergoing successful surgery on Monday.
The team also announced that it has signed nine-year veteran kicker Lawrence Tynes to a one-year deal.
Tynes, a Pro Bowl first alternate last season, joins the Buccaneers from the New York Giants, where he played the last six seasons and was instrumental in the team winning two Super Bowls. In his Giants career, Tynes has played in 81 games and converted 122-of-146 field goals attempts (83.6 percent). In 2012, Tynes’ 145 points ranked second in the NFL, while his 33 field goals made tied for the second-most in the league. Both were career highs.
“We are disappointed to lose a productive player like Connor, but are very fortunate to be able to sign an experienced kicker at this time of year,” Buccaneers General Manager Mark Dominik said. “Lawrence and his agent, Ken Harris, had other standing opportunities, but we are pleased that they thought this was the right place for Lawrence to continue his career.”
Tynes saw his first NFL regular season action in 2004 with Kansas City. After three seasons with the Chiefs, he moved on to New York, where he helped propel the Giants to a Super Bowl title in his first season with team in 2007. That year, Tynes connected on 23-of-27 field goals (85.2 percent), including 8-of-8 from beyond 40 yards. In that season’s NFC Championship Game, played in sub-zero temperatures at Green Bay, Tynes nailed a 47-yard field goal in overtime to give the Giants a 23-20 victory. It was the longest playoff field goal in Lambeau Field history.
In the 2011 postseason, Tynes once again kicked an NFC Championship Game-winning field goal in overtime, as he gave New York a 20-17 victory at San Francisco. In doing so, Tynes became the only player in NFL history to record two postseason game-winning field goals in overtime.
Two weeks later, the Giants would defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl for the second time in five seasons (2007, 2012). In the Giants’ two victories, which were decided by a combined seven points, Tynes was perfect on three field goal attempts and three extra points.
Tynes is the NFL’s first Scottish-born player (Greenock, Scotland), but moved to Milton, Fla., at the age of 10. He attended Troy University, where he graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
