Speaking of field goal kickers there would never have been a Patriot dynasty without Adam Vinatieri.

In Brady's first playoff game, against the Oakland Raiders in 2001, they won on an Adam Vinatieri field goal. Vinatieri kicked a 45-yard field goal to tie the game 13–13 and send it into overtime. The Patriots won the game on another field goal of 23 yards by Vinatieri as time expired. (This was that controversial "tuck rule" game). Two years later the Patriots won another Super Bowl on an Adam Vinatieri field goal with 4 seconds left in the game.

Vinatieri led the NFL in scoring in 2004 with 141 points (31-for-33 on field goals, and a perfect 48-for-48 on points after touchdown or PATs).

Adam Vinatieri was perhaps a rare breed, often referred to as "Mr Clutch" or "Automatic Adam".

Some 49ers Field Goal Kickers:

Ray Wersching was probably the 49ers best or most famous kicker. In Super Bowl XVI, Wersching tied a Super Bowl record by kicking 4 field goals, and his team won 26-21. When he retired, Wersching held 49ers records for points, field goals and extra points. He was the twelfth player in NFL history to score 1,000 points in a career. Wersching had a unique kicking style. Upon crossing the out of bound line onto the field to kick a field goal or extra-point, he always looked down, never raising his head until after he kicked.

Mike Cofer played six years with the 49ers, kicking for the back-to-back Super Bowl champions in '88 and '89, making the Pro Bowl in the latter year. He is #3 with 128 made field goals, but only at a robust 67%, good for 99th in NFL history.

Joe Nedney was only been a 49er for 3 years, but is on the all-time list, he's currently 5th in field goals made with 72 and second in FG% behind only Jeff Wilkins (who was 42-47). This 4th spot was between Nedney and Wilkins and I think the higher number of field goals made and attempted pushed Nedney over the top. Nedney has made 87.8% of his field goals, 100% of his extra points and has been one of the few bright spots in otherwise disappointing 49ers teams.

Just some random and meandering thoughts on Field Goal Kickers.