Redskins Cut Moseley, Only NFL Kicker Named MVP

The Washington Redskins on Monday cut 16-year veteran Mark Moseley, the only kicker to be named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, saying they lost faith in his abilities.

Moseley, 38, is the Redskins’ all-time leading scorer (1,206 points) and the NFL’s sixth leading scorer (1,351 points). He holds the NFL record for points scored in a season (161 in 1983) and consecutive field goals (23).

“They gave me a choice of whether I wanted to retire or be released and I choose to have them go ahead and release me because I felt that physically I can still do the job somewhere if someone needs the help,” Moseley said. “If I mention the word retirement, it might run somebody off. And I don’t want that because I would like to finish my career in a much better form than I did on Sunday.”

Moseley, a two-time all-pro, has converted 6 of his 12 field-goal attempts this season. He missed his last three (37 yards Sunday against Dallas in a 30-6 loss and 29 and 45 yards the previous last week in a 14-6 victory over New Orleans), five of his last six, and 14 of his last 27, dating to late last season. He also missed an extra point against Dallas (his second this season).

All of Moseley’s misses this season have come from inside 49 yards. Punter and kickoff man Steve Cox handled all attempts of 50 yards or more.

Moseley, a 14th-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1970 out of Stephen F. Austin College, had played one year with Philadelphia, two with the Houston Oilers and the last 13 with Washington.

He was named MVP in 1982, the season the Redskins won Super Bowl XVII. That year, he completed his record streak of 23 field goals and compiled the league’s best single-season field goal percentage (95.2%).

Monday, the Redskins signed free-agent kicker Max Zendejas to a multiyear contract. The Arizona product was a 1986 fourth-round pick of Dallas.