Toni Linhart
Anton Hans Jörg Linhart was an Austrian football player who later started a successful career in American football in the U.S..Career
Linhart was born in Donawitz, Austria. He played association football for Wiener Sportclub in the Austrian Bundesliga and also for the Austria national football team.
In 1972 he moved to the US and joined the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League as a placekicker. He spent most of his NFL career with the Baltimore Colts. Linhart was voted into the Pro Bowl twice, and was the NFL's leading scorer in 1976. Toni Linhart is one of only three Austrians who have played in the NFL, the other two being Ray Wersching and Toni Fritsch, also placekickers in the 1970s.
Linhart started the 1979 season with the Baltimore Colts, but was cut after playing 3 games. The New York Jets signed him before week 8 to fill in for the injured Pat Leahy. On November 11, 1979, the Jets lost to the Buffalo Bills 14-12 – the difference coming from two missed extra points by Linhart. The following week, Linhart missed an extra point and a field goal in a 23-13 Jets loss to the Chicago Bears. He never played in the NFL again after this.
On 12 May 2013, Toni Linhart died in Timonium, Maryland, aged 70.
