Green Bay Packers fans worldwide no doubt heard the news this week that longtime Packers placekicker Mason Crosby, a fan favorite for pretty much his entire 16 years in green and gold, announced his official retirement from the NFL. 

He finished his incredible run as a Super Bowl Champion with the 2010 team and also cemented himself as the all-time leading scorer for the franchise with an almost unbelievable 1,918 points. 

For reference, the Packers’ second leading scorer is fellow placekicker Chris Jacke with 1,054 points. (Packers legend Don Hutson sits at No. 3 with 825, which is pretty freaking impressive for a wide receiver who played in a time when seasons were short and running the ball was king.)

The Lubbock, Texas-born Crosby was a sixth-round pick by the Packers in 2007, meaning he played with both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers during his lengthy career. He fought through a down 2012 season, in which he hit only 63.6% of his field goal tries – lowest in the league. 

But the Packers stuck with him, and that loyalty paid dividends for years to come. In fact, following that rough 2012, Crosby became an absolute game-winning field goal machine. A sure-bet Packers Hall of Famer in four years when he’s eligible, “Money Mason” also finished his career as the 11th-highest scorer in NFL history. Now, that’s a resume.

Today, let’s celebrate Crosby’s amazing career in Green Bay with a look back at his five most memorable game-winning field goals, in no particular order. Mason, thank you for the memories.

You Never Forget Your First

Packers 16, Eagles 13 – Sept. 9, 2007: Crosby's first game as a pro offered him his first shot at making a game-winning field goal, and the former Colorado Buffalo nailed his debut with two seconds left on the clock. The rookie hit three field goals in that debut game, including a 56-yarder, before curling the game-winner just inside the left upright for the victory.

"I kind of got thrown into the fire in the first test," Crosby told the media after the game. "But that's kind of how I like it. It's exciting."

"He'd better make 'em all, now," Favre quipped.

Moving On

Packers 34, Cowboys 31 – Jan. 15, 2017: Crosby actually made this kick TWICE to send Packers to the NFC Championship game, and he did so following a can-I-even-believe-my-eyes sideline pass from Rodgers to Jared Cook to set it up. Lining up at the 34-yard line, long snapper Brett Goode snapped the ball, and Crosby hit it perfectly, splitting the uprights. The problem was, Dallas Head Coach Jason Garrett had called time out about half a second before the kick, so the Packers had to line it up and try again. On the second try, Crosby’s kick squeezed left, but made it just inside the upright. Crosby was mobbed on the field as FOX announcer Joe Buck screamed, “It is GOOD! The Packers are moving on!”

What a moment.

Late Night with Mason Crosby

Packers 30, 49ers 28 – Sept. 26, 2021: In Week 3 of the 2021 season, the Packers traveled west to do battle with the San Francisco 49ers, and the end result was an improbable, last-minute comeback, capped by a dramatic Crosby walk-off from 51 yards out. The kick came with :03 on the clock following two ridiculous throws from Rodgers to Davante Adams in the middle of the field to get the team in range. After clocking the ball to set up the field goal attempt, Rodgers emphatically punched the air – and Packers fans everywhere knew the Packers were about to win. And win they did, as Crosby’s kick left no doubt as time expired.

After the officials signaled the kick was successful, well after midnight on a Sunday, Packers announcer Wayne Larivee exclaimed, “A late night dagger in the Bay Area! Mason Crosby delivers! Oh what a moment! I’m telling you, folks, there’s nobody better in the clutch.”

Comeback Thriller

Packers 23, Lions 20 – Dec, 19, 2019: In a game in which the Packers trailed 17-3 at halftime, in the regular season’s final week, Crosby went three-for-four and kicked a 33-yard game-winning field goal to help the Packers secure a first-round playoff bye. But it wasn’t easy. The team came out flat on both sides of the ball before rallying in the second half against a suddenly toothless Lions team. With time winding down, Crosby’s winning field goal was set up thanks to a 31-yard pass from Rodgers to Aaron Jones. 

Interestingly, it was a redemption game for Crosby, adding to the drama – the veteran kicker had missed five kicks in a 31-23 loss at Ford Field the season before and was now dealing with a family death and his wife’s cancer diagnosis.

“Just so thankful,” Crosby told the media after the win. “I have so much to be thankful for. My heart’s been heavy this year. Every time I step on the field, I’m carrying a lot with me. So just give praise to where it belongs. My faith has gotten me through so much this past year and so, yeah, it just means so much.”

This was also the game when Crosby executed his first and only Lambeau Leap – on the road, no less – at the urging of his teammates. Unforgettable.

Another Cowboy Killer

Packers 31, Cowboys 28 – Nov. 13, 2022: Another one against the Cowboys, and this one happened on a day when Rudy Ford had two interceptions and rookie wide receiver Christian Watson had his coming-out party, scoring three touchdowns in a thrilling overtime win. It also happened on a day when former Head Coach Mike McCarthy returned to Lambeau Field for the first time. After a furious fourth-quarter comeback by the home team, which trailed 28-14 after three periods, the Cowboys failed to get three yards on fourth down, giving the Packers the ball and a chance. A slant to Allen Lazard put the ball in the red zone, and the gun sounded with 3:08 left in the extra period as Crosby’s 28-yarder split the uprights. Sorry, Mike.

BONUS: Never in Doubt(?)

Packers 25, Bengals 22 – Oct. 10, 2021: In one of the stranger Packers games in recent memory, Crosby went 4 for 7, scoring 13 total points, before kicking the 49-yard game-winner in overtime. It was a day of way too many misses for both kickers in a stiff wind coming off the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati. For his part, Bengals kicker Evan McPherson went 0-for-2, including a miss in the 4th quarter and one in overtime that would have been the walk-off. In this contest, the Bengals rallied from a 19-14 deficit in the fourth, with regulation ending at 22-22. Crosby missed a kick just before the two-minute warning and a potential game-winner as time in regulation expired, but both kicks finished wide of the mark. Following McPherson’s missed 49-yarder in the extra period, the Packers drove into Cincinnati territory, and Crosby came through with the 50-yard game-winner.

“I just wanted so badly to come through there,” Crosby said after the game. “I had a couple go bad there, and I’m just happy to hit that last one. There was a little bit of relief.”

Want to watch a compilation of Money Mason’s game-winners? Our friends at Underage Packers have something for you: