Cincinnati, OH – The Cincinnati Bengals have re-signed kicker Mike Nugent.
Nugent, an Ohio native who was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday, has been with the Bengals for the past three seasons although questions arose over his future in Cincinnati when he missed the last five games of the 2012 season, including the Bengals' wild card playoff loss at Houston, with an injured right calf.
Josh Brown filled in admirably during the Bengals' playoff run, making 11- of-12 field goals, but Cincinnati made the commitment to Nugent, a 10-year veteran who starred in college at Ohio State and set Bengals franchise records for points (132) and field goals (33) during the 2011 campaign.
"It's great to be able to come back to a place where you love going to work every day," Nugent told the Bengals' website. "That obviously means a lot and I really think we've got a good thing going with the specialists. We've been together a long time and that not only helps us, but it helps the team."
Overall, Nugent has made 83.8 percent of his field goals as a Bengal, the second-best career percentage in club history, and his 55-yard field goal on Nov. 25, 2012 against Oakland matched a team record. Last season he made 19- of-23 field goals and amassed 92 total points before going down with the calf injury.
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