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Get to know: Packers kicker Mason Crosby

Mason Crosby says he's passed a few hours playing rounds at Pebble Beach thanks to the golf simulator inside Lambeau Field.

Mike De Sisti


Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby scored 649 points from 2006-'11, more than any player in NFL history in his first five seasons (surpassing Washington kicker Chip Lohmiller, who scored 625 from 1988-'92). Born in Lubbock, Texas, Crosby is one of the most active Packers in charitable causes both here and in Texas. In his sixth season, he is 8 of 9 on field goals of 49 yards or shorter.

Did you watch the presidential debates? "Yeah, it is obviously a big election. I think a lot of people are looking at those. But I've always been a little more conservative, more of a Republican, so I will probably vote for Romney."

What issues were you paying attention to the most to in the debates? Afghanistan, the rising costs of college education, jobs, immigration issues - especially being from Texas? "Education is a big thing. From the elementary level through high school, the government should have a big involvement on that, to make sure the education is there for our kids to move on to college. They need that path. And then in one of the debates, they touched on immigration a little bit. It did seem a little like the answers were stale on that issue, and they jumped around a bit. There is a need for reform on this issue. That's a big thing because a lot of people do a lot to be citizens of our country. Our country was founded on immigrants. We've just got to make sure we do it the right way, in that our rights are protected as citizens and that is a job for the government, to protect the rights of the rest of us."

You are known for your mental toughness. Coach Mike McCarthy mentions that quite a bit. What are you thinking about or concentrating on when you know you have to kick? When you're on the sideline warming up, you probably see a TV camera close in on you. "I like the noise. Once I get out on the field before the game I try to take everything in, listen to it, and just embrace those moments. I really try to find some calm within all of it. As soon as the moment comes, I have to go on to the field and execute."

What's the best-kept secret in this building for you? "We have a golf simulator down by our gymnasium that actually had two racquetball courts down there. I guess Ryan Longwell and Brett Favre had one of the courts converted into a golf simulator. That's awesome in the spring because I stay up here most of the time year round. I'm able to get my swing right, and winter, bad weather here isn't the end of the world."

How does it look? What's the software for that? "It's tall, it's a full golf simulator. It's not just driving. There's a mat, you can hit irons. You can actually play a round. I will go play Pebble Beach, or 30, 40 other courses. It's called True Golf. Yeah, I've passed a few hours in there. I have my little routine. I'd come here with Tim Masthay, who is also here for most of the off-season, and we'd lift and then after our workout we'd always go in there and hit. Play a round. You can play 18 in like half an hour because obviously you don't have to walk to the ball. The screen just jumps to the ball, it's like a video game."

If I were to go to your hometown of Georgetown, Texas, what's something I would have to see or check out? "You'd have to go to the high school and see our stadium. It's pretty cool, being from Texas and playing high school football down there, they just built a stadium that holds 11,000 people. It has the big-screen Jumbotrons. And that's just for one school. And another cool thing is the old stadium, the one I used to play in, it's still there. And that's where they filmed "Varsity Blues." Texas high school football is pretty cool. In my school's division, a couple of schools shared a stadium - but I think we had three stadiums with the big screens. It's impressive down there."

What family-only ritual do you have that you look forward to? "My son Nolan just turned 2 years old. During the off-season we have a Friday pizza night. Fridays are kind of our splurge day. We usually eat pretty healthy; my wife Molly's cooking is healthy. My little guy probably eats healthier than I do - all he likes is fruits and vegetables. But on Friday we'd go get pizza and usually go get ice cream. We're in the Howard-Suamico area and the new place is Rustique Pizzeria. It's out near Chives. It's good. They have the stone, brick oven and they make the dough right there and flip the pizza in the air. It's kind of fun."

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