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          NFL Nation

          Will NFL's all-time leading scorer, Morten Andersen, finally get Hall call?

          Morten Andersen played in more games (382) and scored more points (2,544) than any player in NFL history. Focus on Sport/Getty Images
          • Mike Triplett, ESPN Staff WriterFeb 5, 2016, 07:00 AM ET
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            • Covered Saints for eight years at New Orleans Times-Picayune
            • Previously covered LSU football, San Francisco 49ers
            • Iowa native and University of Iowa graduate
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          NEW ORLEANS -- Morten Andersen's résumé speaks for itself.

          But just in case you don't want to scan through the list of historic numbers he produced in his 25-year career as the NFL's all-time leading scorer, you can listen to current Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who sums up Andersen's Hall of Fame candidacy nicely:

          "When you're talking about winning games, the leading point scorer has gotta be included in that," Tucker said. "And Morten Andersen is one of the greatest closers in our game."

          I spoke with some of today's great kickers, like Tucker and Adam Vinatieri, for a story I'll post Saturday -- when we find out if Andersen finally gets into the Hall of Fame on his fourth try or whether he has to wait yet another year.

          Andersen, who spent most of his career with the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, is trying to become only the second true kicker elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining Jan Stenerud from the class of 1991. Andersen has been eligible since 2013, and he has been a finalist in each of the past two years. But he has yet to make the cut down to the final 10.

          Among the most impressive arguments for Andersen:

          • Not only is he the leading scorer in NFL history with 2,544 points, he has actually scored more than twice as many points as all-time touchdown leader Jerry Rice.

          • Andersen is the leading scorer in both Saints history and Falcons history. He began his career in New Orleans from 1982-94 and played in Atlanta from 1995-2000 and 2006-07. He also played for the New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings.

          • Andersen's 360-game scoring streak is the longest in NFL history by nearly 100 games.

          • He was a member of both the 1980s and 1990s all-decade teams, and was selected to seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams.

          • Andersen's biggest kick was the 38-yard overtime field goal in the 1998 season NFC Championship Game against the Vikings that sent Atlanta to Super Bowl XXXIII.

          The biggest knock against Andersen is probably his accuracy. He made 79.7 percent of his field goals, which is good but not elite. However, he was elite when it came to leg strength. Andersen set then-records for the most 50-yard field goals in a career (40) and a season (eight in 1995).