# Don Bitterlich > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Don_Bitterlich > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Don_Bitterlich.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Bitterlich > Source revision: 1356622053 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Donald Bitterlich** (born January 5, 1954) is an American former professional [football](/source/American_football) player who was a [placekicker](/source/Placekicker) for the [Seattle Seahawks](/source/Seattle_Seahawks) of the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL). He played [college football](/source/College_football) for the [Temple Owls](/source/Temple_Owls_football). Bitterlich kicked the first [field goal](/source/Field_goal) in the expansion Seahawks history, also the first points ever scored by a Seahawks player. ## College career A graduate of [William Tennent High School](/source/William_Tennent_High_School),[1] Bitterlich was scouted by [Temple Owls football](/source/Temple_Owls_football) head coach [Wayne Hardin](/source/Wayne_Hardin) during his junior year. During his first tryout with the team, Bitterlich left early as he was scheduled to play accordion in a musical performance at Vitale's Restaurant in [Bustleton, Philadelphia](/source/Bustleton,_Philadelphia).[2] He attended the school with a soccer scholarship, and wanted to major in music, but as athletes were prohibited from doing so, he majored in civil engineering. With the Owls, Bitterlich set six NCAA records.[3] In 1974, Bitterlich was second in the nation for points scored on kicks.[4] The next year, Bitterlich set the record for the longest field goal in Temple history, with a 56-yard field goal.[5] During the year, against [Drake](/source/Drake_Bulldogs_football), he also broke the NCAA record for the most consecutive conversions with 82, along with tying the NCAA record of for total kicking points with 84.[6] He was inducted into the [Temple Sports Hall of Fame](/source/Temple_Sports_Hall_of_Fame) in 2007.[3] ## Professional career Bitterlich was selected with in the third round of the [1976 NFL draft](/source/1976_NFL_draft) by the Seahawks with the 92nd overall pick, the final selection of the round.[7] In the team's first game against the [St. Louis Cardinals](/source/St._Louis_Cardinals_(NFL)), Bitterlich scored the first points in Seahawks history with a 27-yard field goal.[8] However, he would miss three kicks later in the season against the [San Francisco 49ers](/source/San_Francisco_49ers),[9] and was released after three games.[3] After being released by the Seahawks, Bitterlich tried out with the [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles) and two other teams, but was not signed.[3] ## Personal life Bitterlich has a German ancestry.[1] Bitterlich is currently a project manager for the [Daniel J. Keating Company](/source/Daniel_J._Keating_Company).[3] Bitterlich is also an accordionist, an instrument he had been playing since he was 7.[2] A Christian, Bitterlich was a [Sunday school](/source/Sunday_school) teacher for 27 years.[3] He and his wife, Ellen,[2] have two daughters: Lisa, a [Fellowship of Christian Athletes](/source/Fellowship_of_Christian_Athletes) missionary, and Elizabeth, a [J.Crew](/source/J.Crew) Boston store manager.[3] ## References 1. ["Bitterlich Kicks His Way Into Record Books"](http://www.suburbanonesports.com/alumni/content/bitterlich-kicks-his-way-record-books). *Suburban One Sports*. June 13, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 1. Fleischman, Bill (October 5, 1995). ["Owls Football Accordion To Ex-kicker Bitterlich"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140911143421/http://articles.philly.com/1995-10-05/sports/25695218_1_accordion-owls-temple). [Philadelphia Media Network](/source/Philadelphia_Media_Network). Archived from [the original](http://articles.philly.com/1995-10-05/sports/25695218_1_accordion-owls-temple) on September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 1. ["Getting a Kick Out of Construction Project Management"](http://engineering.temple.edu/news/alumni-profile-don-bitterlich-ce-76). *[Temple University](/source/Temple_University)*. September 16, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 1. ["19Th Hole: The Readers Take Over"](https://www.si.com/vault/1975/11/10/618941/19th-hole-the-readers-take-over). *[Sports Illustrated](/source/Sports_Illustrated)*. November 10, 1975. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 1. Gelston, Dan (September 3, 2010). ["Temple beats Villanova 31-24 on late 43-yard FG"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140911091227/http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2010/09/03/temple_beats_villanova_31_24_on_late_43_yard_fg/). [Boston.com](/source/Boston.com). Archived from [the original](http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2010/09/03/temple_beats_villanova_31_24_on_late_43_yard_fg/) on September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 1. Wieskopf, Herman (December 1, 1975). ["Football's Week"](https://www.si.com/vault/1975/12/01/614406/footballs-week). *[Sports Illustrated](/source/Sports_Illustrated)*. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 1. ["1976 NFL Draft Pick List and Results – Round 3"](https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/rounds/_/round/3/year/1976). [ESPN](/source/ESPN). Retrieved September 10, 2014. 1. ["St. Louis Cardinals 30 at Seattle Seahawks 24"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197609120sea.htm). *[Pro-Football-Reference.com](/source/Pro-Football-Reference.com)*. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 1. ["San Francisco 49ers 37 at Seattle Seahawks 21"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197609260sea.htm). *[Pro-Football-Reference.com](/source/Pro-Football-Reference.com)*. Retrieved September 10, 2014. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Don Bitterlich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Bitterlich) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Bitterlich?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.