Adam Vinatieri has said that modern-day NFL kickers are "just getting better".

The high success rate of extra point attempts recently led to league commissioner Roger Goodell suggesting that PATs could be abolished.

The Indianapolis Colts kicker told the team's official website: "Kickers are just getting better. Back in the day, 30 or 40 years ago when football wasn't a 12-month a year, guys are just getting stronger. They are just getting more focused in on being more accurate.

"Guys are doing a lot more in the weight room in terms of getting stronger. Percentages back in the 50s and 60s if you were 70% you were leading the league.

"Now, shoot, you got guys that don't miss any or maybe miss just one or two kicks all season. I think it's just a combination of a lot more snap, hold, kick work throughout the season to kind of fine tune."

Vinatieri, who has just completed his 18th season in the league, recently called for four points to be awarded for long-distance field goals.