NFL kickers who played soccer

[PromoTheRobot]

Nice article about the transition from football to football, with a focus on the Chiefs Harrison Butker.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/feb/05/its-a-huge-advantage-could-soccer-skills-help-decide-the-super-bowl?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

[ExiledInIllinois]

He also is known to cheat:

 

https://www.footballzebras.com/2023/01/officials-told-to-watch-for-illegal-foreign-objects-used-for-fg-and-xp-attempts/

 

 

[SoonerBillsFan]

Hummm...

[BuffaloBillyG]

Meanwhile, in Buffalo, Sean McDermott is scouring all kickers for one with a wrestling background.

[Freak-O]

For someone who grew up with soccer as most Europeans do, I just can’t understand  why there needs to be a kicker and a punter and not just one guy doing both. 

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Freak-O said:

For someone who grew up with soccer as most Europeans do, I just can’t understand  why there needs to be a kicker and a punter and not just one guy doing both. 

Each is too specialized.

[strive_for_five_guy]

2 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Meanwhile, in Buffalo, Sean McDermott is scouring all kickers for one with a wrestling background.

Can Christian Wade kick?

[paulmm3]

Bass is going nowhere despite his poor 2023-24 season thanks to his unfortunate contract.

[ExiledInIllinois]

2 hours ago, Freak-O said:

For someone who grew up with soccer as most Europeans do, I just can’t understand  why there needs to be a kicker and a punter and not just one guy doing both. 

Because one holds the ball on FGs.

 

😆 

5 minutes ago, paulmm3 said:

Bass is going nowhere despite his poor 2023-24 season thanks to his unfortunate contract.

Nice! He'll bounce back!

 

[CowgirlsFan]

Brandon Aubrey PK Dallas Cowboys 

[Freak-O]

10 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Each is too specialized.

To a soccer player this just sounds silly. Every soccer player can aim a kick as well as kick a ball a certain distance. 

[boater]

9 hours ago, paulmm3 said:

Bass is going nowhere despite his poor 2023-24 season thanks to his unfortunate contract.

I have an idea where Bass can go.... to a top flight Sports Psychologist.

[PromoTheRobot]

32 minutes ago, Freak-O said:

To a soccer player this just sounds silly. Every soccer player can aim a kick as well as kick a ball a certain distance. 

 

Read the article. The difference is kickers and punters need to do things perfect on demand with a ton of pressure on them. Few can.

[BritBill]

35 minutes ago, Freak-O said:

To a soccer player this just sounds silly. Every soccer player can aim a kick as well as kick a ball a certain distance. 

 

Some soccer players can do it way more accurately and further than others. Hence you have players who are great at set piece deliveries and shots at goal than others. 

 

I'd like to think goalkeepers would make decent punters and place kickers as they've honed the technique better over a longer period of years. 

Edited February 6 by BritBill

[The Jokeman]

12 hours ago, Freak-O said:

For someone who grew up with soccer as most Europeans do, I just can’t understand  why there needs to be a kicker and a punter and not just one guy doing both. 

If it's one guy and that one guy gets hurt you could be in serious trouble in a game. Toss in there might be something that NFL and NFLPA worked out to delegate it to two guys to allow more guys be employed. 

[Maybe Someday]

14 hours ago, Freak-O said:

For someone who grew up with soccer as most Europeans do, I just can’t understand  why there needs to be a kicker and a punter and not just one guy doing both. 

 

IIRC the Falcons tried having 1 guy do both a few years back and it did not go well. I'll try to find to guys name. 

 

*Edit*

His name was Michael Koenen and it was the 2006 season. Coming out of preseason he was to handle all kicking duties. After going 2-8 on FGs, they signed an actual kicker. I don't recall anyone trying to have 1 guy do both since.

Edited February 6 by Maybe Someday

[Nextmanup]

On this topic, I graduated from a WNY high school in 1989.  At that time, we had a well respected kicker on the football team, who ultimately got a full scholarship to go to Maryland and kick.  Don't really know what happened to him.

 

At that time, I had several good friends on the same high school soccer team.  They were all laughing at the "success" of the football kicker, as they were like "half our team can out kick that guy."

 

One of my good friends went on to play at Lasalle on a full soccer scholarship; I played soccer with him many times.  He was like 6'3" in high school and had immense legs; he was mocking the football team kicker.

 

So one day we go out to a football field with goal posts and my buddy asks me to hold a Wilson NFL caliber football for him....on grass.  

I was consistently making 30 yarders, with no one blocking in front of me of course!  

 

My buddy was nailing 55 yarders....just goofing around with no real guidance on how to do it or anything.  

 

I remember when Steve Christie came to the Bills....he was an ex-soccer guy and I assumed the NFL would become 100% purely soccer kickers way back then..but I guess it didn't.

 

The NFL is incredibly slow to advance and move forward.

In another 10 years or so, almost all the coaches are going to be the "young whiz kid" and "meathead traditional football guys" will be out of the sport.  At least I hope so.

 

 

[K D]

If you have a kid who plays soccer...teach him to kick a football. If you have a big kid, teach him to long snap. Every college and NFL team needs these guys. Their chances of going far in other sports is much much much less