Is Brandon Aubrey the Goat Kicker?
During the Dallas Cowboys’ most recent win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, kicker Brandon Aubrey went four for four on his kicks; three of them were from 50+ yards, having two kicks of 58 yards. This performance put him past Houston Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn for most kicks past 50-plus yards this season at 14 and gave him the NFL record for most kicks past 50-plus in NFL history. He is now the only kicker in NFL history with consecutive back-to-back seasons with 10 or more kicks from 50-plus. Aubrey, for the season, is now 36 for 42 on his kicks, with the longest being a 65-yarder against Baltimore. All-time, Aubrey is 72 for 80, which comes out to 90 percent.
Ever since the Cowboys let go of kicker Dan Bailey, the kicking position has been a recurring issue. Brett Maher, Greg Zuerlein, and Kai Forbath are some of the names who tried to be the long-term kicker for Dallas. Entering last season, it was another year where Dallas was looking for a kicker; their choice happened to be Aubrey, who had a successful stint in the XFL. The former Notre Dame soccer star missed his first extra-point attempt against the Giants; however, after this kick, he would go on a historic run.
Aubrey started his rookie season making his first 19 kicks, breaking the record for most consecutive kicks to start a season in NFL history, which was 18. He broke numerous Cowboys records, having the most kicks made in a season, the most field goals without a miss, and the most field goals of 50-plus yards in a season. The stats backed up Aubrey’s play, but what was most impressive was the difficulty of the kicks he was making. With Aubrey in Dallas, whenever the Cowboys are past the 50, they are in his range; he is 24 for 26 from 50-plus yards and four for five from 60-plus yards, with his only miss from 60-plus being a 70-yard attempt against Carolina. Aubrey, in a preseason game, tied the record for the longest kick of 66 yards against the Raiders and had another attempt at 66 during the Cowboys’ Week One game against the Browns, which was good but called back due to a delay of game. Later in the season, Aubrey drilled a 65-yarder in a loss to the Ravens, which is his longest thus far. Due to his performances, Aubrey has now become a serious weapon for Dallas, making himself a household name around the NFL. With his accuracy, range, and the confidence that has been instilled in him, he has the tools to become the greatest kicker the NFL has ever seen.
