The Dallas Cowboys entered their 2023 training camp without much confidence in their kicking game. After a few years of juggling placekickers, it felt like they had found something the year prior. Brett Maher had been tremendous right up until the final games of the season when he caught the yips and couldn’t find anything.
The club took a flyer on a young AFL kicker named Brandon Aubrey, and all he did was make the Pro Bowl and earn All-Pro honoes. It was an amazing rookie season that would’ve resulted in Rookie of the Year if kickers counted on offense or defense. He’s clearly looking to establish himself as the best kicker in the game in 2024.
After nailing a 66-yarder in the preseason, a distance that’s the NFL record in games that count, Aubrey was ready for the opportunity at the end of the first half. With Dallas dominating Cleveland, 20-3, Aubrey was sent out with four seconds remaining to try a 66-yard attempt.
He nailed it, with plenty to spare but a delay of game penalty nullified it.
Head coach Mike McCarthy was irate, complaining that the play clock hadn’t properly been reset.
And then McCarthy sent the field goal unit back onto the field for a record-setting 71-yard attempt. Dallas lined up but at the last second the Browns called a timeout and the head coach changed his mind during the break.