Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey has continued to make the term “impressive” seem like it’s selling him short.
Aubrey is now 30-of-30 in field goal attempts this season — the first player to ever do so in NFL history. This makes him the first kicker in NFL history to make two field goals of 59 yards or longer in the same game after making 45, 50, 59, and 60-yard field goals during their victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
HC Mike McCarthy’s decision to allow Aubrey to attempt the long field goals shows his faith in the kicker overall. After the game, the kicker acknowledged that the coaches are why he is getting opportunities to attempt long field goals multiple times in a game, which is usually unheard of.
How the Dallas Cowboys Had Their Eye on Brandon Aubrey All Along
“Having the opportunity to do that, I’m sure not a lot of guys have the coaches that are willing to give them those opportunities. So just being able to convert those opportunities and keep them coming feels good,” said Aubrey.
But the road to becoming “Butter Aubrey” didn’t start on Sunday night.
The Cowboys’ kicker saga goes back to his time in the USFL when Dallas special teams coordinator John Fassel was the only coach in the NFL who inquired with the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions about Aubrey.
The coordinator said he had eyes on Aubrey around the 2023 NFL Draft and watched all of the games he had played on film up until that point of the season.
Fassel then went to Birmingham — without telling the kicker — to watch him in action and catch up with him after the game. He told him to stay healthy for the rest of the USFL season and potentially a long NFL season ahead, as well.
But it didn’t end there. Fassel kept in touch with Aubrey and would watch his games, texting him to “Keep it up.” After the USFL season ended, Fassel and the scouting department wanted to see more of Aubrey.
“We just decided we don’t want him to go anywhere else potentially and try out, so let’s just sign him, and we just did,” said Fassel.
At that point, the Cowboys chose not to select a kicker in the 2023 NFL Draft, which was expected in the later rounds since Jerry Jones made it clear that he wanted a younger kicker.
Fassel says he felt no disappointment when the team didn’t draft a kicker because they knew what it would have cost to get one higher in the draft.
But it turned out that fate was working in the Cowboys’ favor because Aubrey’s name came back up at that point because he stood out more than other guys.
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When training camp rolled around in June, Aubrey was added to the roster and leveled up the kicker competition. At that point, Fassel said he didn’t feel pressure to find “the guy” for the kicker position, despite the circumstances.
“Sometimes being patient was the right answer instead of jumping and singing somebody… I think being patient was a good answer for us, even though it was hard,” said Fassel.
Coaches’ First Impression of Aubrey
Both Fassel and McCarthy had similar first impressions of the former soccer player. McCarthy said Aubrey’s ability to strike a ball stood out to him in his first impression. Meanwhile, Fassel says Aubrey’s natural swing makes his skill set unique.
Fassel also says Aubrey’s soccer background and not being over-coached in the past to be a football kicker helps him free-swing in his mechanics.
The special teams coordinator doesn’t plan on changing this in Aubrey’s career, either, adding, “I’m very aware not to mess with his approach and his swing, and I don’t think you’ll ever hear me or see me go down that road.”
How Far Can Aubrey Kick?
Aubrey’s calm and steady mindset hasn’t wavered this season at all, and both coaches have acknowledged it since training camp.
“I haven’t ever felt him stressed in a big moment or overwhelmed by how we’re doing. I think he’s got a lot of great attributes to be a potentially a great kicker,” said Fassel.
In fact, after the game, Aubrey said he felt like he could make a 70-yard field goal, if needed.
When Fassel was asked if he would be nervous for a 70-yard field goal attempt, he said, “I wouldn’t be nervous at all.”
This could be another secret weapon the Cowboys can keep for situational circumstances if they are in a pinch to score for the win.
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