San Jose, California
Record-Breaking Kicker
Jason Myers, the kicker for the Seattle Seahawks, holds the record for the most points scored in a single season without a touchdown as well as the highest field goal percentage, a remarkable 100%.
Offseason Practices
During the offseason, he hones his skills by attempting to hit the bright yellow goalpost from a distance of 50 yards. Myers mentioned to CNN Sports that he usually manages to score a few, but when the game is on the line, he hopes for a perfect execution.
Another Kicker’s Perspective
Andy Borregales, a rookie kicker for the New England Patriots, also practices hitting the uprights before games and estimates that he makes contact about one-third of the time. Interestingly, he has made contact unintentionally during live games.
Current NFL Rules
Under NFL rules, a ball that bounces off the uprights scores no points, which can dramatically influence the game’s outcome. A tiny miss can be as frustrating as if a player were to kick a football that is snatched away at the last second—resulting in zero points.
Hypothetical Rule Change
What if hitting the uprights was valued more than just an ordinary miss? The idea of granting extra points for successful uprights was met with intrigue by kickers and special teams coordinators. Myers and others reflected on how such a change could alter the dynamics of kickoffs significantly.
The Game’s Evolution
In this evolving landscape, NFL kickers are improving continuously, leading to debates among fans about the reduced excitement during games. Special teams coordinators discussed the implications of such a revised scoring system, which could potentially create more thrilling gameplay by encouraging kickers to take risky shots that could either fail or succeed spectacularly.
Conclusion and Future Considerations
While kickers expressed caution about attempting this new strategy based on game flow, many acknowledged that a rule change could lead to teams focusing more on precision kicking. This focus could yield a new breed of kickers who are not just powerful but also highly accurate specialists.
