Brandon Aubrey Adds Trick Play Heroics to His Already Impressive Season
Every week, Brandon Aubrey keeps giving Cowboys fans more reasons to believe he’s not just the most reliable kicker in the NFL right now-he might be one of the most versatile. We already know the leg is elite.
Whether it's a chip shot or a 60-yarder, Aubrey’s been automatic, giving Dallas a level of consistency at the position that most teams would kill for. But just when you thought you’d seen it all from the former soccer pro turned kicking machine, he pulled off something that left even the most seasoned fans doing a double take.
On the Cowboys’ opening drive against the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas lined up for what looked like a routine 47-yard field goal. Business as usual, right?
Not quite. Instead of launching the kick, punter Bryan Anger-serving as the holder-flipped the ball to Aubrey, who took off running.
That’s right: the kicker ran a fake. And not only did he run it, he converted it.
Six yards later, Aubrey had a first down, and the Cowboys' drive stayed alive.
It wasn’t just a fun wrinkle in the playbook-it was a tone-setting moment. That fake field goal helped set up a goal-line touchdown by Javonte Williams, giving Dallas an early 7-0 lead and injecting some early juice into the offense.
Now, here’s where it gets even more interesting: that six-yard scamper wasn’t just a rare sight-it was historic. According to the Cowboys’ own PR team, this was the first time Dallas had successfully run a fake field goal since 2001.
That’s right, it’s been over two decades since the Cowboys pulled off a fake from the kicking unit. The last time they even attempted one?
December 23, 2001, when punter Micah Knorr tried a pass against the Cardinals. That one fell incomplete.
This one? Nailed it.
But Aubrey didn’t just break a team drought-he made league-wide history, too. With that six-yard dash, Aubrey now holds the most rushing yards by a kicker in a single season since 2016, when Brandon McManus of the Broncos also had a six-yard run. It’s not a stat you expect to hear about a kicker, but it’s just another feather in the cap for a player who continues to surprise.
Week in and week out, Aubrey has been one of the most dependable players on the Cowboys roster. But now, he’s shown he’s got a little trickster in him too.
And while no one’s expecting him to suddenly become the next Taysom Hill, it’s clear the coaching staff trusts him enough to let him do more than just kick. That says a lot.
So the next time Dallas trots out the field goal unit, don’t blink. With Brandon Aubrey, you never know what’s coming-and that’s a good thing.