Kicking into History: Jason Myers, Brandon Aubrey, and the NFL’s Quiet Revolution
It’s easy to overlook kickers in a league dominated by quarterbacks, edge rushers, and highlight-reel touchdowns. But if the 2025 season and Super Bowl showed us anything, it’s that elite kicking is no longer just a luxury - it’s a weapon.
Just ask the Seahawks, who rode the steady right leg of Jason Myers all the way to a championship. Or look at the Cowboys, where Brandon Aubrey has quietly become one of the franchise’s most indispensable players.
Let’s start in Seattle, where Myers didn’t just contribute - he made history. In the Seahawks’ 29-13 Super Bowl win over the Patriots, Myers was the only sign of life on offense through the first half.
He drilled five field goals, a Super Bowl record, and racked up 17 points on his own. That performance pushed his season total to 206 points - the most ever scored by a single player in an NFL season, regular season and playoffs combined.
He’s the first player to break the 200-point barrier. That’s not just elite production - that’s all-time greatness.
And it wasn’t a fluke. Myers, now 11 years into his NFL career and seven seasons deep with Seattle, has been a model of consistency.
While newer names like Brandon Aubrey, Cam Little (Jacksonville), and Will Reichard (Minnesota) are making headlines with booming range and highlight kicks, Myers has quietly stayed in the top tier. He’s not just hanging around - he’s setting the bar.
Seattle’s special teams unit, anchored by Myers and punter Michael Dickson, was as complete as any in the league. And in a postseason run where every possession mattered, the Seahawks leaned on that third phase of the game - the one coaches preach about but fans often overlook. It paid off with a Lombardi Trophy.
Now, shift the spotlight to Dallas, where Brandon Aubrey has been rewriting expectations for what a kicker can be. The former soccer pro turned Second Team All-Pro finished third in field goals made this season, but tied for the league lead with 11 makes from 50-plus yards.
That’s not just impressive - that’s game-changing range. And he’s not just hitting from deep occasionally.
He’s hit six field goals from beyond 60 yards in his short NFL career - the most in league history.
But here’s the kicker (pun intended): Aubrey might’ve had an even bigger season if not for circumstances outside his control. Dallas’ defense struggled to keep games close, often forcing the offense to chase touchdowns instead of settling for field goals.
And head coach Brian Schottenheimer, perhaps a little too confident in Aubrey’s leg, pushed the limits with long attempts. Aubrey missed six kicks from beyond 50 yards - his only misses of the season - all from deep territory.
Still, the value is undeniable. In a league where games are often decided by a few points, having a kicker who can consistently deliver from anywhere inside 60 yards is a massive advantage. And just like Myers showed in Seattle, that kind of reliability can be the difference between a playoff run and a championship.
Now comes the business side. Aubrey is a restricted free agent this offseason, and sources expect the Cowboys to place a second-round tender on him.
That would keep him under team control and set his salary around $6 million - just shy of the record mark for a kicker. If another team wants to sign him away, they’d have to give up a second-round pick.
There’s also the possibility of a franchise tag down the line, which would bump his salary to around $6.7 million in 2027.
Either way, the message is clear: elite kickers are finally getting their due. Myers just proved how critical a steady leg can be on the biggest stage. And Aubrey, with his record-breaking range and calm under pressure, is right there in that conversation.
The kicking game isn’t just alive - it’s thriving. And as teams continue to search for every edge in a league defined by tight margins, players like Jason Myers and Brandon Aubrey are showing that sometimes, the quietest position can make the loudest impact.