Get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about NFL football! What if I told you the once-impossible 50-yard field goal is now almost routine? It's true. Kickers are booting them through the uprights at an unprecedented rate, changing the very fabric of the game.
NBC Sports reports that NFL kickers have successfully converted a staggering 77 out of 108 field goal attempts from 50 yards or more this season. That's a success rate of 71.3%! Think about that for a second. Not long ago, a 50-yarder was a cause for celebration; now, it's practically expected.
To put this dramatic shift into perspective, consider this: These long-distance kicks are happening twice as often per game compared to just a decade ago. This year, we're seeing roughly 0.4 field goals of 50 yards or longer per team, per game. Back in 2015? That number was a mere 0.2. And rewind another ten years to 2005, and the numbers are even more striking. Twenty years ago, a 50-yard field goal was a true rarity, with only 48 successful attempts across the entire season—less than 0.1 per team, per game.
But here's where it gets controversial... It's not just the 50-yarders; coaches are showing far more confidence in their kickers' ability to connect from even greater distances. A 60-yard attempt used to be considered a high-risk gamble, a desperate heave in the face of defeat. Now? NFL kickers are 4-for-8 from beyond 60 yards just six weeks into the season! To emphasize how much things have changed, consider that as recently as 2014, not a single 60-yard field goal was made in the entire NFL season.
For decades, Tom Dempsey's legendary 63-yard field goal stood as an almost untouchable record. It was the stuff of legends, a testament to raw power and a little bit of luck. But even that has been shattered. This year alone, Chase McLaughlin has nailed a 65-yarder, and Brandon Aubrey has connected from 64 yards!
And this is the part most people miss... In the NFL's first 86 seasons, there were a grand total of four 60-yard field goals made. Four! This season alone, we've already seen four.
It's clear: The NFL is experiencing a long-distance field goal revolution unlike anything it has ever witnessed. But the question is, is this a good thing for the game? Does the increased accuracy of kickers diminish the importance of offensive strategy and risk-taking? Or does it add another exciting dimension to the sport, rewarding precision and athleticism? Are we rewarding the leg, or are we diminishing the value of skillful offense and defense? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!
