"A lot of N.F.L. kicks today. We just got to make them all. As an influx of athletes, often with soccer backgrounds, has led to better longer, and more accurate field goals. Faith in what kickers are capable of has altered the game. From 60 yards, three points are now often expected to be within reach in a game of inches. That reality has changed special teams strategies, making distance more important than ever, and that evolution, the limits of possibility, continue to expand."
"70 yards, 75. And the line of those hoping to get there is ever expanding to. Let me think about that. A position once akin to a glorified ball boy is attracting better athletes, and specialized training and technological advances are pushing the limits. The Athletic's Dan Robson visited a camp where free agents are learning those techniques in hopes of getting signed to an N.F.L. team."
Specialized coaching, soccer-influenced athletes, and technological advances have increased NFL kickers' range and accuracy. Camps train free agents in modern techniques aimed at consistent performance from greater distances. Kickers now routinely attempt kicks from 60 yards and teams increasingly expect long-range field goals to be viable scoring options. The expanded range alters special teams strategy, placing a premium on distance and changing fourth-down and field-position decisions. Competition for roster spots has intensified as more skilled athletes pursue kicking. The continual evolution of training methods and equipment pushes the perceived limits of what kickers can achieve.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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